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
اے گوہ (کارتیکیہ)، اگر حفاظت پر مامور حکمران ہی گنہگاروں کو ختم نہیں کریں گے، تو یہ بے بس دنیا کس کی پناہ میں جائے گی؟
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.