Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18
अपत्यविक्रयी कल्पं वसेद्विट्कृमिभोजने । अतो नाण्वपि कन्याया उपजीवेत्पिता धनम्
apatyavikrayī kalpaṃ vasedviṭkṛmibhojane | ato nāṇvapi kanyāyā upajīvetpitā dhanam
தன் சந்ததியை விற்கும்வன் மலமும் புழுக்களும் உண்ணும் நரகத்தில் ஒரு கல்பம் தங்குவான். ஆகவே மகளால் வந்த அற்பமான செல்வத்தினாலும் தந்தை வாழ்வாதாரம் செய்யக்கூடாது.
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣis/seekers (context-dependent)
Scene: A stark moral tableau: a greedy father taking coins is contrasted with a vision of a dark hell realm where sinners eat filth and worms; a dharma-figure points the father away from the act.
FAQs
Exploiting one’s child for money is a grave adharma with severe karmic consequence; dharmic livelihood must be free from such gain.
The instruction belongs to Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-centered dharma narrative, framing household conduct as part of Kāśī’s sacred order.
A strict prohibition: a father must not subsist on wealth obtained ‘from the daughter’—i.e., any bride-price or exploitative gain.