Pātāla-varṇana (Nārada’s Description of the Netherworld) / पातालवर्णनम्
एतच्छत्रात् परिभ्रष्टं सलिलं सोमनिर्मलम् । तमसा मूर्छितं भाति येन नारच्छति दर्शनम्,इस छत्रसे गिरा हुआ चन्द्रमाके समान निर्मल जल अन्धकारसे आच्छन्न रहता है, जिससे दृष्टिपथमें नहीं आता है
etac chatrāt paribhraṣṭaṃ salilaṃ somanirmalam | tamasā mūrcchitaṃ bhāti yena nāracchati darśanam ||
قال كَنڤا: «إن الماء المتساقط من هذه المِظلّة—صافٍ نقيّ كالقمر—يبدو كأنه مُذهَلٌ قد ابتلعته الظلمة، فلا يقع ضمن مدى البصر.»
कण्व उवाच
Purity or truth can be rendered ineffective when covered by tamas (darkness/ignorance); ethical clarity depends on removing obscuring conditions so that right perception (darśana) becomes possible.
Kaṇva uses a vivid simile: water that is naturally clear like moonlight, once fallen and covered by darkness, cannot be seen—serving as a moral illustration within his counsel.