Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 83
पुनः कर्ममयैः पाशैर्बद्धा जन्मनिजन्मनि । निरयेषु प्रपच्यंते केवलं कर्म्मरूपिणः
punaḥ karmamayaiḥ pāśairbaddhā janmanijanmani | nirayeṣu prapacyaṃte kevalaṃ karmmarūpiṇaḥ
కర్మమయమైన పాశాలతో జన్మ జన్మకు బంధింపబడి, కేవలం కర్మనే తమ స్వరూపమని భావించువారు నరకాలలో దహింపబడతారు.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (Mahēśvara Khaṇḍa convention)
Tirtha: Kedāra
Type: kshetra
Scene: Souls entangled in rope-like nooses labeled ‘karma’ are dragged through cycles of birth and toward fiery hells; above, a compassionate Śiva holds a trident that severs the noose for the surrendered devotee.
FAQs
Karma pursued as an end in itself becomes bondage; freedom comes by orienting action toward Īśvara and higher dharma, not mere ritualism.
Set within Kedāra Khaṇḍa’s Kedārakṣetra narrative frame; the verse itself is a general doctrinal warning rather than a site-description.
No explicit rite is prescribed; the implied corrective is devotion and surrender to Īśvara so that karma does not become a ‘pāśa’ (bond).