Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 148
अन्येषामंत्यजात्यानां यद्वत्तस्य विशेषतः । वेदाभ्यासपरश्चैव यदि संजायते क्वचित् । रक्तं पतति वक्त्रेण तत्क्षणात्तस्य दुर्मतेः
anyeṣāmaṃtyajātyānāṃ yadvattasya viśeṣataḥ | vedābhyāsaparaścaiva yadi saṃjāyate kvacit | raktaṃ patati vaktreṇa tatkṣaṇāttasya durmateḥ
Dan sebagaimana halnya orang-orang dari golongan hina (antyajāti)—pada dirinya lebih-lebih lagi—jika sekali-sekala dia menjadi tekun hendak melafazkan bacaan Veda, maka pada saat itu juga darah akan menitis dari mulutnya, kerana budi pekertinya yang jahat.
Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; exact speaker not explicit in snippet)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A man begins Vedic recitation; suddenly blood drips from his mouth; nearby listeners recoil; the moment is frozen in shock and taboo.
FAQs
Purāṇic dharma narratives often stress that sacred practice must be aligned with inner discipline and proper observance; otherwise it becomes a cause of downfall and public doubt.
Not directly named in this verse; the chapter’s ritual resolution later moves toward Brahmasthāna as the place for removing suspicion.
Veda-abhyāsa (Vedic recitation/practice) is referenced, but no positive prescription is given here—rather a warning motif is presented.