देवदेव उवाच । वरं वरय संतप्त तपसा क्लेशितं वपुः । त्वयेदं बालवपुषा वशीकृतं मनो मम
devadeva uvāca | varaṃ varaya saṃtapta tapasā kleśitaṃ vapuḥ | tvayedaṃ bālavapuṣā vaśīkṛtaṃ mano mama
Devadeva bersabda: “Pilihlah suatu anugerah, wahai yang hangus oleh tapa, tubuhmu telah letih oleh tapas. Engkau—meski berjasad muda—telah menawan batin-Ku.”
Śiva (Devadeva)
Listener: Kumāra (a prince/devotee)
Scene: Śiva, addressed as Devadeva, speaks compassionately to a youthful yet tapas-scorched prince/ascetic, acknowledging the power of his austerity and inviting him to choose a boon.
Spiritual authority comes from sincerity and endurance in tapas, not from age or status.
Kāśī’s sacred narrative frame emphasizes the kṣetra where Śiva becomes easily propitiated.
The practice highlighted is tapas leading to varadāna (granting of boons).