Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10
न स्मृतिर्न पुराणं च वेदांतं वा द्विजोत्तमाः । न चास्ति ब्राह्मणः सोऽत्र सर्वज्ञप्रतिमो न यः
na smṛtirna purāṇaṃ ca vedāṃtaṃ vā dvijottamāḥ | na cāsti brāhmaṇaḥ so'tra sarvajñapratimo na yaḥ
โอ้ท่านผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่ทวิชะ! ที่นี่ไม่มีสมฤติ ไม่มีปุราณะ แม้เวทานตะก็ไม่มี; และที่นี่ก็ไม่มีพราหมณ์ผู้ใดที่ประหนึ่งผู้รู้ทั่ว (สรรพญะ)
Unnamed Nāgara dvija(s) (lamenting lack of resources/authority)
Scene: A barren study-hall near a sacred site: empty manuscript bundles, silent seats of teachers, a few worried dvijas scanning the horizon for a learned brāhmaṇa; the supplicant remains unpurified.
FAQs
Spiritual practice and expiation require competent guidance and reliable sources; ignorance and lack of teachers become obstacles to dharma.
No single tīrtha is praised in this verse; it underscores the necessity of learned custodians within a sacred place.
None; it highlights the problem—absence of accessible authoritative instruction.