Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26
केवलं निन्दने चैव तत्पापं लभते गुरु । यथा शृण्वान एव स्यात्पातकी न ततः परः
kevalaṃ nindane caiva tatpāpaṃ labhate guru | yathā śṛṇvāna eva syātpātakī na tataḥ paraḥ
Walau hanya dengan memfitnah, seseorang memperoleh dosa yang berat. Demikian juga, orang yang sekadar mendengar pun menjadi pendosa—tiada yang lebih buruk daripada itu.
Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic narration)
Scene: Two groups at a tīrtha rest-house: one gossiping, one doing kīrtana. A traveler covers his ears and walks toward the kīrtana, showing that even listening to slander is sinful.
FAQs
One must avoid both speaking and entertaining slander; moral responsibility extends to attentive listening.
No particular tirtha is mentioned; the instruction supports purity for all sacred observances.
Do not participate in gossip—neither as speaker nor as listener—especially in vow-season disciplines.