Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 59
एवमुक्ते तया वाक्ये स्तम्भितेऽर्के तमोमयम् । न च प्रजायते सर्वं निर्वषट्कारसत्क्रियम्
evamukte tayā vākye stambhite'rke tamomayam | na ca prajāyate sarvaṃ nirvaṣaṭkārasatkriyam
Ketika ia mengucapkan kata-kata itu, Surya seakan tertahan dan segalanya menjadi gelap. Tiada sesuatu pun berjalan semestinya—tiada seruan vaṣaṭ, tiada upacara suci, tiada tata laku yang benar.
Narrator (within Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya’s discourse contextually, though not explicit in this verse)
Listener: Pārtha (frame implied by surrounding address)
Scene: The sun stands immobilized; a blanket of darkness covers settlements; fire-altars sit cold; priests fall silent—no vaṣaṭ resounds; daily rites stall across the world.
FAQs
Cosmic stability and ritual life are interconnected in Purāṇic thought; when order collapses, dharmic rites also cease.
The Revā (Narmadā) narrative framework continues; the verse emphasizes universal ritual breakdown rather than a single site.
It references the absence of vaṣaṭkāra and satkriyā—key markers of functioning Vedic rites.