Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7
सूत उवाच । पूर्वं स्वायंभुवस्यादौ मनोर्दैत्यो महाबलः । हिरण्याक्षो महातेजास्तपोवीर्यसमन्वितः
sūta uvāca | pūrvaṃ svāyaṃbhuvasyādau manordaityo mahābalaḥ | hiraṇyākṣo mahātejāstapovīryasamanvitaḥ
ସୂତ କହିଲେ—ପୂର୍ବେ, ସ୍ୱାୟଂଭୁବ ମନ୍ୱନ୍ତରର ଆରମ୍ଭରେ, ମନୁଙ୍କ କାଳରେ ଏକ ମହାବଳୀ ଦୈତ୍ୟ ଥିଲା—ହିରଣ୍ୟାକ୍ଷ; ମହାତେଜସ୍ବୀ ଓ ତପୋବଳ-ବୀର୍ୟରେ ସମନ୍ୱିତ।
Sūta
Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ
Scene: Sūta begins the ancient tale: at the dawn of Svāyambhuva Manvantara, the mighty daitya Hiraṇyākṣa appears, radiant with tapas-born power.
FAQs
Austerity (tapas) grants power, but without dharma it can empower forces that disturb cosmic and social order.
This verse sets the mythic background; the tīrtha focus emerges in the surrounding passage (notably Gaṅgādvāra later in the narrative).
No direct ritual is prescribed; tapas is referenced as a source of potency, framing the moral contrast between power and righteousness.