Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28
न मन्त्रा न तपो दानं न तीर्थं न च संयमः । समर्था रक्षितुं जंतुं पीडितं पूर्वकर्मभिः
na mantrā na tapo dānaṃ na tīrthaṃ na ca saṃyamaḥ | samarthā rakṣituṃ jaṃtuṃ pīḍitaṃ pūrvakarmabhiḥ
ไม่ใช่มนต์ ไม่ใช่ตบะ ไม่ใช่ทาน ไม่ใช่การไปสู่ทีรถะ และไม่ใช่การสำรวมตน ที่จะคุ้มครองสัตว์ผู้ถูกกรรมเก่าบีบคั้นได้
Unspecified (deduced: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa narrating within a Māhātmya discourse)
Scene: A reflective ascetic or pilgrim pauses at a tīrtha, seeing ritual implements (mālā, kamaṇḍalu, dāna-vessels) rendered small against the vast wheel of karma above; a suffering being is shown under the shadow of past deeds.
FAQs
Prior karma can ripen inexorably; spiritual means are not portrayed as automatic shields against already-fructifying deeds.
The statement is delivered within the Śrīhāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya framework (Nāgarakhaṇḍa).
Mantra, tapas, dāna, tīrtha, and saṃyama are mentioned, but not as prescriptions—rather as practices that may not avert matured past karma.