Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29
त्याज्यं कर्म पराधीनं कायमात्मवशं सदा । दुःखी यतः पराधीनः सदैवात्मवशः सुखी
tyājyaṃ karma parādhīnaṃ kāyamātmavaśaṃ sadā | duḥkhī yataḥ parādhīnaḥ sadaivātmavaśaḥ sukhī
กิจที่ทำให้ตนต้องพึ่งพาผู้อื่นพึงละเสีย; พึงดำรงชีวิตให้อยู่ในอำนาจตนเสมอ เพราะผู้เป็นทาสผู้อื่นย่อมทุกข์ ส่วนผู้ครองตนย่อมสุขอยู่เนืองนิตย์
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: A pilgrim-householder at a Kāśī ghat rejects a tempting but compromising offer from a powerful patron; he chooses a simple path, holding a japa-mālā, standing upright—symbol of self-mastery—while the Ganga flows steadily behind.
FAQs
Happiness supports dharma when one lives with self-mastery; dependency that compromises integrity breeds sorrow.
No particular tīrtha is specified; the instruction appears within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s dharmic discourse.
A practical prescription is given: avoid livelihoods/actions that force unethical dependence; cultivate ātma-vaśa (self-control).