Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 47
अशनादिंद्रिया णीव स्युः कार्याण्यखिलानिह । सर्वस्मात्कारणाद्वित्तं सर्वसाधनमुच्यते
aśanādiṃdriyā ṇīva syuḥ kāryāṇyakhilāniha | sarvasmātkāraṇādvittaṃ sarvasādhanamucyate
Sebagaimana pancaindera digerakkan oleh makan dan seumpamanya, demikian juga segala pekerjaan di dunia ini digerakkan oleh sarana; maka harta disebut sebagai alat untuk menyempurnakan segala sesuatu.
Kṣatriya (narrative context within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)
Scene: Allegory: a person’s senses reaching for food, mirrored by artisans and priests beginning works when resources arrive; wealth depicted as a ‘toolkit’ enabling dharmic acts at a tīrtha.
FAQs
In worldly life, means are required to carry out duties; wealth is a powerful instrument, but it must be directed by dharma rather than desire.
The teaching appears inside the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya narrative environment, though the verse itself is a general statement about artha.
No direct prescription; it provides a rationale for why people pursue wealth to perform works (including dharmic rites and dāna).