Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मविद्वेषिणः सर्वे परस्परविरोधिनः । शरणागतहंतारो भविष्यंति कलौ युगे

Transliteration

brahmavidveṣiṇaḥ sarve parasparavirodhinaḥ | śaraṇāgatahaṃtāro bhaviṣyaṃti kalau yuge

Translation

ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ-ವೇದಧರ್ಮದ ದ್ವೇಷಿಗಳಾಗಿ, ಪರಸ್ಪರ ವಿರೋಧಿಗಳಾಗುವರು; ಕಲಿಯುಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಶರಣಾಗತರನ್ನೂ ಕೊಲ್ಲುವರು।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्म-विद्वेषिणः: haters of Brahman/the sacred
• ब्रह्म-विद्वेषिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्वेषिन् (√द्विष् धातु, णिनि-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणि विद्वेषिणः)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• परस्पर-विरोधिनः: mutually hostile
• परस्पर-विरोधिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परस्पर (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोग) + विरोधिन् (वि+√रुध् धातु, णिनि; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (परस्परं विरोधिनः)

• शरणागत-हंतारः: killers of those who seek refuge
• शरणागत-हंतारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरणागत (कृदन्त; शरण + आगत (आ+√गम्, क्त)) + हन्तृ (√हन् धातु, तृच्; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शरणागतानां हन्तारः)

• भविष्यन्ति: will become / will be
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• कलौ: in Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्

• युगे: in the age/epoch
• युगे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sūta (deduced; exact speaker not in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A supplicant with folded hands approaches a gate; armed men turn hostile, while a faint radiance of Vedic fire and scripture is being trampled—symbolizing brahma-dveṣa and the betrayal of refuge.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A key mark of adharma is betrayal of śaraṇāgata (those seeking refuge); true dharma protects the vulnerable and honors the sacred.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is a general Kali-yuga characterization.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it teaches ethical dharma—non-violence and protection of refugees—rather than a ritual act.