Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 52
यः करोति नरो भक्त्या स च विष्णुः सनातनः । इदं च सर्वतपसां महत्तप उदाहृतम्
yaḥ karoti naro bhaktyā sa ca viṣṇuḥ sanātanaḥ | idaṃ ca sarvatapasāṃ mahattapa udāhṛtam
ومن أدّاه بعبادةٍ وخشوع عُدَّ كأنه فيشنو الأزليّ نفسه. وقد أُعلن هذا أنه رياضةٌ عظمى، تفوق سائر الرياضات.
Skanda (deduced)
Tirtha: Mahāpārāka (vrata)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A devotee performing Mahāpārāka is shown suffused with Viṣṇu’s radiance—human form subtly merging with the four-armed iconography, indicating spiritual identity.
FAQs
Devotional performance of the vow confers divine identity in merit—one becomes equal (in fruit) to the eternal Lord.
The teaching is embedded in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s pilgrimage-glorification context; the vow is presented as a supreme practice within that sacred landscape.
Performing the vow ‘with bhakti’ is stressed; the vow is ranked as ‘mahattapas’ among all austerities.