Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 47
भूयो यदि दिवेशानामाधिपत्यं प्रवांछसि । अपि मन्दोऽपि मूर्खोऽपि क्रियाहीनोऽपि वा द्विजः । नावज्ञेयो बुधैः क्वापि लोकद्वय मभीप्सुभिः
bhūyo yadi diveśānāmādhipatyaṃ pravāṃchasi | api mando'pi mūrkho'pi kriyāhīno'pi vā dvijaḥ | nāvajñeyo budhaiḥ kvāpi lokadvaya mabhīpsubhiḥ
“Jika engkau menginginkan kembali kekuasaan atas para dewa, ketahuilah ini: walaupun seorang brāhmaṇa itu tumpul, jahil, atau bahkan kurang dalam pelaksanaan upacara, orang bijaksana—yang mengharap kesejahteraan di dua alam—tidak boleh menghina dia di mana-mana.”
Vālakhilya sages (munis)
Type: kshetra
Scene: The brāhmaṇas deliver a firm, expansive teaching to Indra: if he seeks regained sovereignty, he must never despise a brāhmaṇa—even if dull, ignorant, or ritually inactive; Indra listens bowed, chastened.
FAQs
Reverence toward brāhmaṇas is a pillar of dharma; contempt destroys merit and blocks prosperity in this world and the next.
The broader passage is a Tīrthamāhātmya connected with a kuṇḍa and a liṅga; this verse itself stresses dharmic conduct as the prerequisite for divine status.
No specific rite is prescribed; it frames a moral discipline (non-contempt) as necessary for regaining heavenly sovereignty.