Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27
मानुषत्वं न येन स्यात्सम्यक्चीर्णेन सद्द्विज । ततः स सुचिरं ध्यात्वा मामाह परमेश्वर
mānuṣatvaṃ na yena syātsamyakcīrṇena saddvija | tataḥ sa suciraṃ dhyātvā māmāha parameśvara
‘اے نیک برہمن، مجھے وہ ورت/ریاضت بتائیے جو اگر درست طریقے سے کی جائے تو محض انسانی حالت میں دوبارہ لوٹنا نہ ہو۔’ پھر وہ صاحبِ جلال رشی دیر تک دھیان کر کے مجھ سے گویا ہوا۔
Lakṣmī (narrating the exchange)
Listener: A noble brāhmaṇa (saddvija) addressed in the verse; the immediate dialogue is between seeker and a lordly sage
Scene: A seeker respectfully questions a venerable sage; the sage pauses in long contemplation before replying, suggesting gravity and secrecy of the vow.
FAQs
A rightly performed vow (samyak-caryā) is portrayed as a transformative discipline capable of changing one’s existential destiny.
No site is named in this verse; it introduces the forthcoming vrata instruction.
Only the criterion is stated: the vow must be ‘samyak cīrṇa’ (performed correctly). The method follows later.