Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 178
भगवानुवाच । त्वं हि राजा त्रिलोकेशो नान्यो भवितुमर्हसि । स्वकुलं न्यूनतां गच्छेद्यो वै कापुरुषः स्मृतः
bhagavānuvāca | tvaṃ hi rājā trilokeśo nānyo bhavitumarhasi | svakulaṃ nyūnatāṃ gacchedyo vai kāpuruṣaḥ smṛtaḥ
O Senhor Bem-aventurado disse: “Tu és, de fato, o rei, o senhor dos três mundos; nenhum outro é digno disso. Mas aquele que é lembrado como covarde faz sua própria linhagem declinar.”
Bhagavān (Vāmana/Śrī Hari)
Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: Vāmana speaks with authority, praising the king’s sovereignty while warning against cowardice that ruins lineage; the listener stands attentive, chastened yet honored.
FAQs
Leadership must be grounded in courage and integrity; cowardice diminishes both personal honor and the dignity of one’s lineage.
While the verse is ethical instruction, it occurs within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Kedāra setting, where dharma-teachings are embedded in sacred geography.
No ritual instruction is given; it is a dharma-focused admonition regarding valor and reputation.