Shloka 17
Pātāla-varṇana (Nārada’s Description of the Netherworld) / पातालवर्णनम्
अत्र राक्षसजात्यश्ष दैत्यजात्यक्षु मातले । दिव्यप्रहरणाश्चासन् पूर्वदैवतनिर्मिता:,मातले! इन स्थानोंमें राक्षस और दैत्यजातिके लोग रहते हैं। यहाँ दैत्योंके बनाये हुए बहुत-से दिव्यास्त्र भी रहे हैं
atra rākṣasa-jātyaś ca daitya-jātyaś ca mātale | divya-praharaṇāś cāsan pūrva-daivata-nirmitāḥ ||
Kaṇva berkata: “Di sini, wahai Mātali, berdiam makhluk-makhluk dari bangsa Rākṣasa dan Daitya. Dan di tempat inilah pula terdapat banyak senjata ilahi—persenjataan purba yang dahulu ditempa oleh para dewa.”
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that extraordinary power (divine weapons) exists even in perilous, morally ambiguous spaces inhabited by hostile beings; such power demands discernment and restraint, since its mere availability does not justify its use.
Kaṇva is pointing out to Mātali that the region they are observing is inhabited by Rākṣasas and Daityas, and that many ancient, god-made divine weapons are present there—marking the place as both formidable and significant.