Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5
नो वा तत्कथ्यतां शीघ्रं याथातथ्येन दुर्मते । यद्धारितं प्रयच्छामि रात्रावित्यब्रवीच्च सः
no vā tatkathyatāṃ śīghraṃ yāthātathyena durmate | yaddhāritaṃ prayacchāmi rātrāvityabravīcca saḥ
“ถ้าไม่เช่นนั้น ก็จงบอกมาโดยเร็วและตามความจริง เจ้าคนเขลา!” เขาตอบว่า “สิ่งที่ข้าพเจ้าเสียไป ข้าพเจ้าจะชดใช้ในยามราตรี”
Lomaśa (continuing narration)
Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha kṣetra (backdrop)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Gamblers press for immediate truth; the man answers with a forced promise—‘I will repay at night’—his face showing calculation mixed with fear.
FAQs
A moment of pressure becomes the pivot that drives the plot toward the sacred—showing how even flawed motives can lead one to a transformative encounter.
The Kedāra setting is implied; the promised ‘night’ action immediately precedes the move to Śiva’s temple.
None explicitly; the verse sets up the nocturnal sequence that follows.