Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

अष्टौ पद्मानि दैत्वानां दशकोटिशतानि च । तथा नियुतसाहस्रं वाहनं कोटिरेव च

Transliteration

aṣṭau padmāni daitvānāṃ daśakoṭiśatāni ca | tathā niyutasāhasraṃ vāhanaṃ koṭireva ca

Translation

Die Daityas zählten acht Padmas; dazu kam noch ein daśa‑koṭi‑śata, also tausend Millionen. Auch ihre Reittiere waren in unzähligen Scharen, bis zu einem koṭi und darüber hinaus.

Word by Word

• aṣṭau: eight
• aṣṭau: Visheshana (Numeral/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग/सामान्य, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; padmāni इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (numeral)

• padmāni: padmas (a large numerical unit)
• padmāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्या-परिमाणवाचक (a large number unit: padma)

• daitvānām: of the demons
• daitvānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• daśa-koṭi-śatāni: ten-crore hundreds (vast numbers)
• daśa-koṭi-śatāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa + koṭi + śata (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (संख्यासमास), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘ten crores of hundreds’ (a huge count)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; रीतिवाचक (likewise)

• niyuta-sāhasram: a thousand niyutas
• niyuta-sāhasram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyuta + sāhasra (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (संख्यासमास), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘a thousand niyutas’ (very large number)

• vāhanam: vehicles / mounts
• vāhanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• koṭiḥ: a crore
• koṭiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• eva: indeed / just
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic/only)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vast ranks of Daityas stretch to the horizon—an ocean of warriors and mounts—conveyed through repeating banners, helmets, and animal silhouettes in layered depth.

Characters & Entities

• Daityas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even immense worldly power and numbers are ultimately subject to divine order when adharma rises.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it is a battlefield narration within the Kaumārikā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is a numerical description of the Daitya forces.