Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 134
न लोभेन सुरश्रेष्ठ पश्यतस्ते विगर्हितः । अहं च ब्राह्मणैः सर्वैरेतैर्नगरवासिभिः
na lobhena suraśreṣṭha paśyataste vigarhitaḥ | ahaṃ ca brāhmaṇaiḥ sarvairetairnagaravāsibhiḥ
“โอ้ผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่เทพ มิใช่เพราะความโลภ; แต่ถึงกระนั้น ต่อหน้าสายตาของท่าน ข้าก็ถูกพราหมณ์ทั้งหลายและชาวนครเหล่านี้ประณาม”
Vātaka (addressing Śakra/Indra)
Scene: Vātaka gestures toward the crowd while addressing Indra: Indra stands as witness; the crowd of brāhmaṇas and townsmen condemn; Vātaka’s face shows pain yet restraint, indicating he was not greedy.
FAQs
Righteous intent may still face social scrutiny; dharma operates both inwardly (motive) and outwardly (community standards).
The passage remains part of the Gartā-tīrtha-centered account, though this verse emphasizes communal reaction.
No new ritual is taught; it clarifies that acceptance was not motivated by lobha (greed).