Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

दैत्यदानवकन्याभिर्महारूपाभिरन्विते । पाताले कस्य न प्रीतिर्विमुक्तस्यापि जायते

Transliteration

daityadānavakanyābhirmahārūpābhiranvite | pātāle kasya na prītirvimuktasyāpi jāyate

Translation

In Pātāla, erfüllt von den herrlich schönen Jungfrauen der Daityas und Dānavas—wessen Herz würde da nicht Freude empfinden, selbst wenn er sonst weltentsagt wäre?

Word by Word

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

• महारूपाभिः: of great beauty/form
• महारूपाभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (कन्याभिः)

• अन्विते: endowed/associated (O one)
• अन्विते: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्; सम्बोधन/अधिकरणे (पाताले)

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

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

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (particle of negation)

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

• विमुक्तस्य: of the liberated/released one
• विमुक्तस्य: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + मुच् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → विमुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेष्यः (कस्य)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक अव्यय (also/even)

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

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) [deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pātāla (contextual realm; not a terrestrial tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous subterranean court in Pātāla, thronged with exquisitely adorned Daitya-Dānava maidens; the atmosphere is perfumed, jewel-lit, and intoxicating, testing the detachment of a visitor.

Characters & Entities

• Pātāla
• Daitya
• Dānava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse highlights the power of temptation—true renunciation is tested not in hardship alone but amid abundance and allure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No earthly tīrtha is named here; the passage belongs to the broader glorification of the Śaiva presence in Pātāla culminating in Śrīhāṭakeśvara-liṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive and reflective rather than prescriptive.