Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 92
गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
अदृष्टसप्तयस्ते च पातालं गन्तुमुद्यताः । चख्नुर्महीतलं सर्वमेकैको योजनं पृथक् ॥ ९२ ॥
adṛṣṭasaptayaste ca pātālaṃ gantumudyatāḥ | cakhnurmahītalaṃ sarvamekaiko yojanaṃ pṛthak || 92 ||
Maka tujuh orang itu, yang telah hilang daripada pandangan, bertekad menuju Pātāla, menggali menembusi seluruh permukaan bumi; setiap seorang menggali berasingan sejauh satu yojana.
Suta (narrating the account within the Purva-bhaga narrative)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It highlights the Purāṇic vision of multiple lokas: intense worldly effort can drive beings toward lower realms (like Pātāla), emphasizing that direction of intent (udyatāḥ) shapes one’s destination.
By contrast: the verse depicts strenuous downward pursuit into subterranean realms, implicitly reminding the listener that bhakti redirects the same determination toward Viṣṇu and higher spiritual attainment rather than lower lokas.
It uses traditional measurement language (yojana) and loka-structure concepts common in Purāṇic cosmography, which supports Purāṇic pedagogy used alongside disciplines like Jyotiṣa for mapping sacred geography and cosmic regions.