Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71
अथ तिष्ठंतु कठिनाः प्राणाः कंठाटवीतटे । तपस्यंतोतिसंतप्तास्तपसे त्वयि यास्यति
atha tiṣṭhaṃtu kaṭhināḥ prāṇāḥ kaṃṭhāṭavītaṭe | tapasyaṃtotisaṃtaptāstapase tvayi yāsyati
تو پھر میرے سخت جان سانس گلے کے جنگل کے کنارے ہی ٹھہرے رہیں؛ تپسیا کی تپش میں بہت جل کر، وہ تیرے ساتھ تیرے تپس کی راہ لیں گے۔
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).