Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 76
अन्नानां पयसां चापि जीवानां चाथ श्रेयसे । मानुष्यमाहुस्तत्त्वज्ञाः शिवभावेन भावितम्
annānāṃ payasāṃ cāpi jīvānāṃ cātha śreyase | mānuṣyamāhustattvajñāḥ śivabhāvena bhāvitam
అన్నములకును, పాలకును, జీవులకును శ్రేయస్సుకోసం తత్త్వజ్ఞులు చెబుతారు—శివభావంతో భావితమైన మానవజన్మమే పరమ శ్రేయస్కరం.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)
Scene: A symbolic tableau: a human devotee with ash marks and rudrākṣa offers anna and milk in a simple yajña/naivedya, while animals and people are cared for; above, Śiva’s benign presence indicates that ‘śiva-bhāva’ sanctifies human life.
FAQs
Human life becomes supremely meaningful when infused with Śiva-bhāva—bringing welfare to oneself and the wider world through dhārmic, compassionate living.
No specific tīrtha is named; the verse praises Śiva-oriented human living rather than a location.
No explicit ritual is listed; the prescription is cultivating Śiva-bhāva (devotional, pure, benevolent orientation) as the core spiritual practice.