Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 45
स्वप्रशंसां प्रकुर्वाणः पराक्षेपसमन्विताम् । किं दिवः पृथिवीं पूर्वं ययातिर्न पपात ह । यानि पूर्वं प्रमाणानि कृतानीशेन धीमता
svapraśaṃsāṃ prakurvāṇaḥ parākṣepasamanvitām | kiṃ divaḥ pṛthivīṃ pūrvaṃ yayātirna papāta ha | yāni pūrvaṃ pramāṇāni kṛtānīśena dhīmatā
Aquele que se entrega ao autoelogio, misturado ao desprezo pelos outros, não cai do céu à terra, como outrora caiu o rei Yayāti? Por isso, as ordenanças estabelecidas anteriormente pelo Senhor sábio devem ser tidas como padrões de autoridade.
Dharma (personified)
Scene: A didactic court-like setting: elders or dharma-personified figures admonish a ruler/leader; in the background a symbolic vignette of King Yayāti descending from a celestial realm to earth, illustrating the fall caused by moral lapse.
FAQs
Self-praise coupled with fault-finding leads to spiritual downfall; divine standards (pramāṇas) should guide conduct.
The verse is more ethical than geographical; it supports the ongoing tīrtha-māhātmya by prescribing the inner discipline suitable for holy places.
No external ritual; it prescribes ethical restraint—avoid self-glorification and disparagement, and follow the Lord’s established ordinances.