Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2
तमसा पूरितं विश्वमपज्ञातमलक्षणम् । वीक्ष्य कल्पावसानेऽपि विषेदुर्नित्यसूरयः
tamasā pūritaṃ viśvamapajñātamalakṣaṇam | vīkṣya kalpāvasāne'pi viṣedurnityasūrayaḥ
Voyant l’univers rempli de ténèbres—confus, méconnaissable, sans aucun signe—, même à la fin du kalpa, les dieux éternels furent saisis d’affliction.
Gautama
Scene: A cosmos drowned in darkness with no landmarks; the nitya-sūrayaḥ (eternal gods) appear anxious, searching for signs as the kalpa ends.
FAQs
When discernment is lost in tamas, even exalted beings seek refuge in the higher divine principle that restores order and recognition.
Aruṇācala is the implied sacred locus, famed as the manifestation of Śiva’s light that dispels cosmic darkness.
None is stated here; the verse describes the cosmic condition prompting divine supplication.