Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 20
गायत्रीसारमात्रोऽपि वरं विप्रः सुयन्त्रितः । नायन्त्रितश्चतुर्वेदी सर्वाशी सर्वविक्रयी
gāyatrīsāramātro'pi varaṃ vipraḥ suyantritaḥ | nāyantritaścaturvedī sarvāśī sarvavikrayī
گایتری کے صرف سار کو جاننے والا بھی اگر با ضبط و ریاضت وِپر برہمن ہو تو وہ بہتر ہے؛ اس بے ضبط چترویدی سے نہیں جو ہر چیز کھاتا اور ہر چیز بیچتا پھرے۔
Skanda (deduced)
Scene: Contrast tableau: on one side, a calm, restrained brāhmaṇa doing simple japa with a small manuscript; on the other, a lavishly dressed scholar surrounded by scrolls, eating indiscriminately and trading goods—showing moral inversion.
FAQs
Inner restraint and integrity outweigh mere scriptural erudition; dharma is proved by conduct.
No specific tirtha is named; the verse is ethical instruction within the Revā Khaṇḍa teaching sequence.
Implicitly: cultivate disciplined practice centered on Gāyatrī rather than relying on status or broad learning without self-control.