Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

कोटिकोटिसहस्रैस्तु परार्धैर्दशभिः शतैः । सेनापतिः कालनेमिः शीघ्रं देवानुपाययौ

Transliteration

koṭikoṭisahasraistu parārdhairdaśabhiḥ śataiḥ | senāpatiḥ kālanemiḥ śīghraṃ devānupāyayau

Translation

With hosts numbering in crores upon crores, in thousands and in countless multitudes, the commander Kālanemi swiftly advanced toward the gods.

Word by Word

• कोटिकोटिसहस्रैः: with crores of crores and thousands
• कोटिकोटिसहस्रैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि-कोटि-सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (संख्यावाचकसमूह), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; परिमाण/सङ्ख्या-निर्देश

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• परार्धैः: with parārdhas (a vast number)
• परार्धैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परार्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; संख्या-परिमाण

• दशभिः: by ten
• दशभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (शतैः)

• शतैः: with hundreds
• शतैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; संख्या-परिमाण

• सेनापतिः: the commander (general)
• सेनापतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना-पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• कालनेमिः: Kālanemi
• कालनेमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालनेमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेष्य-नाम (proper noun)

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• उपाययौ: approached/went near
• उपाययौ: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa per section convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast, dark-armored asura host stretches beyond sight; banners whip like storm-clouds; at the front rides the commander Kālanemi, driving the army swiftly toward the devas’ quarter.

Characters & Entities

• Kālanemi
• Devas
• Daitya army (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sheer numbers and force are not the measure of dharma; Purāṇic battles teach that righteousness, not magnitude, decides outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.