Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

वेत्ति तच्छ्रेयसः संख्यां शेषोपि न विशेषवित्

Transliteration

vetti tacchreyasaḥ saṃkhyāṃ śeṣopi na viśeṣavit

Translation

La mesure de ce mérite — son nombre même — nul ne peut la connaître ; pas même Śeṣa n’en saisit toute l’étendue.

Word by Word

• वेत्ति: knows
• वेत्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रेयसः: of the welfare/benefit
• श्रेयसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• संख्याम्: number, count
• संख्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शेषः: Śeṣa (the serpent) / the remainder
• शेषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; ‘even’)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध/negation particle)

• विशेषवित्: knower of distinctions; one who knows particulars
• विशेषवित्: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (धातु; ‘to know’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (विशेषं वेत्ति इति)

Speaker

Śiva, concluding emphasis to Gaurī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandavana/Kāśī (merit of liṅga-pratiṣṭhā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī/Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: Śeṣa with countless hoods attempting to count grains/marks representing merit, yet failing; above, a radiant liṅga in Ānandavana signifies immeasurable grace.

Characters & Entities

• Śeṣa (Ādiśeṣa)
• Merit (Śreyas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The spiritual fruit of Kāśī-centered Śaiva acts is beyond calculation, underscoring the kṣetra’s unmatched sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī/Ānandavana by implication, as the context for describing immeasurable merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not directly; it magnifies the fruit of the previously mentioned liṅga-related acts.