Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 5
वानर उवाच । सृगाल पातकं पूर्वं किमकार्षीः सुदारुणम् । यस्त्वं श्मशाने मृतकान्पूतिगंधांश्च कुत्सितान् । अत्सीत्युक्तोऽथ कपिना सृगालस्तमभाषत
vānara uvāca | sṛgāla pātakaṃ pūrvaṃ kimakārṣīḥ sudāruṇam | yastvaṃ śmaśāne mṛtakānpūtigaṃdhāṃśca kutsitān | atsītyukto'tha kapinā sṛgālastamabhāṣata
వానరుడు అన్నాడు— ఓ శృగాలా! నీవు పూర్వంలో ఏ అత్యంత ఘోరమైన పాపం చేసావు, అందువల్ల శ్మశానంలో ఈ దుర్గంధభరితమైన, నింద్యమైన శవాలను భక్షిస్తున్నావు? వానరుడు అడగగా శృగాలుడు సమాధానమిచ్చాడు।
Vānara (monkey)
Tirtha: Rudrabhūmi śmaśāna (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Monkey, with stern compassion, points toward the jackal tearing at a corpse; the scene is stark—bones, ash, and smoke—yet composed as a moral tableau of question and impending confession.
FAQs
A degraded condition is presented as the visible fruit of former wrongdoing, prompting self-inquiry and repentance.
The Setu region’s sacred setting is implied; the teaching unfolds within Setu-khaṇḍa’s holy geography connected with Śiva (Rudra-bhūmi).
None directly; the question introduces a teaching that will connect conduct (especially dāna-promises) with karmic results.
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