Rasatala and Surabhi, Mother of Cows

Verse 1 (5.102.1)

इदं रसातलं नाम सप्तमं पृथिवीतलम् । यत्रास्ते सुरभिर्माता गवाममृतसंभवा ॥

idaṃ rasātalaṃ nāma saptamaṃ pṛthivītalam | yatrāste surabhirmātā gavāmamṛtasaṃbhavā

This is Rasatala, the seventh level beneath the earth, where Surabhi dwells, the mother of cows, who was born of the nectar.

Verse 2 (5.102.2)

क्षरन्ती सततं क्षीरं पृथिवीसारसंभवम् । षण्णां रसानां सारेण रसमेकमनुत्तमम् ॥

kṣarantī satataṃ kṣīraṃ pṛthivīsārasaṃbhavam | ṣaṇṇāṃ rasānāṃ sāreṇa rasamekamanuttamam

She pours forth milk without ceasing, born of the essence of the earth: a single unsurpassed flavour, made from the essence of the six flavours.

Note on the text: Corrected षण्णं → षण्णां (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign of the genitive plural; critical edition ṣaṇṇāṃ).

Verse 3 (5.102.3)

अमृतेनाभितृप्तस्य सारमुद्गिरतः पुरा । पितामहस्य वदनादुदतिष्ठदनिन्दिता ॥

amṛtenābhitṛptasya sāramudgirataḥ purā | pitāmahasya vadanādudatiṣṭhadaninditā

Long ago, when the Grandfather, sated with nectar, was bringing up its essence, this faultless one rose from his mouth.

Verse 4 (5.102.4)

यस्याः क्षीरस्य धाराया निपतन्त्या महीतले । ह्रदः कृतः क्षीरनिधिः पवित्रं परमुच्यते ॥

yasyāḥ kṣīrasya dhārāyā nipatantyā mahītale | hradaḥ kṛtaḥ kṣīranidhiḥ pavitraṃ paramucyate

From the stream of her milk falling on the ground a lake was formed, the Ocean of Milk, which is called the highest purifier.

Verse 5 (5.102.5)

पुष्पितस्येव फेनेन पर्यन्तमनुवेष्टितम् । पिबन्तो निवसन्त्यत्र फेनपा मुनिसत्तमाः ॥

puṣpitasyeva phenena paryantamanuveṣṭitam | pibanto nivasantyatra phenapā munisattamāḥ

Its shores are wreathed with foam, as if in blossom; and here, drinking it, live the excellent sages called the Phenapas.

Verse 6 (5.102.6)

फेनपा नाम ते ख्याताः फेनाहाराश्च मातले । उग्रे तपसि वर्तन्ते येषां बिभ्यति देवताः ॥

phenapā nāma te khyātāḥ phenāhārāśca mātale | ugre tapasi vartante yeṣāṃ bibhyati devatāḥ

They are known as the Phenapas, Matali, and they live on foam. They practise fierce austerities, and the gods themselves fear them.

Verse 7 (5.102.7)

अस्याश्चतस्रो धेन्वोऽन्या दिक्षु सर्वासु मातले । निवसन्ति दिशां पाल्यो धारयन्त्यो दिशः स्म ताः ॥

asyāścatasro dhenvo'nyā dikṣu sarvāsu mātale | nivasanti diśāṃ pālyo dhārayantyo diśaḥ sma tāḥ

Four other cows born of her live in all the quarters, Matali, as guardians of the directions; it is they who hold up the quarters.

Note on the text: Word spacing restored in धारयन्त्योदिशःस्म ताः → धारयन्त्यो दिशः स्म ताः (Wikisource runs the words together; letters unchanged). दिशां पाल्यो and स्म ताः (CE diśāpālyo, smṛtāḥ) kept as the base reading.

Verse 8 (5.102.8)

पूर्वां दिशं धारयते सुरूपा नाम सौरभी । दक्षिणां हंसिका नाम धारयत्यपरां दिशम् ॥

pūrvāṃ diśaṃ dhārayate surūpā nāma saurabhī | dakṣiṇāṃ haṃsikā nāma dhārayatyaparāṃ diśam

The eastern quarter is held up by Surabhi's daughter named Surupa; the one named Hamsika holds up the next, the southern quarter.

Note on the text: Corrected कनाम → नाम (misprint in Wikisource; stray क before नाम; critical edition nāma).

Verse 9 (5.102.9)

पश्चिमा वारुणी दिक्च धार्यते वै सुभद्रया । महानुभावया नित्यं मातले विश्वरूपया ॥

paścimā vāruṇī dikca dhāryate vai subhadrayā | mahānubhāvayā nityaṃ mātale viśvarūpayā

The western quarter, the region of Varuna, is always upheld by Subhadra, Matali, the noble one who takes every form.

Verse 10 (5.102.10)

सर्वकामदुघा नाम धेनुर्धारयते दिशम् । उत्तरां मातले धर्म्यां तथैलविलसंश्रिताम् ॥

sarvakāmadughā nāma dhenurdhārayate diśam | uttarāṃ mātale dharmyāṃ tathailavilasaṃśritām

The cow named Sarvakamadugha holds up the northern quarter, Matali, the righteous quarter where Ailavila (Kubera) dwells.

Verse 11 (5.102.11)

आसां तु पयसा मिश्रं पयो निर्मथ्य सागरे । मन्थानं मन्दरं कृत्वा देवैरसुरसंहितैः ॥

āsāṃ tu payasā miśraṃ payo nirmathya sāgare | manthānaṃ mandaraṃ kṛtvā devairasurasaṃhitaiḥ

It was the waters of the ocean, mixed with the milk of these cows, that the gods together with the asuras churned, making Mount Mandara the churning-stick;

Note on the text: Corrected त → तु (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign; critical edition tu).

Verse 12 (5.102.12)

उद्धृता वारुणी लक्ष्मीरमृतं चापि मातले । उच्चैःश्रवाश्चाश्वराजो मणिरत्नं च कौस्तुभम् ॥

uddhṛtā vāruṇī lakṣmīramṛtaṃ cāpi mātale | uccaiḥśravāścāśvarājo maṇiratnaṃ ca kaustubham

and from it were drawn up Varuni, Lakshmi and the nectar, Matali, and Ucchaihshravas, king of horses, and Kaustubha, the jewel among gems.

Note on the text: Corrected अद्धृता → उद्धृता (misprint in Wikisource; अ for उ; critical edition uddhṛtā).

Verse 13 (5.102.13)

सुधाहारेषु च सुधां स्वधाभोजिषु च स्वधाम् । अमृतं चामृताशेषु सुरभी क्षरते पयः ॥

sudhāhāreṣu ca sudhāṃ svadhābhojiṣu ca svadhām | amṛtaṃ cāmṛtāśeṣu surabhī kṣarate payaḥ

Surabhi pours out her milk as sudha for those who feed on sudha, as svadha for those who live on svadha, and as nectar for those who eat nectar.

Verse 14 (5.102.14)

अत्र गाथा पुरा गीता रसातलनिवासिभिः । पौराणी श्रूयते लोके गीयते या मनीषिभिः ॥

atra gāthā purā gītā rasātalanivāsibhiḥ | paurāṇī śrūyate loke gīyate yā manīṣibhiḥ

Here, long ago, the dwellers of Rasatala sang a song; that ancient verse is still heard in the world, and the wise still sing it:

Verse 15 (5.102.15)

न नागलोके न स्वर्गे न विमाने त्रिविष्टपे । परिवासः सुखस्तादृक् रसातलतले यथा ॥

na nāgaloke na svarge na vimāne triviṣṭape | parivāsaḥ sukhastādṛk rasātalatale yathā

'Neither in the world of the Nagas, nor in heaven, nor in the celestial cars of Trivishtapa is there a dwelling as happy as in Rasatala.'