Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 181
अप्सुसा वार्षिकं बिंदुं पूर्णे वर्षशते पपौ । तपश्चरंती तस्मात्सा प्रोच्यते चाप्सरा दिवि
apsusā vārṣikaṃ biṃduṃ pūrṇe varṣaśate papau | tapaścaraṃtī tasmātsā procyate cāpsarā divi
S’adonnant à l’ascèse, elle ne but qu’une seule goutte par an durant cent années entières. C’est pourquoi, au ciel, on la célèbre comme une Apsarā.
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced)
Tirtha: Barkareśvara (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Arjuna
Scene: A solitary maiden-ascetic in a forest or near a shrine, sustaining herself on a single drop per year; the cosmos witnesses her vow, and celestial beings acknowledge her as apsarā.
FAQs
Sustained tapas with restraint is portrayed as powerfully transformative, yielding exalted status and recognition.
The verse supports the broader tīrtha narrative context (Mahākāla/Barkareśvara) though it focuses on her tapas-fruit.
An austerity model is implied: extreme restraint in consumption over long periods as a form of tapas.