स्वर्लोकादपि रम्याणि दृष्टानि बहुशो मया । आह्लादकारिणो नानामण्यो यत्र पन्नगः
svarlokādapi ramyāṇi dṛṣṭāni bahuśo mayā | āhlādakāriṇo nānāmaṇyo yatra pannagaḥ
Aku telah berkali-kali melihat banyak tempat yang lebih indah daripada Svarga; di sana para nāga (ular suci) dihiasi pelbagai permata yang menimbulkan sukacita dan rasa takjub.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) [deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style]
Tirtha: Pātāla (general)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Kauravya (Kuru scion)
Scene: A luminous subterranean garden-city where jewel-hooded Nāgas glide; their gems cast multicolored light, making the realm appear more enchanting than heaven.
Puranic texts portray beauty and pleasure as present across realms, yet implicitly subordinate to higher spiritual aims—wonder should lead to reverence, not attachment.
The immediate focus is Pātāla’s splendor; the adhyāya’s sacred focal point is the Śaiva liṅga named Śrīhāṭakeśvara mentioned shortly after.
No ritual instruction is given in this verse.