Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16
एकमप्यक्षरं यस्तु गुरुः शिष्ये निवेदयेत् । पृथिव्या नास्ति तद्द्रव्यं यद्दत्त्वा ह्यनृणी भवेत्
ekamapyakṣaraṃ yastu guruḥ śiṣye nivedayet | pṛthivyā nāsti taddravyaṃ yaddattvā hyanṛṇī bhavet
Walaupun seorang guru menyampaikan kepada muridnya hanya satu suku kata, tiadalah di bumi ini sesuatu harta yang, setelah diberikan, dapat melunaskan hutang budi itu.
Unknown (Māhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in tīrthamāhātmya style)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Pilgrimage audience within māhātmya frame
Scene: A guru softly instructs a disciple—perhaps whispering a single syllable/mantra; the disciple bows, realizing the immeasurable value of knowledge; a scale or treasure motif subtly shows material wealth as insufficient.
FAQs
Knowledge given by a true teacher is priceless; material gifts cannot fully repay the spiritual debt created by even a small transmission of wisdom.
The teaching appears within the Śrīhāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya setting of Nāgarakhaṇḍa, where tīrtha-merit is linked with right conduct toward teachers and scripture.
An implied prescription of guru-honor and dāna (offerings/gifts), while stressing that no gift fully cancels the debt of learning.