Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 52
तेन शप्तस्तु कोपेन सुतार्थे वृषभध्वज । हास्येनापि मया प्रोक्तं नान्यथा संप्रजायते
tena śaptastu kopena sutārthe vṛṣabhadhvaja | hāsyenāpi mayā proktaṃ nānyathā saṃprajāyate
वृषभध्वज! सुतार्थं स कोपेन शप्तः; मयापि हास्येन यदुक्तं, तदन्यथा न भवति—मम वचनं अवश्यं संप्रजायते।
Dakṣa (implied, addressing Śiva as Vṛṣabhadhvaja)
Listener: Śiva (Vṛṣabhadhvaja)
Scene: Dakṣa admits the curse was spoken in anger/jest yet must manifest; Śiva listens as the cosmic weight of words hangs in the air.
FAQs
Speech carries karmic force; even words spoken lightly may become binding, so one should speak responsibly and truthfully.
This verse is part of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative that leads into the Somēśvara/Śiva-liṅga sanctity connected with the Moon and sacred tīrthas.
No direct ritual is prescribed in this verse; it establishes the narrative basis for later worship-related boons.