निशीथिनीषु शिशिरे श्रयंती सारसं रसम् । मेने सा सारसैः केयमुद्यताद्येति पद्मिनी
niśīthinīṣu śiśire śrayaṃtī sārasaṃ rasam | mene sā sārasaiḥ keyamudyatādyeti padminī
Dalam dingin tengah malam, ia bertahan dengan sari-inti teratai. Bagi para angsa, ia tampak bagaikan gadis-teratai yang hari ini bangkit dari air.
Skanda
Purity born of tapas is likened to the lotus—untouched by hardship and luminous even in cold darkness.
The Kāśī setting continues; the verse uses natural imagery to magnify the sanctity and austerity within the kṣetra.
No explicit ritual; a form of austere sustenance (living on “lotus-essence”) is poetically indicated.