Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

राजा युधिष्ठिरः प्राह द्वारस्थान्द्वारपालकान् । भवद्भिरेतावायांतौ निषेध्यौ द्वारसंस्थितौ

Transliteration

rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ prāha dvārasthāndvārapālakān | bhavadbhiretāvāyāṃtau niṣedhyau dvārasaṃsthitau

Translation

坚战王对守门之人说道：“这二人既已来到，立于门前，你们须将他们拦住。”

Word by Word

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yudhiṣṭhiraḥ: Yudhiṣṭhira
• yudhiṣṭhiraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yudhiṣṭhira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (with rājā)

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• dvārasthān: those at the door
• dvārasthān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvāra (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (those stationed at the door)

• dvārapālakān: door-keepers
• dvārapālakān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvāra (प्रातिपदिक) + pālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (door-guards)

• bhavadbhiḥ: by you (honorific)
• bhavadbhiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific 'you')

• etau: these two
• etau: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; निर्देशार्थक (these two)

• āyāṃtau: coming
• āyāṃtau: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√yā (धातु) + śatṛ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; etau इत्यस्य विशेषण

• niṣedhyau: to be stopped/forbidden
• niṣedhyau: Karma (Object to be acted upon/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-√sidh (धातु) + ya (कृदन्त; विधेय)
• Form: विधिलिङ्गार्थक-भाव्य/कर्तव्यतासूचक कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘निषेधनीयौ’

• dvāra-saṃsthitau: standing at the door
• dvāra-saṃsthitau: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvāra (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthita (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (standing at the door)

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience of the māhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira, seated or standing in royal composure, issues an order to gatekeepers at the entrance; the two visitors remain at the threshold, calm yet imposing.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dvārapālakas (doorkeepers)
• Nara
• Nārāyaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even dharmic rulers may err in judgment; the narrative prepares a lesson on discernment, humility, and consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode is told within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya, where moral instruction is tied to tīrtha-based purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative action (ordering the gatekeepers).