Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5
क्षेत्राणि सरितश्चैव पर्वताश्च नदा स्तथा । ऋषीणां तपसो वीर्यान्माहात्म्यं परमं गताः
kṣetrāṇi saritaścaiva parvatāśca nadā stathā | ṛṣīṇāṃ tapaso vīryānmāhātmyaṃ paramaṃ gatāḥ
পবিত্ৰ ক্ষেত্ৰ, নদী-সৰিতা, পৰ্বত আৰু উপনদীসমূহ—ঋষিসকলৰ তপস্যাৰ তেজ-শক্তিৰ বলত সিহঁতে পৰম মাহাত্ম্য আৰু পবিত্ৰ খ্যাতি লাভ কৰে।
Sūta (narrative voice; implied)
Listener: Ṛṣis
Scene: A poetic tableau of sages performing austerities on riverbanks and mountain caves; their tapas radiates as light that sanctifies the surrounding kṣetra, turning ordinary nature into a tīrtha.
FAQs
Holy places become supremely sanctified through the spiritual power (tapas) of realized sages.
The verse sets the principle behind tīrtha-glory in general, preparing for Arbuda’s specific māhātmya.
No specific rite is prescribed; the verse emphasizes tapas as the source of sanctity.