Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15
पापिनो यदि वध्यंते नैव पालनसंस्थितैः । ततोऽयमक्षमो लोकः कं याति शरणं गुह
pāpino yadi vadhyaṃte naiva pālanasaṃsthitaiḥ | tato'yamakṣamo lokaḥ kaṃ yāti śaraṇaṃ guha
ஓ குகா! காப்பாற்றும் தர்மத்தில் நிலைத்த அரசரும் காவலரும் பாவிகளை அடக்காவிட்டால், இந்த உதவியற்ற உலகம் யாரிடம் சரணடையும்?
Vāsudeva
Listener: Guha (Skanda/Kumāra)
Scene: People with folded hands look toward an empty throne and extinguishing sacrificial fire; then Guha/Skanda appears as protector, or a righteous king rises, restoring order; the question ‘who is refuge?’ hangs like a banner in the sky.
FAQs
Protective authority is sacred duty; when guardians abandon justice, society loses its shelter and dharma collapses.
No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse addresses universal governance and protection.
None; it emphasizes the obligation of pālana (protection) as dharma.