Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42
काष्ठीभूतं तु तं ज्ञात्वा शिवः पस्पर्श पाणिना । महातपः समुद्भूत संतापामृतवर्षिणा
kāṣṭhībhūtaṃ tu taṃ jñātvā śivaḥ pasparśa pāṇinā | mahātapaḥ samudbhūta saṃtāpāmṛtavarṣiṇā
അവൻ കാഷ്ഠംപോലെ ജഡനിശ്ചലനായതായി അറിഞ്ഞ് ശിവൻ തന്റെ കൈകൊണ്ട് സ്പർശിച്ചു—മഹാതപസ്സിൽ നിന്നുയർന്ന സന്താപത്തിന്മേൽ അമൃതവർഷം ചൊരിയുന്ന കൈ.
Narrator (Skanda-to-Agastya context in Kāśī Khaṇḍa)
Tirtha: Kāśī-Avimukta
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (frame)
Scene: Śiva recognizes the Sun as wood-like in absorption and gently touches him; from the Lord’s palm flows a cool nectar-rain that soothes the heat of severe austerity.
FAQs
Śiva’s grace cools the burning strain of austerity; divine contact restores balance and awakens the devotee.
The narrative belongs to Kāśī’s Mahātmya setting, where Śiva’s immediate compassion is celebrated.
No explicit ritual is given; the motif is the fruit of tapas culminating in Śiva’s anugraha (favor).