Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42
दैत्यदानवकन्याभिरितश्चेतश्च शोभिते । पाताले कस्य न प्रीतिर्विमुक्तस्यापि जायते
daityadānavakanyābhiritaścetaśca śobhite | pātāle kasya na prītirvimuktasyāpi jāyate
Di Pātāla—yang dihiasi di segenap penjuru oleh gadis-gadis kaum Daitya dan Dānava—siapakah yang tidak berasa gembira? Bahkan insan yang telah bebas daripada nafsu pun merasai sejenis kenikmatan halus yang timbul di sana.
Skanda
Type: kshetra
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.
FAQs
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.
The broader context is the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s glorification of Kāśī and tīrtha-born merit, though this verse itself describes Pātāla’s allure.
None is stated in this verse.