Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 27
जेपुर्जप्यं मुनिवरा व्याधविद्धा मृगा इव । जहुः कांतिं च सूर्याद्या नीहाराश्छांदयन्दिशः
jepurjapyaṃ munivarā vyādhaviddhā mṛgā iva | jahuḥ kāṃtiṃ ca sūryādyā nīhārāśchāṃdayandiśaḥ
ಮುನಿವರರು ಬೇಟೆಗಾರನ ಬಾಣದಿಂದ ಗಾಯಗೊಂಡ ಜಿಂಕೆಗಳಂತೆ ತ್ವರಿತವಾಗಿ ಜಪವನ್ನು ಮುಂದುವರಿಸಿದರು. ಸೂರ್ಯಾದಿ ಜ್ಯೋತಿಗಳು ಕಾಂತಿಯನ್ನು ಕಳೆದುಕೊಂಡವು; ಮಂಜು ದಿಕ್ಕುಗಳನ್ನು ಮುಚ್ಚಿತು.
Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition)
Listener: Pṛthāsuta (addressed in adjacent verse) / epic-audience
Scene: Sages, startled like wounded deer, quicken their japa; the sun’s brilliance fades; mist curtains the horizons, swallowing the directions.
FAQs
In times of cosmic disturbance, the sages respond with japa—showing mantra as a stabilizing dharmic refuge.
No tīrtha is specified; the verse highlights the rishis’ spiritual response rather than a pilgrimage location.
Japa (muttered recitation) is explicitly referenced as the sages’ practice in response to ominous signs.