Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1
ऋषय ऊचुः । या सा कर्णोत्पलानाम त्वयास्माकं प्रकीर्तिता । किञ्चिज्जलाश्रयं प्राप्य तपस्तपति संस्थिता । तस्याः सर्वं समाचक्ष्व यथा तपसि सा स्थिता
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | yā sā karṇotpalānāma tvayāsmākaṃ prakīrtitā | kiñcijjalāśrayaṃ prāpya tapastapati saṃsthitā | tasyāḥ sarvaṃ samācakṣva yathā tapasi sā sthitā
Les sages dirent : « Cette femme nommée Kārṇotpalā, dont tu nous as fait le récit—ayant atteint un refuge au bord des eaux, elle demeure dans l’austérité et accomplit la pénitence. Dis-nous tout à son sujet : comment elle resta établie dans le tapas. »
Ṛṣis (Sages)
Tirtha: Gaurīpāda-sparśa-sthāna (implied); jalāśraya associated with Kārṇotpalā
Type: kund
Listener: Ṛṣis
Scene: A circle of forest sages seated on kuśa grass, addressing Sūta with folded hands; in the background a calm waterbody (jalāśaya) with lotuses, suggesting the ascetic setting where Kārṇotpalā performs tapas.
FAQs
Tapas undertaken at a sanctified waterside place is treated as spiritually potent, worthy of careful remembrance and narration.
A ‘jalāśraya’ (waterside refuge) is indicated, but the excerpt does not provide the tīrtha’s proper name.
No explicit ritual is prescribed; the verse introduces an inquiry into the method and steadfastness of her austerities (tapas).