Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2
महेशो हिमवद्द्रोण्यां तताप परमं तपः । सर्वैर्गणैः परिवृतो वीरभद्रादिभिस्तदा
maheśo himavaddroṇyāṃ tatāpa paramaṃ tapaḥ | sarvairgaṇaiḥ parivṛto vīrabhadrādibhistadā
তেতিয়া মহেশে হিমালয়ৰ উপত্যকাত পৰম তপস্যা কৰিলে, সেই সময় বীৰভদ্ৰ আদি সহ সকলো গণেৰে পৰিবৃত্ত হৈ।
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)
Tirtha: Himavad-droṇī tapas-sthāna (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: (Contextual) audience in Kedārakhaṇḍa frame
Scene: Maheśa seated in deep meditation in a Himalayan valley; Vīrabhadra and gaṇas forming a protective semicircle; snow peaks, pine forests, and a still, charged atmosphere.
FAQs
Even the Supreme Lord exemplifies tapas, teaching that disciplined austerity sanctifies a place and elevates seekers.
The Himālaya valley setting within the Kedārakhaṇḍa context, pointing to the Kedāra sacred landscape.
No explicit ritual is prescribed here; the focus is on Śiva’s tapas as the source of sanctity.