Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 106
सुरैः सह स्पर्धमानास्तपोभिरपि तामसैः । मां भजंते मुहुर्मोहाज्जगदुत्सादनोद्यताः
suraiḥ saha spardhamānāstapobhirapi tāmasaiḥ | māṃ bhajaṃte muhurmohājjagadutsādanodyatāḥ
حتى أولئك الذين في ظلمتهم (تاماس)، يتنافسون مع الآلهة من خلال التقشف ويعتزمون تدمير العالم، فإنهم بسبب الوهم لا يزالون يلجأون مرارًا وتكرارًا إلى عبادتي.
Śiva (deduced from Adhyāya context: Śiva explaining the supremacy of bhakti and the Śiva–Viṣṇu secret to Devī)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)
Scene: Dark-aura ascetics performing fierce tapas—standing amid fire, smoke, and thorny austerities—yet turning repeatedly toward Śiva in worship; devas in the background appear challenged, while the world trembles at the ascetics’ destructive intent.
FAQs
Bhakti draws beings toward the Divine even when their motives are confused or impure; devotion has a compelling power beyond mere ascetic display.
The setting is Prabhāsa Kṣetra in the Prabhāsa Khanda’s Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya.
No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse contrasts tapas with the act of bhajana (devotional worship).