Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

द्वारि स्थितं प्रतिहारं वंचयित्वा च पावकः । पारावतस्य रूपेण प्रविवेश हरांतिकम्

Transliteration

dvāri sthitaṃ pratihāraṃ vaṃcayitvā ca pāvakaḥ | pārāvatasya rūpeṇa praviveśa harāṃtikam

Translation

Den Torwächter täuschend, der am Tore stand, trat Pāvaka (Agni) in Haras innere Gegenwart ein, indem er die Gestalt einer Taube annahm.

Word by Word

• द्वारि: at the door
• द्वारि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्थितम्: standing
• स्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्था (स्था—भ्वादि) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रतिहारम् इति विशेषण

• प्रतिहारम्: the doorkeeper
• प्रतिहारम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वञ्चयित्वा: having deceived
• वञ्चयित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वञ्च् (वञ्चँ—भ्वादि) + णिच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), णिच्-प्रयोग (causative nuance: 'having deceived')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पावकः: Pāvaka (Agni)
• पावकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पारावतस्य: of a pigeon
• पारावतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारावत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रूपेण: in the form
• रूपेण: Karana (Means/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रविवेश: entered
• प्रविवेश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√विश् (विशँ—तुदादि)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• हरान्तिकम्: near Hara / into Hara’s vicinity
• हरान्तिकम्: Karman (Goal/Object of motion/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('near Hara'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Agni, having tricked the gatekeeper, slips inside in the form of a dove—white/grey bird with a faint fiery aura—toward Śiva’s inner chamber.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Pāvaka)
• Hara (Śiva)
• Pratīhāra (doorkeeper)
• Dove (Pārāvata)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching the Divine through deceit reflects spiritual immaturity; purity of intent matters when nearing Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified; the scene is Śiva’s inner precinct (Hara’s presence) within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse narrates Agni’s entry by disguise.