Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

विश्वासघातिनः सर्वे गुरुद्रोहरतास्तथा । मित्रद्रोहरता राजञ्छिश्नोदरपरायणाः

Transliteration

viśvāsaghātinaḥ sarve gurudroharatāstathā | mitradroharatā rājañchiśnodaraparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

All will become betrayers of trust, devoted to treachery against the guru; they will also betray friends, O King, intent only upon lust and the belly.

Word by Word

• विश्वास-घातिनः: betrayers of trust
• विश्वास-घातिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वास (प्रातिपदिक) + घातिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: विश्वासस्य घातिनः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• गुरु-द्रोह-रताः: engaged in treachery toward teachers
• गुरु-द्रोह-रताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रोह (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: गुरुद्रोहे रताः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• मित्र-द्रोह-रताः: engaged in betrayal of friends
• मित्र-द्रोह-रताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रोह (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: मित्रद्रोहे रताः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शिश्न-उदर-परायणाः: devoted to lust and belly (sex and food)
• शिश्न-उदर-परायणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिश्न (प्रातिपदिक) + उदर (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (द्वन्द्वः: शिश्नं च उदरं च; ततः परायणाः = तयोः परायणाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Unspecified (addressing a king; contextual narrator within Dharmāraṇya-khaṇḍa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (explicitly addressed: 'rājan')

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king is addressed by a sage; behind them, allegorical figures of Kali whispering betrayal; scenes of a student turning away from guru, friends quarreling, and people driven by appetite and lust.

Characters & Entities

• Rājan (King)
• Guru
• Kali-yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kali-yuga is defined by the collapse of fidelity—toward guru and friend—driven by unchecked appetite and desire; dharma requires loyalty and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the implied discipline is brahmacarya/self-restraint and honoring guru-saṃbandha and friendship.