Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 93
अप्राप्य त्वां किमत्यन्तमुच्छ्रयी न विनाशयेत् । अतिप्रमाथि च तदा तपो महत्सुदारुणम्
aprāpya tvāṃ kimatyantamucchrayī na vināśayet | atipramāthi ca tadā tapo mahatsudāruṇam
Sans T’atteindre, quelle élévation, si haute soit-elle, ne finirait pas en ruine ? C’est pourquoi il faut alors entreprendre un grand tapas, d’une austérité très sévère, qui brise entièrement les impuretés.
Narratorial voice within Revā Khaṇḍa (didactic continuation; precise speaker not stated in the snippet)
Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (general)
Type: kshetra
Scene: An ascetic on the Narmadā bank performs severe tapas—standing in water, matted hair, rudrākṣa—while visions of crumbling palaces symbolize the ruin of worldly rise without God-attainment.
FAQs
Worldly rise without realization of the Supreme ends in collapse; lasting good comes from God-centered austerity and inner purification.
The Revā/Narmadā sacred setting frames the teaching, though this verse itself is a general dharma-tapas instruction.
Tapas (austere spiritual discipline) is recommended as the means to attain the Lord.