Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 7
तत्र तीर्थे नृपश्रेष्ठ देवी नारायणी पुरा । अद्यापि तपते घोरं तपो यावत्किलार्बुदम्
tatra tīrthe nṛpaśreṣṭha devī nārāyaṇī purā | adyāpi tapate ghoraṃ tapo yāvatkilārbudam
في ذلك التيرثا، يا أفضل الملوك، قامت الإلهة نارايَني (Nārāyaṇī) قديمًا بتقشّفٍ شديد؛ وهي إلى اليوم تمارس تابَسًا رهيبًا، ما دام زمنُ أربودا قائمًا.
Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuation)
Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: A king addressed as ‘nṛpaśreṣṭha’
Scene: Goddess Nārāyaṇī seated in fierce tapas near the river, surrounded by a ring of fire-like aura; time symbolized by vast cycles (stars, kalpa motifs) indicating ‘arbuda’ duration.
FAQs
The sanctity of a place is reinforced by divine presence and long-standing austerity, inviting pilgrims to approach with reverence and discipline.
The Karkaṭeśvara tīrtha on the Narmadā’s northern bank (Adhyāya 137).
Tapas (austerity) is emphasized; the goddess is presented as the exemplar of sustained spiritual practice at the site.