Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16
वेदाध्ययनजं शब्दं श्रुत्वा दूरात्स दानवः । विव्यथे स यथा राजन्वज्राहत इव द्विपः
vedādhyayanajaṃ śabdaṃ śrutvā dūrātsa dānavaḥ | vivyathe sa yathā rājanvajrāhata iva dvipaḥ
ครั้นได้ยินแต่ไกลซึ่งเสียงอันเกิดจากการศึกษาสวดพระเวท ทานวะนั้นก็สะท้านและเจ็บร้าว โอ้พระราชา—ดุจช้างถูกวชิระสายฟ้าฟาด
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Brāhma Khaṇḍa narrative convention)
Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya
Type: kshetra
Listener: Rājan (King)
Scene: From a distant hermitage, waves of luminous syllables emanate as golden-white ribbons; the dānava clutches himself in pain, recoiling like an elephant felled by Indra’s vajra.
FAQs
It teaches that Vedic recitation (veda-adhyayana) is not merely study but a protective, dharmic power—its sacred sound can subdue adharma and inner negativity.
The verse occurs within the Dharmāraṇya (Dharmāranya) context of the Skanda Purāṇa, emphasizing the sanctity of the forest/region renowned for dharma and Vedic practice (sthāna-māhātmya through the power of śabda).
No direct ritual like snāna or dāna is stated here; the implied prescription is veda-adhyayana—regular Vedic study/chanting as a dharmic discipline that generates spiritually potent śabda.