Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 55
प्रायश्चित्तं तु हास्येन यच्च स्मार्तैः प्रकीर्तितम् । विश्वावसोश्च संकल्पं वह्निसाधनसंभवम्
prāyaścittaṃ tu hāsyena yacca smārtaiḥ prakīrtitam | viśvāvasośca saṃkalpaṃ vahnisādhanasaṃbhavam
स्मार्तैर्हास्येन प्रकीर्तितं यत् प्रायश्चित्तं तदपि न्यवेदयन्; तथा विश्वावसोः संकल्पं वह्निसाधनसमुद्भवम्।
Narrator (contextual)
Tirtha: Vāstupada
Type: kshetra
Scene: The narrators mention a Smārta expiation treated with derision and a resolve involving fire; the sage sits poised to judge; symbolic fire appears as a controlled ritual flame, not a conflagration.
FAQs
Ritual prescriptions can be disputed; therefore, right expiation should be grounded in authoritative discernment, not ridicule or hearsay.
The narrative is now anchored at Vāstupada, a place sought for resolving dharmic uncertainty.
Prāyaścitta is explicitly mentioned, including a fire-linked means (vahni-sādhana), though the exact procedure is not fully spelled out in this verse.
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