Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21
तीर्थसेवा तपो दानं स्वाध्यायो गुरुसेवनम् । सर्वं सत्यविहीनस्य व्यर्थं संजायते यतः
tīrthasevā tapo dānaṃ svādhyāyo gurusevanam | sarvaṃ satyavihīnasya vyarthaṃ saṃjāyate yataḥ
Khidmat kepada tirtha (tempat suci), tapa, sedekah, swadhyaya (pengajian diri), dan khidmat kepada guru—semuanya menjadi sia-sia bagi orang yang tiada kebenaran.
Kṛtaghna (the preta)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A pilgrim performing multiple acts—bathing at a ghat, giving alms, reciting Veda, serving a guru—while a dark veil labeled ‘anṛta’ causes offerings to fade; beside it, a bright ‘satya’ aura makes the same acts glow and bear fruit.
FAQs
Without truthfulness, even revered religious practices lose their spiritual efficacy.
Tīrthas in general are praised, but no single site is specified in this verse.
Practice tīrtha-sevā, dāna, svādhyāya, and guru-sevā, but anchor them in satya for them to bear fruit.