Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 68
न मे स्यादन्यथा वाणी उलूकस्त्वं भविष्यति । निशाचरो ह्युलूकोऽपि प्रोच्यते द्विजसत्तम
na me syādanyathā vāṇī ulūkastvaṃ bhaviṣyati | niśācaro hyulūko'pi procyate dvijasattama
My word cannot be otherwise: you shall become an owl. For even an owl is called a ‘niśācara’, a night-roamer, O best of the twice-born.
The sage (contextually Bhārgava, continuing the śāpa rationale)
Listener: A brāhmaṇa addressed as 'dvija-sattama'
Scene: The authoritative speaker declares the curse; the brāhmaṇa begins to transform—shadowed eyes, feathers suggested, night setting implied; an owl silhouette appears, symbolizing niśācara.
FAQs
A realized sage’s utterance is portrayed as unfailing; words spoken in dharmic authority take effect.
No holy site is referenced in this verse.
None; it explains the inevitability of the curse and the designation ‘niśācara’ as ‘night-roamer’.