Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

शतं सहस्रं विश्वं च सर्वमक्षय वाचकम् । परिमाणं शतं त्वेव नैतदक्षय्यवाचकम्

Transliteration

śataṃ sahasraṃ viśvaṃ ca sarvamakṣaya vācakam | parimāṇaṃ śataṃ tveva naitadakṣayyavācakam

Translation

‘A hundred’, ‘a thousand’, and ‘the whole universe’—such expressions can signify the inexhaustible. But ‘a hundred’ stated as a measured quantity is not a term for the inexhaustible.

Word by Word

• śatam: a hundred
• śatam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; numeral-noun

• sahasram: a thousand
• sahasram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; numeral-noun

• viśvam: the whole/world
• viśvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

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

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• akṣaya: imperishable; inexhaustible
• akṣaya: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (used predicatively with vācakam)

• vācakam: denoting word/term; indicator
• vācakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vācaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• parimāṇam: measure; quantity
• parimāṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parimāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• śatam: a hundred
• śatam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; numeral-noun

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

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

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• akṣayya-vācakam: an ‘inexhaustible’ denoting term
• akṣayya-vācakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-kṣayya + vācaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-भाव: ‘akṣayyaṃ vācakam’ (inexhaustible-denoting term)

Speaker

Unclear (didactic voice within the discourse; likely Sūta’s recitation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned brāhmaṇa-teacher explaining the subtle difference between measured numbers and ‘inexhaustible’ merit, with palm-leaf manuscript and disciples listening in a quiet āśrama setting.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural language uses numbers both literally and as indicators of vast/inexhaustible results; context determines meaning.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is about interpretation and terminology, not sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it clarifies wording that may relate to ‘akṣaya’ merit in other contexts.