Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 44
मुख्यत्वं सर्वतीर्थानामर्घं चापि पितामहात् । किंतु नात्मगुणा वाच्याः सतामेतत्सदा व्रतम् । परोक्षेपि स्वप्रशंसा ब्रह्माणमपि चालयेत्
mukhyatvaṃ sarvatīrthānāmarghaṃ cāpi pitāmahāt | kiṃtu nātmaguṇā vācyāḥ satāmetatsadā vratam | parokṣepi svapraśaṃsā brahmāṇamapi cālayet
Embora este lugar detenha a primazia entre todos os tīrthas e tenha recebido honra até de Pitāmaha (Brahmā), ainda assim não se deve proclamar os próprios méritos — este é o voto perpétuo dos virtuosos. Até o autoelogio indireto pode perturbar o próprio Brahmā.
Dharma (personified)
Tirtha: महीसागर-संगम
Type: sangam
Scene: धर्म-उपदेश का दृश्य: एक महात्मा/धर्म-देवता विनय का नियम बताता है; पीछे संगम-तीर्थ का वैभव; ब्रह्मा का सूक्ष्म संकेत (कमलासन/हंस/वेद) ‘अहंकार-चंचलता’ के रूपक रूप में।
FAQs
True holiness is paired with humility; saints keep a vow of not advertising their own greatness, even when it is real.
The same premier tīrtha/saṅgama under discussion in this adhyāya—described as foremost among pilgrimage places and honored by Brahmā.
A moral-vrata is prescribed: refrain from speaking of one’s own virtues (avoid sva-praśaṁsā).