Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 137
यो देवान्मन्यते नैव धर्मांश्च मनुसूचितान् । नैतौ स याति पंथानौ तत्त्वार्थोऽयं निरूपितः
yo devānmanyate naiva dharmāṃśca manusūcitān | naitau sa yāti paṃthānau tattvārtho'yaṃ nirūpitaḥ
ਜੋ ਦੇਵਤਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਨਹੀਂ ਮੰਨਦਾ ਅਤੇ ਮਨੂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਦੱਸੇ ਧਰਮਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਸਵੀਕਾਰਦਾ—ਉਹ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੋਨਾਂ ਮਾਰਗਾਂ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ਕਿਸੇ ਉੱਤੇ ਨਹੀਂ ਚਲਦਾ। ਇਹੀ ਤੱਤ-ਅਰਥ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਿਤ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ।
Deductive: Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) narrating within Māheśvara-khaṇḍa context
Scene: Two luminous roads (light and smoke) stand guarded by personified Dharma; a figure who turns away from devas and dharma finds the roads fading, entering a barren, trackless wasteland—symbolizing ‘no path’.
FAQs
Rejecting the devas and Manu-taught dharma disqualifies one from the recognized dharmic paths.
None is specified; the verse focuses on doctrinal adherence rather than sacred geography.
No direct prescription; it frames eligibility for the two dharmic paths previously stated.