Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

द्वारपालास्तत्र नित्यं चत्वारस्तु शमादयः । त एव प्रथमं सेव्या मनुजैर्माक्षदायकाः

Transliteration

dvārapālāstatra nityaṃ catvārastu śamādayaḥ | ta eva prathamaṃ sevyā manujairmākṣadāyakāḥ

Translation

Dort sind die stets gegenwärtigen Torhüter vier—beginnend mit śama (Gelassenheit). Ihnen sollen die Menschen zuerst dienen, denn sie verleihen die „Frucht“ der Befreiung.

Word by Word

• द्वारपालाः: gatekeepers
• द्वारपालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्वारस्य पालाः)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम् (used adverbially)

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• शमादयः: (the virtues) beginning with tranquility
• शमादयः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शमः आदिः येषाम् = beginning with śama)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• प्रथमम्: first/at first
• प्रथमम्: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम् (adverb: firstly)

• सेव्याः: to be served
• सेव्याः: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/तव्यत्), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विध्यर्थ (ought to be served)

• मनुजैः: by humans
• मनुजैः: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• माक्षदायकाः: granting honey (sweet reward)
• माक्षदायकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + दायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (माक्षं ददाति इति)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At four gates of the Mokṣa-city stand personified gatekeepers: Śama (calm), Viveka/Sadvicāra (discernment), Santoṣa (contentment), Sādhu-saṅga (holy company), receiving respectful service from seekers.

Characters & Entities

• Śama (tranquility)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation is ‘entered’ through foundational virtues; inner discipline must be practiced before higher realizations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the verse provides the ethical framework that empowers pilgrimage and dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescription of practice: cultivate and ‘serve’ virtues such as śama (and the other implied gatekeepers).