Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 190

Devanagari script

तदा प्रभृति तावेतौ द्वारपालौ बभूवतुः । शिवद्वारि स्थितौ विप्रा मध्याह्ने शिवदर्शिनौ

Transliteration

tadā prabhṛti tāvetau dvārapālau babhūvatuḥ | śivadvāri sthitau viprā madhyāhne śivadarśinau

Translation

അന്നുമുതൽ അവർ ഇരുവരും ദ്വാരപാലകരായി. ഹേ വിപ്രന്മാരേ! ശിവദ്വാരത്തിൽ നിലകൊണ്ട് അവർ മധ്യാഹ്നത്തിൽ ശിവദർശനം പ്രാപിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• प्रभृति: from then on
• प्रभृति: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभृति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (postposition/adverb) ‘from, since’

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), द्विवचन; Nominative dual

• एतौ: these two
• एतौ: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, द्विवचन; appositional to तौ

• द्वारपालौ: door-keepers
• द्वारपालौ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: द्वारस्य पालः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; Nominative dual

• बभूवतुः: became (the two)
• बभूवतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• शिवद्वारि: at Śiva’s door
• शिवद्वारि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य द्वारम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular

• स्थितौ: standing
• स्थितौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; agreeing with तौ

• विप्राः: brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; Nominative plural (used honorifically/collectively for the two)

• मध्याह्ने: at midday
• मध्याह्ने: Adhikarana (Time-location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्याह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular

• शिवदर्शिनौ: beholders of Śiva
• शिवदर्शिनौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + दर्शिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: शिवं पश्यतः/शिवस्य दर्शिनौ; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; adjective of तौ

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprāḥ (addressed in the verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A concluding transformation: the Kirāta and Vaiśya are shown as newly appointed gatekeepers at Śiva’s doorway; at midday light, they behold Śiva—radiant darśana framed by the temple entrance.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Dvārapāla (gatekeepers)
• Vipra (brāhmaṇas/sages)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast appointed service in a sacred place becomes a path to regular darśana and divine intimacy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra, especially the sanctified ‘Śiva-dvāra’ (Śiva’s sacred threshold).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A time-marker is implied: midday (madhyāhna) as an auspicious moment connected with Śiva-darśana.