Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 7
वीरं हि पुरुषं हत्वा गोसहस्रेण मुच्यते । यथाकथंचित्पुरुषो न हंतव्यस्ततो बुधैः
vīraṃ hi puruṣaṃ hatvā gosahasreṇa mucyate | yathākathaṃcitpuruṣo na haṃtavyastato budhaiḥ
वीरं पुरुषं हत्वा गोसहस्रेण पापात् प्रमुच्यते। तस्मात् यथाकथञ्चित् अपि पुरुषो न हन्तव्यः—इति बुधैर्निश्चितम्॥
Guha (Skanda/Kārttikeya) quoting traditional dharma-verse
Scene: A solemn dharma-council atmosphere: a speaker warns against killing; in the background, a symbolic herd of cows signifies expiation, while a restrained warrior lowers his weapon.
FAQs
Human life is to be protected; even when expiation exists, the wise avoid killing as a dharmic ideal.
No tīrtha is referenced; the verse is a general dharma teaching.
Gosahasra—an expiatory act involving a thousand cows (typically understood as donation/atonement in dharma literature).