Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

सर्ववेदरहस्यैश्च नामभिश्च शताष्टभिः । सप्तसप्तिरचिंत्यात्मा महाकारुणिकोत्तमः

Transliteration

sarvavedarahasyaiśca nāmabhiśca śatāṣṭabhiḥ | saptasaptiraciṃtyātmā mahākāruṇikottamaḥ

Translation

With one hundred and eight names—the very secrets of all the Vedas—I praised the Sun: the Lord of seven horses, of inconceivable nature, the supreme embodiment of great compassion.

Word by Word

• सर्ववेदरहस्यैः: with the secrets of all the Vedas
• सर्ववेदरहस्यैः: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-वेद-रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (श्रृङ्खला): सर्वेषां वेदानां रहस्यानि; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• नामभिः: with names
• नामभिः: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• शताष्टभिः: (by) one-hundred-and-eight
• शताष्टभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत-अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numerical): शतम् + अष्ट (108); नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणं 'नामभिः'

• सप्तसप्तिः: the seven-horsed one (Sun)
• सप्तसप्तिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त-सप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: सप्त सन्ति सप्तयः यस्य (seven-horsed); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अचिन्त्यात्मा: of inconceivable nature
• अचिन्त्यात्मा: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचिन्त्य-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: अचिन्त्यः आत्मा यस्य/अचिन्त्य आत्मा; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणं 'सप्तसप्तिः'

• महाकारुणिकोत्तमः: the best, greatly compassionate (one)
• महाकारुणिकोत्तमः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-कारुणिक-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/श्रृङ्खला-समास: महा (great) + कारुणिक (compassionate) + उत्तम (best); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणं 'सप्तसप्तिः'

Speaker

Narrator (devotee) describing the 108-name Sūrya praise

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhaṭṭāditya (contextual)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Sun deity is envisioned with a blazing halo and a chariot drawn by seven horses; around him, a garland of 108 names appears as a luminous script-circle, while the devotee chants with focused serenity; compassion is shown through gentle rays blessing beings.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya
• Saptasapti (seven-horsed Sun)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Chanting divine names—rooted in Vedic insight—focuses the mind and reveals the deity as compassionate and beyond ordinary conception.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The praise occurs in the Kāmarūpa context, supporting the local mahātmya of Sūrya worship there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation of 108 names (nāma-japa/nāmāvalī) as a structured form of Sūrya-stuti.