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

Là, les gardiens des portes, toujours présents, sont au nombre de quatre, à commencer par śama (la quiétude). Les hommes doivent d’abord les servir, car ils accordent le «fruit» de la délivrance.

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).