Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

प्रतोल्यश्च चतस्रो वै शुद्धा एव सतोरणाः । पूर्वे धर्मेश्वरो देवो दक्षिणे गणनायकः

Transliteration

pratolyaśca catasro vai śuddhā eva satoraṇāḥ | pūrve dharmeśvaro devo dakṣiṇe gaṇanāyakaḥ

Translation

ಅಲ್ಲಿ ನಾಲ್ಕು ಶುದ್ಧ ಪ್ರತೋಲಿಗಳು (ದ್ವಾರಗಳು) ಇದ್ದವು; ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದಕ್ಕೂ ಸುಂದರ ತೋರಣವಿತ್ತು. ಪೂರ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಧರ್ಮೇಶ್ವರ ದೇವರು, ದಕ್ಷಿಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಗಣನಾಯಕ (ಗಣೇಶ) ಇದ್ದನು.

Word by Word

• प्रतोल्यः: gateways
• प्रतोल्यः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतोलि/प्रतोल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (चारि द्वाराणि/प्रतोल्यः = gateways)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• चतस्रः: four
• चतस्रः: विशेषण (Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतस् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण (agreeing with प्रतोल्यः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक (indeed)

• शुद्धाः: pure/clean
• शुद्धाः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणं प्रतोल्यः

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (only/just)

• सतोरणाः: with archways
• सतोरणाः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + तोरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (‘तोरणैः सह’ = having archways)

• पूर्वे: in the east
• पूर्वे: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दिक्शब्दः (in the east)

• धर्मेश्वरः: Dharmeśvara
• धर्मेश्वरः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘धर्मस्य ईश्वरः’)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: अपादान/सम्बन्ध (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; धर्मेश्वरस्य अपपद/विशेषणार्थे

• दक्षिणे: in the south
• दक्षिणे: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दिक्शब्दः (in the south)

• गणनायकः: Gaṇanāyaka (leader of the gaṇas)
• गणनायकः: कर्ता (Subject; implied ‘is/was’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘गणानां नायकः’)

Speaker

Vyāsa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A square sacred enclosure with four pristine gateways crowned by arches; at the eastern gate stands Dharmeśvara, and at the southern gate Gaṇeśa as Gaṇanāyaka, each receiving offerings from pilgrims.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmeśvara
• Gaṇa-nāyaka (Gaṇeśa)
• Pratolī
• Toraṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Entering sacred space is framed as entering a dharmic mandala—guarded by deities who stabilize righteousness and remove obstacles.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Satyamaṃdira’s consecrated precinct with its four gateways.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; it describes architectural-sacral features (gateways and deity placements).