Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4
ऋषय ऊचुः । प्रभूतनियमैर्होमैर्व्रतस्नानैश्च नित्यशः । उपवासैश्च निर्विण्णा वयं सर्वे पितामह
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | prabhūtaniyamairhomairvratasnānaiśca nityaśaḥ | upavāsaiśca nirviṇṇā vayaṃ sarve pitāmaha
เหล่าฤๅษีกล่าวว่า “ข้าแต่ปิตามหะ พระพรหม เราทั้งปวงอ่อนล้าจากข้อวัตรมากมาย โหมะเป็นนิตย์ การถือพรต การอาบน้ำพิธี และการอดอาหาร”
Ṛṣayaḥ (the sages)
Tirtha: Acaleśvara/Arbuda-kṣetra (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
Scene: A circle of sages, visibly austere and worn from prolonged observances, speak candidly to Brahmā, palms joined, seeking relief through true counsel.
FAQs
External austerities alone can become exhausting; the sages seek a more accessible, grace-filled means to spiritual progress.
The verse is set within Arbuda-khaṇḍa (Mount Arbuda region); the specific sanctified spot is introduced shortly after as Brahmā’s “mahāpada.”
Niyama (disciplines), homa (oblations), vrata (vows), snāna (ritual bathing), and upavāsa (fasting) are referenced as regularly performed austerities.