Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 93
अप्राप्य त्वां किमत्यन्तमुच्छ्रयी न विनाशयेत् । अतिप्रमाथि च तदा तपो महत्सुदारुणम्
aprāpya tvāṃ kimatyantamucchrayī na vināśayet | atipramāthi ca tadā tapo mahatsudāruṇam
من دون نيلِك، أيُّ ارتقاءٍ سامٍ لا ينتهي إلى خراب؟ لذلك ينبغي عندئذٍ أن يُتَّخَذَ تَبَسٌ عظيم، بالغُ الشدّة، يُحَطِّمُ الشوائبَ تحطيماً تامّاً.
Narratorial voice within Revā Khaṇḍa (didactic continuation; precise speaker not stated in the snippet)
Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (general)
Type: kshetra
Scene: An ascetic on the Narmadā bank performs severe tapas—standing in water, matted hair, rudrākṣa—while visions of crumbling palaces symbolize the ruin of worldly rise without God-attainment.
FAQs
Worldly rise without realization of the Supreme ends in collapse; lasting good comes from God-centered austerity and inner purification.
The Revā/Narmadā sacred setting frames the teaching, though this verse itself is a general dharma-tapas instruction.
Tapas (austere spiritual discipline) is recommended as the means to attain the Lord.