Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 162
निर्ममत्वं तपश्चात्र सन्तोषः सप्तमो ह्रदः । भगवद्गुणविज्ञानाद्भक्तिः स्यात्प्रथमा नदी
nirmamatvaṃ tapaścātra santoṣaḥ saptamo hradaḥ | bhagavadguṇavijñānādbhaktiḥ syātprathamā nadī
یہاں بےملکیت اور تپسیا بھی ہیں؛ قناعت ساتواں ہرد ہے۔ بھگوان کے اوصاف کے عرفان سے بھکتی پیدا ہوتی ہے—یہی پہلی ندی ہے۔
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)
Tirtha: Santoṣa-hrada and Bhakti-nadī (inner tīrtha)
Type: kund
Scene: A clear lake labeled ‘Santoṣa’ reflects the sky; two ascetics practice tapas on its bank; from the lake springs a bright river labeled ‘Bhakti’ flowing toward a distant liṅga/Īśvara shrine, with scriptural syllables shimmering on the water.
FAQs
Devotion is born from insight into the Lord’s qualities, and it is sustained by austerity, non-possessiveness, and contentment.
Vidyāvana, where lakes and rivers are presented as symbols of inner virtues and devotional flow.
Tapas (austerity) and cultivation of santoṣa (contentment) are prescribed as core disciplines supporting bhakti.