Shloka 7

मेरु-प्रमाणम्, सप्त-पाताल-वर्णनम्, तथा अनन्त-शेष-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

दैत्यदानवकन्याभिर् इतश् चेतश् च शोभिते पाताले कस्य न प्रीतिर् विमुक्तस्यापि जायते

Transliteration

daityadānavakanyābhir itaś cetaś ca śobhite pātāle kasya na prītir vimuktasyāpi jāyate

Translation

In Pātāla—adorned on every side by the maidens of the Daityas and Dānavas—whose heart would not be stirred to delight, even if he were one who has already attained liberation?

Word by Word

• दैत्य-दानव-कन्याभिः: by the daughters of Daityas and Dānavas
• दैत्य-दानव-कन्याभिः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• इतश्: here; on this side
• इतश्: Visheshana (Adverbial qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, दिशावाचक (adverb: 'from here/this side')

• चेतश्: mind
• चेतश्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• शोभिते: in the adorned (place)
• शोभिते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √शुभ्/√शोभ् (धातु) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक शोभित)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle) 'शोभित', नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पाताले: in Pātāla
• पाताले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कस्य: of whom; whose
• कस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (interrogative), पुं/नपुं, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• प्रीतिः: delight; affection
• प्रीतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विमुक्तस्य: of the liberated one
• विमुक्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √मुच्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle) 'विमुक्त', पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Visheshana (Particle/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), 'even'

• जायते: arises; is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sensory charm can stir even a mind imagined as ‘liberated’; hence vigilance and true detachment are essential.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Treat attraction as a passing vṛtti; practice mindful restraint and redirect attention to remembrance of Nārāyaṇa.

Vishishtadvaita: Suggests that liberation is not mere suppression but stable God-centeredness; enduring freedom is secured by bhakti grounded in divine grace.

Characters & Entities

• Daityas
• Dānavas
• Pātāla

FAQs

What is the significance of Pātāla’s beauty in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse emphasizes that Pātāla is not merely a dark underworld but an opulent realm whose sensory splendour can captivate any mind, highlighting the Purana’s detailed cosmic geography and the power of māyā within the ordered universe.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the pull of desire in this context?

By saying even the ‘liberated’ could feel delight there, Parāśara underscores how potent sense-objects can appear within creation, implying that true transcendence is anchored in unwavering realization beyond attraction.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Even when describing alluring realms like Pātāla, the broader teaching situates all lokas and their experiences within Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty—worldly splendour remains subordinate to the highest reality that liberation ultimately seeks.