Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8
किंतु पूर्वं तपस्तप्त्वा रेवया बह्वनेहसम् । वरदानोन्मुखो धाता प्रार्थितश्चेति सत्तम
kiṃtu pūrvaṃ tapastaptvā revayā bahvanehasam | varadānonmukho dhātā prārthitaśceti sattama
しかしまず、善き者のうち最勝の者よ、レーヴァー（ナルマダー）は久遠にも等しい長き時にわたり苦行（タパス）を修した。ついで、恩寵を授けんとする創造主ダータ（梵天）に近づき、願いを申し上げた。
Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa: Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)
Type: river
Listener: null
Scene: Personified Revā as a radiant river-goddess performing long tapas on a riverbank/forest hermitage; Brahmā (Dhātā) appears, four-faced, lotus-seated, inclined to grant a boon.
FAQs
Persistent tapas, done with faith, prepares one to receive divine grace and boons.
The broader narrative belongs to Kāśī’s glory, though this verse focuses on Narmadā’s austerities before Brahmā.
Tapas (austerity) is emphasized as the preparatory dharmic act before seeking a boon.