Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 140
बहूपसर्गो योगोयं कृच्छ्रसाध्यं तपो हि यत् । योगाद्भ्रष्टस्तपोभ्रष्टो गर्भक्लेशसहःपुनः
bahūpasargo yogoyaṃ kṛcchrasādhyaṃ tapo hi yat | yogādbhraṣṭastapobhraṣṭo garbhakleśasahaḥpunaḥ
ഈ യോഗശാസനം അനവധി തടസ്സങ്ങളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞതാണ്; തപസ്സും കഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടാൽ മാത്രമേ സിദ്ധിക്കൂ. യോഗത്തിൽ നിന്നോ തപസ്സിൽ നിന്നോ ഭ്രഷ്ടനായവൻ വീണ്ടും ഗർഭക്ലേശങ്ങളുടെ വേദന (പുനർജന്മം) സഹിക്കണം।
Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative context)
Listener: Umā/Devī (likely in surrounding dialogue)
Scene: An ascetic attempts yoga amid distractions—wind, hunger, doubts—while a shadowy wheel of rebirth looms; the imagery underscores the hardship of tapas and the sorrow of returning to womb-suffering after spiritual fall.
FAQs
Yoga and austerity are difficult and vulnerable to downfall; spiritual negligence can lead back to rebirth and its suffering.
No single tīrtha is named in this verse; within Kāśīkhaṇḍa it supports Kāśī’s broader mokṣa-mahātmya by contrasting difficult sādhana.
No specific rite is prescribed; it warns about maintaining steadiness in yoga and tapas.