Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

यथायथा युगं भावि वृद्धिं यांति स्त्रियो नराः । तथातथा प्रयांति स्म लघुतां जंतुभिः सह

Transliteration

yathāyathā yugaṃ bhāvi vṛddhiṃ yāṃti striyo narāḥ | tathātathā prayāṃti sma laghutāṃ jaṃtubhiḥ saha

Translation

Je weiter das kommende Zeitalter fortschreitet, desto mehr wachsen Frauen und Männer in weltlichen Neigungen; doch ebenso sinken sie, mit allen Geschöpfen, in Trivialität und Kleinheit des Charakters hinab.

Word by Word

• यथा-यथा: as and as; in whatever manner
• यथा-यथा: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यथाक्रमबोधक (correlative adverb); पुनरुक्ति

• युगम्: the age
• युगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• भावि: future; to come
• भावि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (युगम् इत्यस्य)

• वृद्धिम्: increase; growth
• वृद्धिम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यान्ति: go; attain
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तथा-तथा: so and so; correspondingly
• तथा-तथा: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनुरूपबोधक (correlative adverb); पुनरुक्ति

• प्रयान्ति: go forth; proceed
• प्रयान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्म: indeed; (narrative particle)
• स्म: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; भूतार्थे/अनुस्मरणार्थे निपात (particle indicating past/habitual narration)

• लघुताम्: littleness; insignificance
• लघुताम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लघुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• जन्तुभिः: with creatures/beings
• जन्तुभिः: Sahakari/Saha (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari/Saha (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (prepositional adverb)

Speaker

Unspecified (Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; deduced as a narrator describing Kali-yuga signs)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bustling town swelling with trade and noise, yet faces show pettiness; alongside, a small shrine/tīrtha radiates calm, inviting return to inner greatness.

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga
• jantus (creatures)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It contrasts external progress with inner diminishment, encouraging cultivation of virtue, restraint, and devotion rather than mere worldly expansion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is mentioned in this shloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.