Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 117
किं त्वेतत्सफलं राजन्नाचारयो न लंघयेत् । आचारात्फलते धर्मो ह्याचारात्स्वर्गमश्नुते
kiṃ tvetatsaphalaṃ rājannācārayo na laṃghayet | ācārātphalate dharmo hyācārātsvargamaśnute
لیکن اس کے پھل دینے کے لیے، اے راجَن، مناسب آچار (نیک سلوک) کی خلاف ورزی نہ کرے۔ آچار ہی سے دھرم بارآور ہوتا ہے؛ بے شک آچار کے ذریعے ہی سُوَرگ حاصل ہوتا ہے۔
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced; addressing 'rājan' indicates a royal listener in this discourse)
Listener: King (rājan)
Scene: A teacher addresses a king, gesturing toward a path labeled ‘ācāra’ leading upward to svarga; below, ritual implements appear secondary, indicating that conduct is the true support of dharma’s fruit.
FAQs
Ritual and devotion yield results only when rooted in ethical discipline; conduct is presented as the engine of dharma’s fruit.
No tīrtha is referenced; the verse is a general dharma teaching on ācāra.
A prohibition: do not violate ācāra (normative right conduct) if one seeks the fruits of worship.