Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3
ऋषिर्मंकणको नाम स तेपे परमं तपः । प्राचीमेत्य यताहारो नित्यं स्वाध्यायतत्परः
ṛṣirmaṃkaṇako nāma sa tepe paramaṃ tapaḥ | prācīmetya yatāhāro nityaṃ svādhyāyatatparaḥ
മങ്കണകൻ എന്നൊരു ഋഷിയുണ്ടായിരുന്നു; അദ്ദേഹം പരമതപസ്സു ചെയ്തു. കിഴക്കുദിക്കിലേക്കു ചെന്നു, ആഹാരനിയമം പാലിച്ച്, നിത്യവും സ്വാധ്യായ-ജപങ്ങളിൽ ലീനനായി ഇരുന്നു.
Śiva (deduced: continuing narration to Devī)
Tirtha: Maṃkīśvara area (tapas-bhūmi of Maṅkaṇaka)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)
Scene: Sage Maṅkaṇaka in a forested riverbank hermitage, seated in meditation with kuśa grass and a water-pot; dawn light from the east; subtle aura of accumulated tapas.
FAQs
A disciplined life—tapas, regulated food, and svādhyāya—is portrayed as the foundation of spiritual power and purity.
The broader Prabhāsa-kṣetra context frames the story, though this verse highlights the sage’s ascetic setting rather than a named tīrtha.
Svādhyāya (regular sacred study/recitation) and dietary restraint (yatāhāra) are indicated as core disciplines.