Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 37
राजा वा राजभृत्यो वा यः पाषंडमनुव्रतः । भेदको धर्मसेतूनां वैतरण्यां निपात्यते
rājā vā rājabhṛtyo vā yaḥ pāṣaṃḍamanuvrataḥ | bhedako dharmasetūnāṃ vaitaraṇyāṃ nipātyate
Qu’il soit roi ou serviteur du roi, celui qui suit les voies de l’hérésie (pāṣaṇḍa) et brise les ponts du Dharma est précipité dans la Vaitaraṇī.
Skanda (deduced from Setukhaṇḍa narrative style)
Tirtha: Vaitaraṇī (infernal)
Type: river
Scene: A king and a royal attendant, adorned yet morally fallen, are shown being led toward the dark Vaitaraṇī river by Yama’s messengers; in the background, a symbolic ‘bridge of dharma’ appears broken, emphasizing ‘bhédakaḥ dharma-setūnām’.
FAQs
Power and office do not excuse adharma; those who undermine dharma’s safeguards incur severe karmic retribution.
No single tīrtha is praised directly in this verse; it functions as a dharma-warning within the Setu Māhātmya setting.
None explicitly; the verse condemns pāṣaṇḍa-allegiance and dharma-violation.