पञ्चाप्सरो-सरः कथनम् तथा अगस्त्याश्रममार्गनिर्देशः
Panchapsara Lake Account and Directions to Agastya
इदं पञ्चाप्सरो नाम तटाकं सार्वकालिकम्।।।।निर्मितं तपसा राम मुनिना माण्डकर्णिना।
idaṃ pañcāpsaro nāma taṭākaṃ sārvakālikam |
nirmitaṃ tapasā rāma muninā māṇḍakarṇinā ||
“ഹേ രാമാ, ‘പഞ്ചാപ്സരാ’ എന്നു പേരുള്ള ഈ സദാകാലപരിപൂർണ്ണമായ തടാകം മുനി മാണ്ഡകർണി തപസ്സാൽ നിർമ്മിച്ചതാണ്.”
O Rama! this lake called Panchapsara filled with water at all times has been created through penance by a sage called Mandakarni.
Tapas aligned with dharma is portrayed as world-sustaining—spiritual discipline can create enduring benefit for others.
The sage identifies the lake and credits its origin to Māṇḍakarṇi’s penance.
Māṇḍakarṇi’s ascetic endurance and purposeful austerity.