Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71
अथ तिष्ठंतु कठिनाः प्राणाः कंठाटवीतटे । तपस्यंतोतिसंतप्तास्तपसे त्वयि यास्यति
atha tiṣṭhaṃtu kaṭhināḥ prāṇāḥ kaṃṭhāṭavītaṭe | tapasyaṃtotisaṃtaptāstapase tvayi yāsyati
అప్పుడు నా కఠినమైన ప్రాణాలు కంఠ-అరణ్య తీరంలో నిలిచిపోనివ్వు; తపోఘ్నితో అత్యంత దగ్ధమై, అవి నీతో కలిసి తపస్సుకు వెళ్తాయి.
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).