Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 85
अव्यक्तेन्द्रियवृत्तित्वाद्बाल्ये दुःखं महत्पुनः । इच्छन्नपि न शक्नोति वक्तुं कर्तुं च किञ्चन
avyaktendriyavṛttitvādbālye duḥkhaṃ mahatpunaḥ | icchannapi na śaknoti vaktuṃ kartuṃ ca kiñcana
เพราะการทำงานของอินทรีย์ยังไม่เจริญแจ่มชัด วัยเด็กจึงมีทุกข์ใหญ่; แม้ปรารถนาก็มิอาจกล่าววาจา และมิอาจกระทำสิ่งใดได้เลย
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)
Scene: A small child reaching out, unable to speak, surrounded by caring elders; in the background, a symbolic wheel of life-stages (infancy, youth, age) indicating universal vulnerability.
FAQs
Childhood itself is marked by helplessness; therefore one should not postpone dharma and the pursuit of śreyas to a later time.
No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.
No ritual is stated; it supports a contemplative teaching on the hardships of embodied life.