Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

सनातन ऋषिश्रेष्ठो ह्यगस्त्यश्च महातपाः । एते याम्यदिशि द्वारं रक्षन्ति सुसमाहिताः

Transliteration

sanātana ṛṣiśreṣṭho hyagastyaśca mahātapāḥ | ete yāmyadiśi dvāraṃ rakṣanti susamāhitāḥ

Translation

ഋഷികളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ സനാതനനും മഹാതപസ്വിയായ അഗസ്ത്യനും—ഇവർ പൂർണ്ണ സമാഹിതചിത്തത്തോടെ യാമ്യ (ദക്ഷിണ) ദിക്കിലെ ദ്വാരം കാക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सनातनः: Sanātana (proper name)
• सनातनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (ऋषिनाम)

• ऋषिश्रेष्ठः: best of sages
• ऋषिश्रेष्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ऋषीणां श्रेष्ठः)

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

• अगस्त्यः: Agastya
• अगस्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महातपाः: great ascetic
• महातपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् तपाः/महातपाः = महान् तपस्वी)

• एते: these (persons)
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• याम्यदिशि: in the southern direction
• याम्यदिशि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव (याम्या दिशा)

• द्वारम्: gate
• द्वारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• रक्षन्ति: protect; guard
• रक्षन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• सुसमाहिताः: well-composed; attentive
• सुसमाहिताः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + सम्-आ-धा (धातु) → समाहित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies एते)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Dvārakā Māhātmya narrative style within Skanda Purāṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijāḥ (twice-born pilgrims/listeners)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the southern gate of Dvārakā, the venerable ṛṣis Sanātana and Agastya stand in meditative vigilance, forming a protective threshold with ascetic radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Sanātana (ṛṣi)
• Agastya
• Yāmya diś (south)
• Dvārakā (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity and steadiness (tapas, samādhāna) are portrayed as protective powers that uphold the sanctity of a holy place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, whose southern quarter is said to be guarded by great sages.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse underscores the contemplative readiness (su-samāhitāḥ) of the sage-guardians.