Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 65
युधिष्ठिर उवाच । अलं सर्वगुणैस्तस्या यस्यास्त्वेको गुणो महान् । क्रियते किं हि क्षीरेण यदि तद्विषमिश्रितम्
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | alaṃ sarvaguṇaistasyā yasyāstveko guṇo mahān | kriyate kiṃ hi kṣīreṇa yadi tadviṣamiśritam
یُدھِشٹھِر نے کہا: ‘اگر اس میں بہت سے اوصاف ہوں مگر ایک عیب ہی بڑا ہو تو اُن اوصاف کا کیا فائدہ؟ جیسے دودھ میں زہر مل جائے تو دودھ کیا کر سکتا ہے؟’
Yudhiṣṭhira
Listener: (addressed within dialogue; implied interlocutor in the scene)
Scene: Courtly dialogue: Yudhiṣṭhira speaking with measured gravity; a symbolic vessel of milk subtly shown with a dark drop (poison) to visualize the metaphor.
FAQs
A single grave adharma can nullify many good qualities; purity of character matters more than quantity of virtues.
No site is praised; the verse is ethical counsel within a dialogue.
None; it is a dharma-oriented evaluation of character.