Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5
तापस उवाच । वयं व्रतधराः सुभ्रु ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणाः । मूर्खाः कामविधौ भद्रे निरताः शिवशासने
tāpasa uvāca | vayaṃ vratadharāḥ subhru brahmacaryaparāyaṇāḥ | mūrkhāḥ kāmavidhau bhadre niratāḥ śivaśāsane
তাপস ক’লে: হে সুভ্ৰু, আমি ব্ৰতধাৰী, ব্ৰহ্মচৰ্যত পৰায়ণ। হে ভদ্ৰে, কামৰ বিধিত আমি যেন অজ্ঞ; আমি শিৱশাসনতহে দৃঢ়ভাৱে নিবিষ্ট।
Tāpasa (ascetic)
Listener: the woman (sūbhrū/bhadrā addressed)
Scene: The ascetic speaks with composed authority, palms in a gentle ‘stop’ gesture; the woman’s urgency meets a wall of calm vow-bound discipline; Śiva’s presence is implied through symbols (tripuṇḍra, rudrākṣa).
FAQs
For Śiva’s devotees, vow-keeping—especially brahmacarya—is a defining discipline; spiritual authority is shown through restraint, not indulgence.
The tīrtha framework is chapter-wide, but no particular site name appears in this verse.
Brahmacarya is affirmed as a central vrata; the verse implies adherence to Śaiva discipline rather than describing a ceremonial act.