Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4
पीडितोऽप्यभवत्तूष्णीं तैरुक्तः पापकृत्तमः । द्यूते त्वया च तद्द्रव्यं हारितं किं प्रयच्छसि
pīḍito'pyabhavattūṣṇīṃ tairuktaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ | dyūte tvayā ca taddravyaṃ hāritaṃ kiṃ prayacchasi
पीडितोऽपि स तूष्णीमेव स्थितः। ततस्ते जनाः तं पापकृत्तमं ऊचुः— “द्यूते त्वया तद्द्रव्यं हारितम्; इदानीं किं दास्यसि?”
Lomaśa (continuing narration)
Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha kṣetra (narrative backdrop)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A distressed man surrounded by gamblers demanding repayment; tense street-side confrontation, the man silent, eyes lowered, hands restrained, suggesting inner turmoil before a later turn to the temple.
FAQs
Adharma traps a person in escalating demands and suffering, preparing the narrative contrast where turning to Śiva becomes the path out.
Kedāra-kṣetra is the chapter’s sacred horizon; the story soon moves toward Śiva’s temple there.
None; it is a narrative confrontation that motivates the next actions.