Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 47
आदेशं पठते यस्तु संजिघृक्षुः प्रतिग्रहम् । तीर्थे चैव विशेषेण ब्रह्मघ्नः सैव नेतरः । स्थितो वै नृपतेर्द्वारि न कुर्याद्वेदविक्रयम्
ādeśaṃ paṭhate yastu saṃjighṛkṣuḥ pratigraham | tīrthe caiva viśeṣeṇa brahmaghnaḥ saiva netaraḥ | sthito vai nṛpaterdvāri na kuryādvedavikrayam
Sesiapa yang membaca ‘ādeśa’ dengan niat menerima pemberian—terutama di tīrtha—hendaklah dianggap seperti pembunuh Brahmana; dia bukanlah pembimbing sejati. Walau berdiri di pintu raja sekalipun, jangan sekali-kali memperdagangkan Weda.
Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A would-be ‘guide’ at a tīrtha recites a formal authorization while eyeing gifts; the text brands him a brahma-ghna. A contrasting figure refuses to commercialize Veda even at a royal gate, standing firm in dharma.
FAQs
Sacred knowledge and tīrtha-service must not be commercialized; greed in holy places is treated as a grave dharmic offense.
Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where conduct at the tīrtha is held to a stricter standard.
A clear prohibition: do not sell the Veda or recite for payment under the pretext of authorization, especially at a tīrtha.