Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 39
सतां सप्तपदं मैत्रमित्याहुर्बुद्धिकोविदाः । मित्रतां च पुरस्कृत्य समासाद्वक्तुमर्हसि
satāṃ saptapadaṃ maitramityāhurbuddhikovidāḥ | mitratāṃ ca puraskṛtya samāsādvaktumarhasi
บัณฑิตกล่าวว่า ในหมู่สัตบุรุษ มิตรภาพย่อมผูกแน่นด้วยการก้าว ‘เจ็ดก้าว’ ร่วมกัน ดังนั้นเพื่อยกย่องพันธะแห่งมิตรนี้ โปรดกรุณากล่าวแก่ข้าพเจ้าอย่างไว้วางใจ
Brāhmaṇa
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame, implied)
Scene: Two figures stand or walk together taking ‘seven steps’ in symbolic unity; the brāhmaṇa invokes this bond to request confidential instruction from the divine speaker.
FAQs
True counsel is requested and given within dharmic friendship—trust built through shared commitment and virtue.
Prabhāsa Kṣetra is the surrounding narrative setting; the verse itself highlights the ethics of receiving sacred instruction.
No ritual is prescribed here; it establishes the relationship and right attitude for receiving secret teachings.