Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 71
भरद्वाज उवाच । योधिगम्य गुरोः शास्त्रं निष्क्रयं न प्रयच्छति । तस्यैनसा स युक्तोस्तु बिसस्तैन्यं करोति यः
bharadvāja uvāca | yodhigamya guroḥ śāstraṃ niṣkrayaṃ na prayacchati | tasyainasā sa yuktostu bisastainyaṃ karoti yaḥ
Bharadvāja nói: “Kẻ trộm cọng sen, nguyện cho hắn bị ràng buộc vào tội lỗi như kẻ đã học giáo pháp thánh từ bậc đạo sư (guru) mà không dâng cúng lễ phí xứng đáng (dakṣiṇā).”
Bharadvāja
Type: kshetra
Scene: Bharadvāja instructs a student; the student departs empty-handed; a karmic ‘bond’ motif (subtle chain/rope) overlays the thief of lotus-stalks, linking theft to unpaid dakṣiṇā.
FAQs
Dharma includes honoring obligations—especially to one’s guru; theft is equated with the grave fault of withholding rightful dues.
The tīrtha is part of Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya, but is not named in this verse.
Offer niṣkraya/dakṣiṇā to the guru after receiving instruction; do not withhold what is due.