Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

यावद्द्वारि स्थितोपश्यन्महदाश्चर्यमेव च । द्वारपालौ तदा दृष्टौ कृतकौ विश्वक्मणा

Transliteration

yāvaddvāri sthitopaśyanmahadāścaryameva ca | dvārapālau tadā dṛṣṭau kṛtakau viśvakmaṇā

Translation

Als er am Tor stand und schaute, erblickte er wahrlich ein großes Wunder: Dort waren zwei Torwächter zu sehen, von Viśvakarman geschaffen.

Word by Word

• यावत्: until, as long as
• यावत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal modifier/कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Form: अव्यय; यावत्-तावत् सम्बन्धे काल/परिमाणवाचक (correlative: 'as long as/until')

• द्वारि: at the door
• द्वारि: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• स्थितः: standing
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकाले कृदन्तः (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे 'standing'

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• आश्चर्यम्: wonder, marvel
• आश्चर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (particle of emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• द्वारपालौ: two door-keepers
• द्वारपालौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'द्वारस्य पालौ'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal modifier/कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• दृष्टौ: were seen
• दृष्टौ: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकाले कृदन्तः (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे/भावे 'were seen'

• कृतकौ: artificial, made
• कृतकौ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतक (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण from कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विशेषण

• विश्वक्मणा: by Viśvakarman
• विश्वक्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्तृ/करणभावे (agent/instrument)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deductive)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (gateway to Śiva-darśana)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a grand doorway, Nārada looks up in wonder at two imposing gatekeepers—symmetrical, gleaming, clearly crafted with superhuman artistry—standing motionless like living statues.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Viśvakarman
• Dvārapāla (gatekeepers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred space is portrayed as divinely ordered and protected; approach to Śiva is mediated by sanctified guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra kṣetra’s shrine precincts (the ‘doorway’ leading to Śiva’s darśana).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it highlights the sanctity and divine craftsmanship surrounding the shrine.