Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25
पतंति पुरुषा भद्र पत्राणीव पुनःपुनः । कृतेन येन विप्रेंद्र स्वर्गं प्राप्नोति निर्मलम् । दानेन तपसा चैव तत्त्वमा चक्ष्व सुव्रत
pataṃti puruṣā bhadra patrāṇīva punaḥpunaḥ | kṛtena yena vipreṃdra svargaṃ prāpnoti nirmalam | dānena tapasā caiva tattvamā cakṣva suvrata
Manusia jatuh berulang-ulang, wahai Bhadra, bagaikan daun-daun. Wahai yang terbaik antara brāhmaṇa, dengan amalan apakah seseorang mencapai syurga yang suci tanpa noda? Nyatakan kepadaku kebenaran—melalui sedekah (dāna) dan tapa (tapas), wahai engkau yang berikrar mulia.
King (questioning a brāhmaṇa/sage; direct address to Bhadra and ‘viprendra’)
Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A seeker addresses a venerable brāhmaṇa/sage: men fall like leaves from a tree; the sage listens, poised to teach the deed leading to stainless heaven; a tree shedding leaves symbolizes anityatā.
FAQs
Human life is unstable like falling leaves; therefore one should seek dharmic means—especially dāna and tapas—to gain higher destiny.
The verse occurs within Vastrāpatha-kṣetra Māhātmya; it prepares for explaining the merits connected to sacred place and righteous acts.
Dāna (charity) and tapas (austerity) are explicitly raised as key practices connected with attaining merit and heavenly reward.