तपश्चचार चात्युग्रमुग्रं संशीलयन्हृदि । वर्षाणामयुतं बालो बालेंदुतिलकं शिवम्
tapaścacāra cātyugramugraṃ saṃśīlayanhṛdi | varṣāṇāmayutaṃ bālo bāleṃdutilakaṃ śivam
Anak itu menjalani tapa yang dahsyat, bahkan amat dahsyat; di dalam hati ia bermeditasi pada Śiva bertilaka bulan sabit, dan demikianlah ia bertahan selama sepuluh ribu tahun.
Skanda (to Agastya, deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A youthful ascetic (Budha) seated in intense meditation, body austere yet radiant, mind fixed on Śiva with crescent moon; time passing symbolized by cycles of seasons around him.
Steady inner contemplation of Śiva and long endurance in tapas are portrayed as direct means to divine revelation.
Kāśī is the implied tapas-bhūmi where Budha’s devotion ripens into Śiva’s manifestation.
Tapas and heart-centered dhyāna (meditative contemplation) of Śiva are the disciplines highlighted.