Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 41
रामराम महाबाहो मा त्वं शोकपरो भव । न चास्य युज्यते वह्निर्दातुं चैव कथंचन
rāmarāma mahābāho mā tvaṃ śokaparo bhava | na cāsya yujyate vahnirdātuṃ caiva kathaṃcana
“Rāma, Rāma, wahai yang berlengan perkasa—jangan tenggelam dalam dukacita. Tidaklah wajar sama sekali menyerahkan dia kepada api pembakaran jenazah.”
Ākāśavāṇī (celestial voice)
Listener: Rāma (mahābāhu)
Scene: A grieving, strong-armed figure named Rāma stands near the unlit pyre; petals fall; an unseen voice from the sky consoles him; attendants pause mid-rite, hands folded.
FAQs
Dharma is subtle: even established rites may be set aside when higher spiritual status and scriptural principles apply.
The verse is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter, but the site name is not specified in this line.
It prohibits performing cremation (giving to fire) for the person described, implying an exception to ordinary antyeṣṭi.