Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 9
न मे सरस्वती देवी जिह्वाग्रे परिवर्तते । कारणं नान्यदस्तीह मृत्योर्मम वरानने । दृष्टोऽकस्मात्त्वया चाहं ततो यास्यामि चान्यतः । मरणं हि मम श्रेयो मूकभावान्न जीवितम्
na me sarasvatī devī jihvāgre parivartate | kāraṇaṃ nānyadastīha mṛtyormama varānane | dṛṣṭo'kasmāttvayā cāhaṃ tato yāsyāmi cānyataḥ | maraṇaṃ hi mama śreyo mūkabhāvānna jīvitam
“Bagiku, Dewi Sarasvatī tidak bergerak di hujung lidahku. Tiada sebab lain di sini bagi kerinduanku akan kematian, wahai yang berwajah jelita. Engkau telah melihatku tanpa diduga; maka aku akan pergi ke tempat lain. Sesungguhnya mati lebih baik bagiku daripada hidup dalam keadaan bisu.”
Piṇḍodaka
Type: kshetra
Scene: A grief-stricken brāhmaṇa (Piṇḍodaka) stands on Arbuda’s sacred slope, head bowed, confessing that Sarasvatī does not move on his tongue; the atmosphere is twilight, with a hint of the goddess’s unseen presence.
FAQs
Speech and knowledge are sacred gifts; when they are absent, the seeker should turn to divine refuge rather than sink into hopelessness.
The Arbuda setting where Sarasvatī is present; the dialogue leads to the establishment and fame of a tīrtha.
None directly; the verse articulates the motive that prompts Sarasvatī to grant a boon and later prescribe tīrtha-snāna.