Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

दैत्यदानवकन्याभिरितश्चेतश्च शोभिते । पाताले कस्य न प्रीतिर्विमुक्तस्यापि जायते

Transliteration

daityadānavakanyābhiritaścetaśca śobhite | pātāle kasya na prītirvimuktasyāpi jāyate

Translation

In Pātāla, ringsum geschmückt von den Jungfrauen der Daityas und Dānavas—wer empfände dort nicht Freude? Selbst der von Begierde Befreite spürt, wie eine feine Wonne in ihm aufsteigt.

Word by Word

• दैत्यदानवकन्याभिः: by/with the daughters of Daityas and Dānavas
• दैत्यदानवकन्याभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दैत्य-दानव-सम्बन्धिन्यः कन्याः)

• इतश्: here, on this side
• इतश्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद/क्रियाविशेषण (दिशा/स्थान)

• चेतश्: the mind
• चेतश्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• शोभिते: is adorned/appears beautiful
• शोभिते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शोभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; वर्तमानकाल

• पाताले: in Pātāla (the netherworld)
• पाताले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कस्य: of whom
• कस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• प्रीतिः: delight, affection
• प्रीतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विमुक्तस्य: of the liberated one
• विमुक्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+मुच् धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/समुच्चय (even/also)

• जायते: arises, is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; वर्तमानकाल

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A jeweled subterranean city with luminous halls; Daitya and Dānava maidens adorning the avenues; a traveler-sage momentarily stirred despite inner detachment, emphasizing the realm’s irresistible charm.

Characters & Entities

• Pātāla
• Daitya
• Dānava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even extraordinary pleasures can arise in wondrous realms like Pātāla, yet the Kāśī narrative uses such descriptions to contrast transient enjoyment with higher spiritual good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s glorification of Kāśī and tīrtha-born merit, though this verse itself describes Pātāla’s allure.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.