Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7
मन्येत कृतकृत्यत्वं येन पुत्रेण धर्मपः । अन्यैः पुत्रशतैः किं वा वंशानुद्धारकारकैः
manyeta kṛtakṛtyatvaṃ yena putreṇa dharmapaḥ | anyaiḥ putraśataiḥ kiṃ vā vaṃśānuddhārakārakaiḥ
எந்த மகனால் தர்மபதி தன்னை கೃತகೃತ்யன் என எண்ணுவானோ, அப்போது வம்சத்தை உயர்த்தும் நூறு பிற மகன்கள் இருந்தாலும் என்ன பயன்?
Yama (implied by dharmapaḥ and narrative continuity)
Scene: A dharma-lord figure (as judge/guardian of righteousness) gazes upon a single virtuous son performing ancestral rites; behind them, a faint crowd of many sons fades, emphasizing ‘quality over quantity’.
FAQs
Quality of dharma outweighs quantity: one truly righteous son fulfills higher religious aims beyond mere continuation of lineage.
None is mentioned; this is a doctrinal statement within the story.
None directly; it emphasizes the ideal of dharmic sonship.