Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 62
अथवा सन्त्यजाम्येनां यदि मूर्ध्नः कथंचन । तद्दूरं वेगतो भित्त्वा पृथ्वीं याति रसातलम्
athavā santyajāmyenāṃ yadi mūrdhnaḥ kathaṃcana | taddūraṃ vegato bhittvā pṛthvīṃ yāti rasātalam
หรือหากโดยประการใดข้าพเจ้าปล่อยนางจากเศียร นางจักพุ่งด้วยแรงมหาศาล เจาะแผ่นดินลึกไกล แล้วดิ่งลงสู่รสาตละ
Deva (likely Śiva) speaking to Devī
Tirtha: Gaṅgā (uncontrolled descent motif)
Type: river
Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)
Scene: A dramatic vision: Gaṅgā as a torrential, luminous column released from above, drilling through earth strata toward the underworld; Śiva’s poised hand and jaṭā symbolize restraint preventing catastrophe; layers of earth and nāga realms hinted below.
FAQs
Even sacred power must be rightly contained and directed; Śiva’s restraint symbolizes regulation of overwhelming divine energy for the good of creation.
Gaṅgā is glorified as a cosmic river whose power shapes worlds; her earthly flow is framed as a regulated blessing.
No explicit ritual is stated; the verse supports reverence for Gaṅgā and Śiva as her cosmic governor.