Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 61
अंतर्भावप्रदुष्टस्य विशतोऽपि हुताशनम् । न स्वर्गो नापपर्गश्च देहनिर्दहनं परम्
aṃtarbhāvapraduṣṭasya viśato'pi hutāśanam | na svargo nāpapargaśca dehanirdahanaṃ param
உள்ளுணர்வு மாசடைந்தவன் தீயில் புகுந்தாலும் சொர்க்கமும் மோட்சமும் கிடையாது; உடலின் இறுதி எரிப்பே மட்டுமே நிகழும்.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Scene: A stark didactic tableau: a person steps into a blazing sacrificial fire while a sage points to the heart, showing that without inner purification the act ends only in cremation-like burning, not ascent to heaven.
FAQs
Without inner purity, even drastic religious acts cannot produce spiritual fruits like heaven or liberation.
No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is on the inner condition as the determinant of results.
No prescription is given; an extreme act (entering fire) is cited to show that inner purity is essential.