Rahu and the Nether Worlds

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.8.18.1)

श्रीनारायण उवाच । अधस्तात्सवितुः प्रोक्तमयुतं राहुमण्डलम् । नक्षत्रवच्चरति च सैंहिकेयोऽतदर्हणः

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca | adhastātsavituḥ proktamayutaṁ rāhumaṇḍalam | nakṣatravaccarati ca saiṁhikeyo'tadarhaṇaḥ

Shri Narayana said: Ten thousand yojanas below the sun is declared the orbit of Rahu. The son of Simhika, though unworthy of the honor, moves like a lunar mansion,

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.8.18.2)

सूर्याचन्द्रमसोरेव मर्दनः सिंहिकासुतः । अमरत्वं च खेटत्वं लेभे यो विष्ण्वनुग्रहात्

sūryācandramasoreva mardanaḥ siṁhikāsutaḥ | amaratvaṁ ca kheṭatvaṁ lebhe yo viṣṇvanugrahāt

— the tormentor of the Sun and Moon, Simhika's son, who obtained immortality and the status of a planet through Vishnu's grace.

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.8.18.3)

यददस्तरणेर्बिम्बं तपतो योजनायुतम् । तच्छादकोऽसुरो ज्ञेयोऽप्यर्कसाहस्रविस्तरम्

yadadastaraṇerbimbaṁ tapato yojanāyutam | tacchādako'suro jñeyo'pyarkasāhasravistaram

The blazing disc of the sun extends ten thousand yojanas; that demon who eclipses it, Rahu himself, should be known to extend a thousand yojanas.

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.8.18.4)

त्रयोदशसहस्रं तु सोमस्याच्छादको ग्रहः । यः पर्वसमये वैरानुबन्धी छादकोऽभवत्

trayodaśasahasraṁ tu somasyācchādako grahaḥ | yaḥ parvasamaye vairānubandhī chādako'bhavat

But as concealer of the Moon, that same planet extends thirteen thousand yojanas — he who, at the time of the parva (full or new moon), bound by ancient enmity, becomes the eclipser.

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.8.18.5)

सूर्याचन्द्रमसोर्दूराद्भवेच्छादनकारकः । तन्निशम्योभयत्रापि विष्णुना प्रेरितं स्वकम्

sūryācandramasordūrādbhavecchādanakārakaḥ | tanniśamyobhayatrāpi viṣṇunā preritaṁ svakam

He becomes the cause of eclipse even while remaining at a distance from the Sun and Moon. Aware of this on either occasion, Vishnu sends forth his own —

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.8.18.6)

चक्रं सुदर्शनं नाम ज्वालामालातिभीषणम् । तत्तेजसा दुःसहेन समन्तात्परिवारितम्

cakraṁ sudarśanaṁ nāma jvālāmālātibhīṣaṇam | tattejasā duḥsahena samantātparivāritam

— the discus named Sudarshana, most fearsome with its garland of flames, encircled on every side by its unbearable radiance,

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.8.18.7)

मुहूर्तो द्विजमानस्तु दूराच्चकितमानसः । आरान्निवर्तते सोऽयमुपराग इतीव ह

muhūrto dvijamānastu dūrāccakitamānasaḥ | ārānnivartate so'yamuparāga itīva ha

— before which Rahu appears to swallow the Sun or Moon for only a single muhurta, then, his mind struck with fear even from a distance, turns back close by — this is what is called an eclipse (uparaga),

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.8.18.8)

उच्यते लोकमध्ये तु देवर्षे अवबुध्यताम् । ततोऽधस्तात्समाख्याता लोकाः परमपावनाः

ucyate lokamadhye tu devarṣe avabudhyatām | tato'dhastātsamākhyātā lokāḥ paramapāvanāḥ

— as it is spoken of in the world; let this be understood, O divine sage. Below that region are declared worlds of supreme purity,

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.8.18.9)

सिद्धानां चारणानां च विद्याध्राणां च सत्तम । योजनायुतविख्याता लोकाः पुण्यनिषेविताः

siddhānāṁ cāraṇānāṁ ca vidyādhrāṇāṁ ca sattama | yojanāyutavikhyātā lokāḥ puṇyaniṣevitāḥ

— the worlds of the Siddhas, Charanas, and Vidyadharas, O most excellent one — renowned as extending ten thousand yojanas, inhabited by the meritorious,

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.8.18.10)

ततोऽप्यधस्ताद्देवर्षे यक्षाणां च सरक्षसाम् । पिशाचप्रेतभूतानां विहाराजिरमुत्तमम्

tato'pyadhastāddevarṣe yakṣāṇāṁ ca sarakṣasām | piśācapretabhūtānāṁ vihārājiramuttamam

— and below that again, O divine sage, lies the excellent playground of the Yakshas and Rakshasas, and of the Pishachas, Pretas, and Bhutas,

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.8.18.11)

अन्तरिक्षं च तत्प्रोक्तं यावद्वायुः प्रवाति हि । यावन्मेघास्ततोद्यन्ति तत्प्रोक्तं ज्ञानकोविदैः

antarikṣaṁ ca tatproktaṁ yāvadvāyuḥ pravāti hi | yāvanmeghāstatodyanti tatproktaṁ jñānakovidaiḥ

— and that is declared to be the antariksha, extending as far as the wind blows; and, according to those learned in this knowledge, that extent is defined by how high the clouds rise.

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.8.18.12)

ततोऽधस्ताद्योजनानां शतं यावद् द्विजोत्तम । पृथिवी परिसङ्ख्याता सुपर्णश्येनसारसाः

tato'dhastādyojanānāṁ śataṁ yāvad dvijottama | pṛthivī parisaṅkhyātā suparṇaśyenasārasāḥ

Below that, O best of twice-born, the earth is reckoned to extend for a hundred yojanas, where eagles, hawks, cranes,

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.8.18.13)

हंसादयः प्रोत्पतन्ति पार्थिवाः पृथिवीभवाः । भूसन्निवेशावस्थानं यथावदुपवर्णितम्

haṁsādayaḥ protpatanti pārthivāḥ pṛthivībhavāḥ | bhūsanniveśāvasthānaṁ yathāvadupavarṇitam

— swans and other earth-born birds fly. Thus has the arrangement and disposition of the earth been duly described.

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.8.18.14)

अधस्तादवनेः सप्त देवर्षे विवराः स्मृताः । एकैकशो योजनानामायामोच्छ्रायतः पुनः

adhastādavaneḥ sapta devarṣe vivarāḥ smṛtāḥ | ekaikaśo yojanānāmāyāmocchrāyataḥ punaḥ

Below the earth, O divine sage, are remembered seven caverns; each, again, measured in length and height by a fixed number of yojanas,

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.8.18.15)

अयुतान्तरविख्याताः सर्वर्तुसुखदायकाः । अतलं प्रथमं प्रोक्तं द्वितीयं वितलं तथा

ayutāntaravikhyātāḥ sarvartusukhadāyakāḥ | atalaṁ prathamaṁ proktaṁ dvitīyaṁ vitalaṁ tathā

— known to lie at intervals of ten thousand yojanas, and giving the pleasure of every season. Atala is declared the first; Vitala the second, likewise;

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.8.18.16)

तृतीयं सुतलं प्रोक्तं चतुर्थं वै तलातलम् । महातलं पञ्चमं च षष्ठं प्रोक्तं रसातलम्

tṛtīyaṁ sutalaṁ proktaṁ caturthaṁ vai talātalam | mahātalaṁ pañcamaṁ ca ṣaṣṭhaṁ proktaṁ rasātalam

Sutala is declared the third; Talatala indeed the fourth; Mahatala the fifth; and Rasatala is declared the sixth;

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.8.18.17)

सप्तमं विप्र पातालं सप्तैते विवराः स्मृताः । एतेषु बिलस्वर्गेषु दिवोऽप्यधिकमेव च

saptamaṁ vipra pātālaṁ saptaite vivarāḥ smṛtāḥ | eteṣu bilasvargeṣu divo'pyadhikameva ca

— and, O brahmin, Patala is the seventh; these seven are remembered as the nether caverns. In these subterranean heavens, the pleasures are indeed even greater than heaven's,

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.8.18.18)

कामभोगैश्वर्यसुखसमृद्धभुवनेषु च । नित्योद्यानविहारेषु सुखास्वादः प्रवर्तते

kāmabhogaiśvaryasukhasamṛddhabhuvaneṣu ca | nityodyānavihāreṣu sukhāsvādaḥ pravartate

— realms enriched with every pleasure of desire, indulgence, and lordly comfort. In their perpetual gardens and pleasure-groves, a savor of happiness prevails,

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.8.18.19)

दैत्याश्च काद्रवेयाश्च दानवा बलशालिनः । नित्यप्रमुदिता रक्ताः कलत्रापत्यबन्धुभिः

daityāśca kādraveyāśca dānavā balaśālinaḥ | nityapramuditā raktāḥ kalatrāpatyabandhubhiḥ

— where dwell the Daityas, the serpent sons of Kadru, and the mighty Danavas, ever joyful, devoted to their wives, children, and kin,

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.8.18.20)

सुहृद्भिरनुजीवाद्यैः संयुताश्च गृहेश्वराः । ईश्वरादप्रतिहतकामा मायाविनश्च ते

suhṛdbhiranujīvādyaiḥ saṁyutāśca gṛheśvarāḥ | īśvarādapratihatakāmā māyāvinaśca te

— together with friends, dependents, and others, these masters of households, their desires unhindered even by rival lords, and skilled in the arts of Maya,

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.8.18.21)

निवसन्ति सदा हृष्टाः सर्वर्तुसुखसंयुताः । मयेन मायाविभुना येषु येषु च निर्मिताः

nivasanti sadā hṛṣṭāḥ sarvartusukhasaṁyutāḥ | mayena māyāvibhunā yeṣu yeṣu ca nirmitāḥ

— dwell there always joyful, endowed with the delights of every season. In whichever of these realms Maya, the master of illusion, has fashioned —

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.8.18.22)

पुरः प्रकामशो भक्ता मणिप्रवरशालिनः । विचित्रभवनाट्टालगोपुराद्याः सहस्रशः

puraḥ prakāmaśo bhaktā maṇipravaraśālinaḥ | vicitrabhavanāṭṭālagopurādyāḥ sahasraśaḥ

— cities at his own pleasure, adorned with the finest gems, with wondrous mansions, towers, and gateways numbering in the thousands,

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.8.18.23)

सभाचत्वरचैत्यादिशोभाढ्याः सुरदुर्लभाः । नागासुराणां मिथुनैः सपारावतसारिकैः

sabhācatvaracaityādiśobhāḍhyāḥ suradurlabhāḥ | nāgāsurāṇāṁ mithunaiḥ sapārāvatasārikaiḥ

— rich with the splendor of assembly halls, courtyards, and shrines, beauties even the gods find hard to obtain; filled with Naga and Asura couples, along with doves and mynas,

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.8.18.24)

कीर्णकृत्रिमभूमिश्च विवरेशगृहोत्तमैः । अलङ्कृताश्चकासन्ति उद्यानानि महान्ति च

kīrṇakṛtrimabhūmiśca vivareśagṛhottamaiḥ | alaṅkṛtāścakāsanti udyānāni mahānti ca

— these cities, their artfully made grounds thronged with such creatures, adorned with the finest mansions of the lords of these realms, shine resplendent; and there are great gardens too,

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.8.18.25)

मनःप्रसन्नकारीणि फलपुष्पविशालिभिः । ललनानां विलासार्हस्थानैः शोभितभाञ्जि च

manaḥprasannakārīṇi phalapuṣpaviśālibhiḥ | lalanānāṁ vilāsārhasthānaiḥ śobhitabhāñji ca

— delighting the mind, rich with fruits and flowers, and graced with places suited to the pleasure and sport of women,

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.8.18.26)

नानाविहङ्गमव्रातसंयुक्तजलराशिभिः । स्वच्छार्णपूरितह्रदैः पाठीनसमलङ्कृतैः

nānāvihaṅgamavrātasaṁyuktajalarāśibhiḥ | svacchārṇapūritahradaiḥ pāṭhīnasamalaṅkṛtaiḥ

— with expanses of water thronged by flocks of varied birds; with lakes brimming with clear water, adorned with fish such as the Pathina,

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.8.18.27)

जलजन्तुक्षुब्धनीरनीरजातैरनेकशः । कुमुदोत्पलकह्लारनीलरक्तोत्पलैस्तथा

jalajantukṣubdhanīranīrajātairanekaśaḥ | kumudotpalakahlāranīlaraktotpalaistathā

— their waters stirred by aquatic creatures, and abounding in kumuda, utpala, kahlara, and blue and red lotuses of many kinds,

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.8.18.28)

तेषु कृतनिकेतानां विहारैः सङ्कुलानि च । इन्द्रियोत्सवकारैश्च तथैव विविधैः स्वरैः

teṣu kṛtaniketānāṁ vihāraiḥ saṅkulāni ca | indriyotsavakāraiśca tathaiva vividhaiḥ svaraiḥ

— filled with the sporting delights of those who dwell there, and likewise with various sounds that gladden the senses,

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.8.18.29)

अमराणां च परमां श्रियं चातिशयन्ति च । यत्र नैव भयं क्वापि कालाङ्गैर्दिनरात्रिभिः

amarāṇāṁ ca paramāṁ śriyaṁ cātiśayanti ca | yatra naiva bhayaṁ kvāpi kālāṅgairdinarātribhiḥ

— and they surpass even the supreme splendor of the gods. There, no fear ever comes from the divisions of time — the days and nights —

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.8.18.30)

यत्राहिप्रवराणां च शिरःस्थैर्मणिरश्मिभिः । नित्यं तमः प्रबाध्येत सदा प्रस्फुटकान्तिभिः

yatrāhipravarāṇāṁ ca śiraḥsthairmaṇiraśmibhiḥ | nityaṁ tamaḥ prabādhyeta sadā prasphuṭakāntibhiḥ

— where, by the ray-light of the gems set on the crowns of the great serpents, ever brilliant, the darkness is perpetually dispelled,

Verse 31 (devibhagavatam.8.18.31)

न वा एतेषु वसतां दिव्यौषधिरसायनैः । रसान्नपानस्नानाद्यैर्नाधयो न च व्याधयः

na vā eteṣu vasatāṁ divyauṣadhirasāyanaiḥ | rasānnapānasnānādyairnādhayo na ca vyādhayaḥ

— nor, thanks to divine herbs and elixirs, and to their rich foods, drinks, baths, and the like, do those who dwell there suffer any mental affliction or bodily disease,

Verse 32 (devibhagavatam.8.18.32)

वलीपलितजीर्णत्ववैवर्ण्यस्वेदगन्धताः । अनुत्साहवयोऽवस्था न बाधन्ते कदाचन

valīpalitajīrṇatvavaivarṇyasvedagandhatāḥ | anutsāhavayo'vasthā na bādhante kadācana

— wrinkles, grey hair, decrepitude, discoloration, sweat, bad odor, listlessness, and the other afflictions of old age never trouble them at all.

Verse 33 (devibhagavatam.8.18.33)

कल्याणानां सदा तेषां न च मृत्युभयं कुतः । भगवत्तेजसोऽन्यत्र चक्राच्चैव सुदर्शनात्

kalyāṇānāṁ sadā teṣāṁ na ca mṛtyubhayaṁ kutaḥ | bhagavattejaso'nyatra cakrāccaiva sudarśanāt

For those ever-blessed beings, whence indeed could there be any fear of death — except from the radiance of the Blessed Lord and from the discus Sudarshana?

Verse 34 (devibhagavatam.8.18.34)

यस्मिन्प्रविष्टे दैतेयवधूनां गर्भराशयः । प्रायो भयात्पतन्त्येव स्रवन्ति ब्रह्मपुत्रक

yasminpraviṣṭe daiteyavadhūnāṁ garbharāśayaḥ | prāyo bhayātpatantyeva sravanti brahmaputraka

O son of Brahma, when that discus enters those realms, the wombs of the Daitya wives, out of sheer terror, generally miscarry and their contents are shed away.