The numbers equal to powers of ten are frequently used in economics and other fields to represent large values. United States uses numbers million, billion, and trillion to represent 106, 109, and 1012 respectively. But, intermediate powers of ten have no unique name. In India, presently, 10^3, 10^5, and 107 are referred as Sahasra, Laksha, and Koti. Other powers of ten are referred through three three numbers. For example, 1010 is referred as one thousand crore. Bigger numbers such as Indian GDP are represented by using trillion unit. In the present year budget, the Indian GDP was estimated as twelve lakh crores. That is equal to 132 trillion rupees. There is some kind of confusion in India about the use of names for these numbers. Interestingly, there is systematized list of names for each power of ten in Sanskrit and we are not making use of the existing terminology. Even terms ‘lakh’ and ‘crore’ are english version of ‘laksha’ and ‘koti’ taken from the same list. Rigveda provides some of these names. The Ramayana and Mahabharata provides names of numbers equal to powers of ten. References to names representing many powers of ten are also seen in Panini’s Ashtadhyaayee, Lilaavathi, Aryabhateeya, and Vishnupuraana. By considering two important sources from this perspective, Ramayana and Vishnupurana, the following detailed table is prepared.
| Power of 10 form | Name |
| 103 | Sahasra |
| 104 | Ayuta |
| 105 | Laksha |
| 106 | Prayuta |
| 107 | Koti |
| 108 | Arbuda |
| 109 | Abja |
| 1010 | Kharva |
| 1011 | Nikharva |
| 1012 | Shanku |
| 1013 | Neel |
| 1014 | Jaladhi |
| 1015 | Anta |
| 1016 | Madhya |
| 1017 | Paraardha |
| 1022 | Vrinda |
| 1027 | Mahavrinda |
| 1032 | Padma |
| 1037 | Mahapadma |
| 1042 | Karvam |
| 1047 | Mahakarvam |
| 1052 | Samudram |
| 1057 | Ogha |
| 1062 | Mahaugha |
It is interesting to note that million is called prayuta, billion is called abja, and trillion is called Shanku. As an example, the size of economies of different countries are listed below with Jaladhi as a unit for the year 2014.
| GDP of major economies – 2014
Jaladhi Rupees |
|
| world | 44 |
| China | 5.95 |
| USA | 10.2 |
| Europe | 13.10 |
| Japan | 3.64 |
| India | 1.29 |
| Australia | 0.94 |
| Africa | 0.86 |
| South America | 3.49 |