Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71
अथ तिष्ठंतु कठिनाः प्राणाः कंठाटवीतटे । तपस्यंतोतिसंतप्तास्तपसे त्वयि यास्यति
atha tiṣṭhaṃtu kaṭhināḥ prāṇāḥ kaṃṭhāṭavītaṭe | tapasyaṃtotisaṃtaptāstapase tvayi yāsyati
अथ मम कठिनाः प्राणाः कण्ठाटवीतटे तिष्ठन्तु; अतिसन्तप्ताः तपस्यन्तः, त्वया सह तपसे यास्यन्ति।
Sunīti (contextual attribution), within Skanda’s narration to Agastya (contextual attribution)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis
Scene: The mother stands composed, eyes burning with restrained tears; behind her, a symbolic dark ‘throat-forest’ motif (shadowed trees) at the neck/throat region, while Dhruva walks toward a bright ascetic path—suggesting prāṇas staying at the throat-bank yet joining his tapas in spirit.
FAQs
Tapas is portrayed as a consuming fire that transforms the practitioner and even those emotionally bound to him; blessing and suffering coexist in dharma.
The verse does not name a tīrtha; it is part of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader sacred narrative.
No direct prescription; the verse alludes generally to tapas (austerity).