Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 113

Devanagari script

अश्वमेधशतेनैव एकं जन्मार्जितं कृतम् । त्वया नास्त्यत्र संदेहो ह्यर्ज्जितं तेन वै महत्

Transliteration

aśvamedhaśatenaiva ekaṃ janmārjitaṃ kṛtam | tvayā nāstyatra saṃdeho hyarjjitaṃ tena vai mahat

Translation

Par cent sacrifices Aśvamedha, on obtient le mérite acquis en une seule existence. Pour toi, il n’y a nul doute : par cela, une grande réalisation a été véritablement obtenue.

Word by Word

• अश्वमेधशतेन: by a hundred Aśvamedha sacrifices
• अश्वमेधशतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध-शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

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

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जन्मार्जितम्: earned in (one) birth
• जन्मार्जितम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्म+अर्जित (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय; ‘birth-earned’

• कृतम्: done; accomplished
• कृतम्: Kriya (Result state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (‘done/produced’)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अत्र: here; in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• संदेहः: doubt
• संदेहः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संदेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: for; indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/for)

• अर्जितम्: earned
• अर्जितम्: Kriya (Result state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तेन: by that (means)
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/assurance)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Yama (Pretarāṭ), continuing address to Indra (Śatakratu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: behind Yama’s words, faint visions of a hundred horse-sacrifices—altars, horses, priests—appear like a karmic ledger illustration, emphasizing the immense yet countable nature of ritual merit.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Indra (Śatakratu)
• Aśvamedha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual merit is immense, yet it is still something ‘acquired’—implying it should not become fuel for pride or craving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakhaṇḍa’s broader Kedāra glorification frames the teaching, even when the verse discusses yajña and merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Aśvamedha-yajña is referenced as a benchmark of extraordinary merit.