Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3
विश्वामित्र उवाच । त्वं जीव गच्छ वा मृत्युं नाहं कर्तास्मि ते वचः । व्रतनाशात्तु यत्पापमधिकं स्त्रीवधाद्भवेत्
viśvāmitra uvāca | tvaṃ jīva gaccha vā mṛtyuṃ nāhaṃ kartāsmi te vacaḥ | vratanāśāttu yatpāpamadhikaṃ strīvadhādbhavet
Viśvāmitra disse: “Vive e vai—ou vai para a morte; não farei o que dizes. Pois o pecado que nasce da destruição de um voto sagrado (vrata) é dito maior do que o que provém de matar uma mulher.”
Viśvāmitra
Type: kshetra
Scene: Sage Viśvāmitra, austere and radiant with tapas, rejects a request that would break his vow; the petitioner stands at a respectful distance, the atmosphere tense with dharma-judgment.
FAQs
The text stresses the sanctity of vrata: breaking a solemn vow is portrayed as spiritually catastrophic.
The verse is ethical instruction within Tīrthamāhātmya framing; it does not name a specific pilgrimage site.
Implicit prescription: protect one’s vrata at all costs; do not consent to actions that cause vow-destruction.