Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30
साक्षात्किंवाडवाग्निर्वा मूर्त्या वै तप्यते तपः । स्थाणुवन्निश्चलतरं निर्मलं सन्मनो यथा
sākṣātkiṃvāḍavāgnirvā mūrtyā vai tapyate tapaḥ | sthāṇuvanniścalataraṃ nirmalaṃ sanmano yathā
ସେ କି ସାକ୍ଷାତ୍ ବାଡବାଗ୍ନି ମୂର୍ତ୍ତିଧାରଣ କରି ତପ କରୁଥିଲେ? ସେ ସ୍ତମ୍ଭ ପରି ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ନିଶ୍ଚଳ—ସଜ୍ଜନଙ୍କ ମନ ପରି ନିର୍ମଳ।
Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: A motionless ascetic stands/sits like a pillar, blazing with contained inner fire; devas wonder if he is vāḍavāgni incarnate; the atmosphere is pristine and still.
FAQs
The hallmark of tapas is steady stillness and inner purity—fire-like intensity guided by a stainless mind.
The Kāśīkhaṇḍa milieu is implied; the verse praises the kind of austerity especially esteemed in Kāśī’s Śaiva setting.
No explicit rite; it extols niścalatā (immobility) and nirmalatā (purity) as the discipline of tapas.