Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 45
पतिता मृगतृष्णायां मायया च वशीकृताः । वयं सर्वे च विबुधाः प्राज्ञाः पंडितमानिनः
patitā mṛgatṛṣṇāyāṃ māyayā ca vaśīkṛtāḥ | vayaṃ sarve ca vibudhāḥ prājñāḥ paṃḍitamāninaḥ
ตกลงในภาพลวงดุจมฤคตฤษณา และถูกมายาครอบงำ เราทั้งปวง—แม้เหล่าเทวดา—ถึงจะฉลาดรู้ ก็ยังเพียงสำคัญตนว่าเป็นบัณฑิตแท้
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)
Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha
Type: kshetra
Listener: Devas/ṛṣis/pilgrims in Kedāra frame
Scene: A pilgrim-scholar with manuscripts and a proud posture walks toward a shimmering mirage that dissolves into Māyā’s veil; behind, Kedāra’s stark mountains and the liṅga shrine stand as the ‘real’; the scholar’s shadow morphs into a net, symbolizing bondage by self-conceit.
FAQs
Worldly confidence in learning can be mere self-conceit when the mind is still ruled by Māyā; true wisdom begins with recognizing one’s delusion.
The teaching occurs within the Kedārakhaṇḍa context, connected to Kedāra (Kedarnath) and its liberating Shaiva vision.
No direct ritual (snāna/dāna/japa) is stated here; it emphasizes inner discernment over illusion.