Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 102
निर्द्वन्द्वो निर्भयो भूत्वा निराहारो ह्यहर्निशम् । सव्येन पाणिना सव्यं निर्मथ्योरुमहं पुनः
nirdvandvo nirbhayo bhūtvā nirāhāro hyaharniśam | savyena pāṇinā savyaṃ nirmathyorumahaṃ punaḥ
അവൻ ദ്വന്ദ്വവും ഭയവും വിട്ട്, പകലും രാത്രിയും നിരാഹാരനായി നിന്നു; പിന്നെ ഇടങ്കൈകൊണ്ട് ഇടത്തുട വീണ്ടും മഥിച്ച് ഉരയ്ക്കാൻ തുടങ്ങി।
Narrator (describing Pippalāda’s sādhana)
Tirtha: Śivāyatana (at Tuhinācala)
Type: temple
Scene: Fasting day and night, fearless and unwavering, the protagonist rubs/churns his left thigh with his left hand in a severe rite, preparing to manifest a Kṛtyā.
FAQs
Tapas is powerful, but its fruit depends on intention; austerity aimed at harm is portrayed as spiritually dangerous.
The action occurs within a sacred setting referenced earlier (Śiva’s precinct), embedded in the Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya narrative.
Fasting (nirāhāra) and continuous practice (aharniśam) are described as part of a Kṛtyā-sādhana (not a recommended rite).