Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 61
बाणासुरस्य शङ्करस्तुतिः तथा युद्धयाचनम् | Bāṇāsura’s Praise of Śiva and Petition for Battle
द्वारपाला ऊचुः । देव कश्चिन्न जानीते गुप्तश्चांतःपुरे बलात् । स कस्तु तव कन्यां वै स्वयंग्राहादधर्षयत्
dvārapālā ūcuḥ | deva kaścinna jānīte guptaścāṃtaḥpure balāt | sa kastu tava kanyāṃ vai svayaṃgrāhādadharṣayat
Les gardiens du seuil dirent : «Ô Seigneur, nul ne sait qui il est : par la force il s’est frayé un passage et, caché, demeure dans l’appartement intérieur. Qui donc est celui qui, de ses propres mains, a saisi ta fille et a transgressé la bienséance ?»
Dvārpālas (palace gatekeepers)
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
It highlights how adharma can enter even “inner” protected spaces through force and concealment, urging vigilance, restraint, and reliance on Pati (Śiva) as the ultimate protector of dharma and inner purity.
The anxiety of the gatekeepers underscores the limits of worldly guards; Saguna Śiva as the accessible Lord is invoked in such crises as the refuge who restores order—mirroring how devotees approach the Liṅga for protection and re-establishment of dharma.
A practical takeaway is protective japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with calm self-restraint; if performed ritually, it is traditionally supported with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as reminders of purity and fearlessness.