Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

अक्षौहिणीशतं त्वेकं चंडमुंडौ च तावुभौ । नापूर्यतैकग्रासोऽस्याः किंलक्ष्या यात्वियं हि सा

Transliteration

akṣauhiṇīśataṃ tvekaṃ caṃḍamuṃḍau ca tāvubhau | nāpūryataikagrāso'syāḥ kiṃlakṣyā yātviyaṃ hi sā

Translation

ଶତ ଅକ୍ଷୌହିଣୀ ସେନା ଓ ସେଇ ଦୁଇଜଣ—ଚଣ୍ଡ ଓ ମୁଣ୍ଡ—ମଧ୍ୟ ତାଙ୍କର ଏକ ଗ୍ରାସକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ପୂରଣ କରିପାରିଲେ ନାହିଁ। ତାଙ୍କର କି ପରିମାଣ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରଣ କରିବା? ସେ ସତ୍ୟରେ ଅପରିମେୟ।

Word by Word

• akṣauhiṇīśatam: a hundred armies (akṣauhiṇīs)
• akṣauhiṇīśatam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣauhiṇī + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ("hundred of akṣauhiṇīs")

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• ekam: one (single)
• ekam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• caṃḍamuṃḍau: Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa
• caṃḍamuṃḍau: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṃḍa + muṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• tau: those two
• tau: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• ubhau: both
• ubhau: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; विशेषणम्

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• apūryata: was not filled/satisfied
• apūryata: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā+pṝ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः; धातु: पॄ (पूरणे) उपसर्गः आ-

• eka: single
• eka: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपदत्वेन

• grāsaḥ: mouthful; bite
• grāsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• asyāḥ: of her
• asyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• kim: what?
• kim: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• lakṣyā: to be characterized as; identifiable as
• lakṣyā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lakṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् ("to be characterized/known")

• yā: she who
• yā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: then/but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• iyam: this (woman/goddess)
• iyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेतौ/निश्चये

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast battlefield dissolves into Devī’s single, immense mouthful—armies appear like tiny figures; the composition emphasizes scale and the impossibility of measuring her.

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍa
• Muṇḍa
• Devī (as the implied subject)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess’ śakti is portrayed as immeasurable—worldly measures cannot contain or define divine power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is primarily a Devī-stuti within the chapter’s tīrtha-context; the specific tīrtha is elaborated in nearby verses (kuṇḍa/tīrtha references).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed in this verse; it functions as a praise statement (māhātmya) of the Goddess.