Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55
किमर्थमिति रम्भोरु नवे वयसि दुश्चरम् । तपस्त्वया समारब्धं नानुरूपं विभाति मे
kimarthamiti rambhoru nave vayasi duścaram | tapastvayā samārabdhaṃ nānurūpaṃ vibhāti me
“Atas tujuan apakah, wahai wanita berpeha indah, pada usia muda yang segar ini engkau memulakan tapa yang sukar? Tapas yang engkau jalankan ini tampak tidak sepadan pada pandanganku.”
Brahmacārin/Vratī (ascetic) addressing Pārvatī
Scene: A compassionate speaker addresses a youthful Devī, questioning why she undertakes harsh austerity; Devī stands poised, serene, with attendants nearby, the contrast between youth and ascetic hardship emphasized.
FAQs
Spiritual practice should be examined for purpose and appropriateness, not merely intensity.
No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is the ethical and spiritual scrutiny of tapas.
Tapas is referenced generally; no specific vrata, dāna, snāna, or japa is prescribed here.