Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 42
जलाहारा वायुभक्षाः पर्णाहाराश्च तापसाः । यथा स्थंडिलगा नित्यं ये चान्यनियमाः पृथक्
jalāhārā vāyubhakṣāḥ parṇāhārāśca tāpasāḥ | yathā sthaṃḍilagā nityaṃ ye cānyaniyamāḥ pṛthak
জলাহাৰী, বায়ুভক্ষী (যেন বায়ুকেই আহাৰ কৰে), পাতেৰে জীৱন ধৰা তাপসসকল; আৰু যিসকলে সদায় উলঙ্গ মাটিত শয়ন কৰে—আৰু আন আন পৃথক নিয়ম পালন কৰা লোকসকল।
Śiva
Tirtha: Prabhāsa (ascetic precincts/āśramas)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A sequence-like tableau of ascetics in the Prabhāsa region: one drinking only water, one practicing prāṇa-based restraint (vayu-bhakṣa), one eating leaves, and one lying on bare earth; all calm, focused, and radiant with tapas.
FAQs
Dharma is supported by disciplined living; varied austerities are acknowledged as legitimate paths of tapas.
The verse sits within the Prācīna/Prabhāsa tīrtha praise, though it lists general tapas practices rather than a new site.
A catalogue of austerities: water-diet, breath-subsistence, leaf-diet, sleeping on bare ground, and other niyamas.