Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

वेत्ति तच्छ्रेयसः संख्यां शेषोपि न विशेषवित्

Transliteration

vetti tacchreyasaḥ saṃkhyāṃ śeṣopi na viśeṣavit

Translation

اس ثواب کی مقدار—بلکہ اس کی گنتی تک—کوئی نہیں جان سکتا؛ شیش ناگ بھی اس کی پوری وسعت کا جاننے والا نہیں۔

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.