Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

एकोत्तरो भवेदेवं सदा जन्मनिजन्मनि

Transliteration

ekottaro bhavedevaṃ sadā janmanijanmani

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ജന്മം ജന്മമായി അത് എപ്പോഴും ഒന്നൊന്നായി വർധിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കും।

Word by Word

• एकोत्तरः: increasing by one (each time)
• एकोत्तरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—एकेन उत्तरः/एकम् उत्तरम् इति (तत्पुरुषः); विशेषणं (अध्याहृतं ‘वृद्धिः/लेशः’)

• भवेत्: would be/become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; नित्यत्ववाचक (adverb: always)

• जन्मनि: in (each) birth
• जन्मनि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• जन्मनि: in birth (again)
• जन्मनि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A spiral staircase of light labeled by successive births, each step slightly higher; a pilgrim ascends carrying a small lamp that grows brighter at each step.

Characters & Entities

• Janma
• Jñāna (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consistent effort yields steady, measurable growth in realization across lifetimes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified in this verse; it is a continuation of the chapter’s teaching on progress toward mokṣa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated; it reinforces perseverance in the chosen discipline.