Description of the Netherworld

Verse 1 (shiva.uma.15.1)

व्यास उवाच । येनैकेन हि दत्तेन सर्वेषां प्राप्यते फलम् । दानानां तन्ममाख्याहि मानुषाणां हितार्थतः

vyāsa uvāca yenaikena hi dattena sarveṣāṁ prāpyate phalam dānānāṁ tanmamākhyāhi mānuṣāṇāṁ hitārthataḥ

Vyasa said: Tell me, for the benefit of mankind, of that single gift by giving which alone the fruit of all gifts is obtained.

Verse 2 (shiva.uma.15.2)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । शृणु काले प्रदत्ताद्वै फलं विन्दन्ति मानवाः । एकस्मादपि सर्वेषां दानानां तद्वदामि ते

sanatkumāra uvāca śṛṇu kāle pradattādvai phalaṁ vindanti mānavāḥ ekasmādapi sarveṣāṁ dānānāṁ tadvadāmi te

Sanatkumara said: Hear — men obtain fruit from what is given at its proper time; I shall now tell you of that gift from which alone the fruit of all gifts is obtained.

Verse 3 (shiva.uma.15.3)

दानानामुत्तमं दानं ब्रह्माण्डं खलु मानवैः । दातव्यं मुक्तिकामैस्तु संसारोत्तारणाय वै

dānānāmuttamaṁ dānaṁ brahmāṇḍaṁ khalu mānavaiḥ dātavyaṁ muktikāmaistu saṁsārottāraṇāya vai

The supreme gift among gifts is indeed the gift of the Brahmanda, the cosmic sphere, which is to be given by men who desire liberation, for crossing over the cycle of worldly existence.

Verse 4 (shiva.uma.15.4)

ब्रह्माण्डे सकले दत्ते यत्फलं लभते नरः । तदेकभावादाप्नोति सप्तलोकाधिपो भवेत्

brahmāṇḍe sakale datte yatphalaṁ labhate naraḥ tadekabhāvādāpnoti saptalokādhipo bhavet

When the entire Brahmanda is given, whatever fruit a man obtains, he attains through that single act alone; he becomes the lord of the seven worlds.

Verse 5 (shiva.uma.15.5)

यावच्चन्द्रदिवाकरौ नभसि वा यावत् स्थिरा मेदिनी तावत्सोऽपि नरः स्वबान्धवयुतः स्वर्गौकसामोकसि । सर्वेष्वेव मनोनुगेषु ककुभिर्ब्रह्माण्डदः क्रीडते पश्चाद्याति पदं सुदुर्लभतरं देवैर्मुदे माधवम्

yāvaccandradivākarau nabhasi vā yāvat sthirā medinī tāvatso'pi naraḥ svabāndhavayutaḥ svargaukasāmokasi sarveṣveva manonugeṣu kakubhirbrahmāṇḍadaḥ krīḍate paścādyāti padaṁ sudurlabhataraṁ devairmude mādhavam

For as long as the moon and sun remain in the sky, and the earth remains firm, so long does that man, too, together with his kinsmen, dwell in the abode of the heaven-dwellers; the giver of the Brahmanda sports throughout every quarter, following his own will, and afterward attains that state — exceedingly difficult to reach, namely Madhava — to the delight of the gods.

Verse 6 (shiva.uma.15.6)

व्यास उवाच । भगवन् ब्रहि ब्रह्माण्डं यत्प्रमाणं यदात्मकम् । यदाधारं यथाभूतं येन मे प्रत्ययो भवेत्

vyāsa uvāca bhagavan brahi brahmāṇḍaṁ yatpramāṇaṁ yadātmakam yadādhāraṁ yathābhūtaṁ yena me pratyayo bhavet

Vyasa said: O Lord, tell me of the Brahmanda — its measure, its nature, its foundation, its true form — by which I may attain full conviction.

Verse 7 (shiva.uma.15.7)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । मुने शृणु प्रवक्ष्यामि यदुत्सेधं तु विस्तरम् । ब्रह्माण्डं तत्तु सङ्क्षेपाच्छ्रुत्वा पापात्प्रमुच्यते

sanatkumāra uvāca mune śṛṇu pravakṣyāmi yadutsedhaṁ tu vistaram brahmāṇḍaṁ tattu saṅkṣepācchrutvā pāpātpramucyate

Sanatkumara said: O sage, hear; I shall now tell you, in detail, its full height and extent. Having heard of the Brahmanda, even in brief summary, one is released from sin.

Verse 8 (shiva.uma.15.8)

यत्तत्कारणमव्यक्तं व्यक्तं शिवमनामयम् । तस्मात्सञ्जायते ब्रह्मा द्विधाभूताद्धि कालतः

yattatkāraṇamavyaktaṁ vyaktaṁ śivamanāmayam tasmātsañjāyate brahmā dvidhābhūtāddhi kālataḥ

From that unmanifest Cause, which becomes manifest, auspicious, and free from affliction, Brahma is born, having become twofold through the working of time.

Verse 9 (shiva.uma.15.9)

ब्रह्माण्डं सृजति ब्रह्मा चतुर्दशभवात्मकम् । तद्वच्मि क्रमतस्तात समासाच्छृणु यत्नतः

brahmāṇḍaṁ sṛjati brahmā caturdaśabhavātmakam tadvacmi kramatastāta samāsācchṛṇu yatnataḥ

Brahma creates the Brahmanda, consisting of fourteen worlds; O dear one, I shall tell of it in due order and in summary; listen attentively.

Verse 10 (shiva.uma.15.10)

पातालानि तु सप्तैव भुवनानि तथोर्ध्वतः । उच्छ्रायो द्विगुणस्तस्य जलमध्ये स्थितस्य च

pātālāni tu saptaiva bhuvanāni tathordhvataḥ ucchrāyo dviguṇastasya jalamadhye sthitasya ca

The netherworlds are seven, and likewise the worlds above are seven; the height of this whole structure, situated amid the waters, is twice its depth.

Verse 11 (shiva.uma.15.11)

तस्याधारः स्थितो नागः स च विष्णुः प्रकीर्तितः । ब्रह्मणो वचसां हेतोर्बिभर्ति सकलं त्विदम्

tasyādhāraḥ sthito nāgaḥ sa ca viṣṇuḥ prakīrtitaḥ brahmaṇo vacasāṁ hetorbibharti sakalaṁ tvidam

Its foundation is the serpent Shesha, who is proclaimed to be a form of Vishnu; by reason of Brahma's word, he alone bears this entire creation.

Verse 12 (shiva.uma.15.12)

शेषस्यास्य गुणान् वक्तुं न शक्ता देवदानवाः । योऽनन्तः पठ्यते सिद्धैर्देवर्षिगणपूजितः

śeṣasyāsya guṇān vaktuṁ na śaktā devadānavāḥ yo'nantaḥ paṭhyate siddhairdevarṣigaṇapūjitaḥ

Neither gods nor demons are able to describe the qualities of this Shesha, whom the perfected sages call "Ananta," the Endless One, and who is worshipped by hosts of gods and divine seers.

Verse 13 (shiva.uma.15.13)

शिरः सहस्रयुक्तः स सर्वा विद्योतयन्दिशः । फणामणिसहस्रेण स्वस्तिकामलभूषणः

śiraḥ sahasrayuktaḥ sa sarvā vidyotayandiśaḥ phaṇāmaṇisahasreṇa svastikāmalabhūṣaṇaḥ

Possessed of a thousand heads, he illuminates all directions; he wears the auspicious, spotless ornament of a thousand jeweled hoods.

Verse 14 (shiva.uma.15.14)

मदाघूर्णितनेत्रोऽसौ साग्निः श्वेत इवाचलः । स्रग्वी किरीटी ह्याभाति यः सदैवैककुण्डलः

madāghūrṇitanetro'sau sāgniḥ śveta ivācalaḥ sragvī kirīṭī hyābhāti yaḥ sadaivaikakuṇḍalaḥ

His eyes rolling with intoxication, he shines like a white mountain together with fire within it; garlanded and crowned, he always appears wearing a single earring.

Verse 15 (shiva.uma.15.15)

साभ्रगङ्गाप्रवाहेण श्वेतशैलोपशोभितः । नीलवासा मदोद्रिक्तः कैलासाद्रिरिवापरः

sābhragaṅgāpravāheṇa śvetaśailopaśobhitaḥ nīlavāsā madodriktaḥ kailāsādririvāparaḥ

Adorned by the flow of the celestial Ganga amid clouds, beautified like a white mountain, clad in dark-blue garments, brimming with intoxication, he appears like a second Mount Kailasa.

Verse 16 (shiva.uma.15.16)

लाङ्गलासक्तहस्ताग्रो बिभ्रन्मुसलमुत्तमम् । योऽर्च्यते नागकन्याभिः स्वर्णवर्णाभिरादरात्

lāṅgalāsaktahastāgro bibhranmusalamuttamam yo'rcyate nāgakanyābhiḥ svarṇavarṇābhirādarāt

The tip of his hand grasping a plow, bearing an excellent pestle-mace, he is worshipped with reverence by golden-hued serpent-maidens.

Verse 17 (shiva.uma.15.17)

सङ्कर्षणात्मको रुद्रो विषानलशिखोज्ज्वलः । कल्पान्ते निष्क्रमन्ते यद्वक्त्रेभ्योऽग्निशिखा मुहुः । दग्ध्वा जगत्त्रयं शान्ता भवन्तीत्यनुशुश्रुमः

saṅkarṣaṇātmako rudro viṣānalaśikhojjvalaḥ kalpānte niṣkramante yadvaktrebhyo'gniśikhā muhuḥ dagdhvā jagattrayaṁ śāntā bhavantītyanuśuśrumaḥ

He is Rudra in the form of Sankarshana, blazing with the flame of poison-fire; at the end of the aeon, flame-tongues repeatedly issue from his mouths and, having burned the three worlds, become extinguished — thus have we heard.

Verse 18 (shiva.uma.15.18)

आस्ते पातालमूलस्थः सशेषः क्षितिमण्डलम् । बिभ्रत्स्वपृष्ठे भूतेशः शेषोऽशेषगुणार्चितः

āste pātālamūlasthaḥ saśeṣaḥ kṣitimaṇḍalam bibhratsvapṛṣṭhe bhūteśaḥ śeṣo'śeṣaguṇārcitaḥ

Situated at the very root of Patala, Shesha — the Lord of Beings, worshipped for his boundless qualities — remains there, bearing the entire orb of the earth upon his back.

Verse 19 (shiva.uma.15.19)

तस्य वीर्यप्रभावश्च साकाङ्क्षैस्त्रिदशैरपि । न हि वर्णयितुं शक्यः स्वरूपं ज्ञातुमेव वा

tasya vīryaprabhāvaśca sākāṅkṣaistridaśairapi na hi varṇayituṁ śakyaḥ svarūpaṁ jñātumeva vā

His might and glory cannot be described, nor can his true form even be known, even by the gods, eager though they are to know it.

Verse 20 (shiva.uma.15.20)

आस्ते कुसुममालेव फणामणिशिखारुणा । यस्यैषा सकला पृथ्वी कस्तद्वीर्यं वदिष्यति

āste kusumamāleva phaṇāmaṇiśikhāruṇā yasyaiṣā sakalā pṛthvī kastadvīryaṁ vadiṣyati

This entire earth rests upon him like a garland of flowers, reddened by the crest-jewels of his hoods; who, then, could describe his true might?

Verse 21 (shiva.uma.15.21)

यदा विजृम्भतेऽनन्तो मदाघूर्णितलोचनः । तदा चलति भूरेषा साद्रितोयाधिकानना

yadā vijṛmbhate'nanto madāghūrṇitalocanaḥ tadā calati bhūreṣā sādritoyādhikānanā

When Ananta, his eyes rolling with intoxication, stretches and yawns, then this vast earth, with its mountains and waters, trembles.

Verse 22 (shiva.uma.15.22)

दशसाहस्रमेकैकं पातालं मुनिसत्तम । अतलं वितलं चैव सुतलं च रसातलम्

daśasāhasramekaikaṁ pātālaṁ munisattama atalaṁ vitalaṁ caiva sutalaṁ ca rasātalam

O best of sages, each single Patala extends ten thousand yojanas: Atala, Vitala, Sutala, and Rasatala,

Verse 23 (shiva.uma.15.23)

तलं तलातलं चाग्र्यं पातालं सप्तमं मतम् । भूमेरधः सप्तलोका इमे ज्ञेया विचक्षणैः

talaṁ talātalaṁ cāgryaṁ pātālaṁ saptamaṁ matam bhūmeradhaḥ saptalokā ime jñeyā vicakṣaṇaiḥ

Tala, Talatala, and the foremost seventh region, reckoned as Patala proper — these seven worlds beneath the earth are to be known by the discerning.

Verse 24 (shiva.uma.15.24)

उच्छ्रायो द्विगुणश्चैषां सर्वेषां रत्नभूमयः । रत्नवन्तोऽथ प्रासादा भूमयो हेमसम्भवाः

ucchrāyo dviguṇaścaiṣāṁ sarveṣāṁ ratnabhūmayaḥ ratnavanto'tha prāsādā bhūmayo hemasambhavāḥ

The depth of all of these is twofold; their grounds are made of jewels; their palaces too are jeweled, and their grounds are wrought of gold.

Verse 25 (shiva.uma.15.25)

तेषु दानवदैतेया नागानां जातयस्तथा । निवसन्ति महानागा राक्षसा दैत्यसम्भवाः

teṣu dānavadaiteyā nāgānāṁ jātayastathā nivasanti mahānāgā rākṣasā daityasambhavāḥ

In them dwell the Danavas and Daityas, and the various races of Nagas — great serpents, rakshasas, and beings of the Daitya lineage.

Verse 26 (shiva.uma.15.26)

प्राह स्वर्गसदोमध्ये पातालानीति नारदः । स्वर्लोकादति रम्याणि तेभ्योऽसावागतो दिवि

prāha svargasadomadhye pātālānīti nāradaḥ svarlokādati ramyāṇi tebhyo'sāvāgato divi

In the assembly of heaven, Narada declared that the Patalas are even more delightful than the world of heaven itself — for he himself had come to heaven from there.

Verse 27 (shiva.uma.15.27)

नानाभूषणभूषाश्च मणयो यत्र सुप्रभाः । आह्लादकारिणः शुभ्राः पातालं केन तत्समम्

nānābhūṣaṇabhūṣāśca maṇayo yatra suprabhāḥ āhlādakāriṇaḥ śubhrāḥ pātālaṁ kena tatsamam

Narada said: "There, adorned with manifold ornaments, are exceedingly radiant, delightful, brilliant gems — with what can Patala be compared?

Verse 28 (shiva.uma.15.28)

पाताले कस्य न प्रीतिरितश्चेतश्च शोभिते । देत्यदानवकन्याभिर्विमुक्तस्याभिजायते

pātāle kasya na prītiritaścetaśca śobhite detyadānavakanyābhirvimuktasyābhijāyate

Who would not feel delight in Patala, adorned on every side by Daitya and Danava maidens, where pleasure arises freely?

Verse 29 (shiva.uma.15.29)

दिवार्करश्मयो यत्र न भवन्ति विधोर्निशि । न शीतमातपो यत्र मणितेजोऽत्र केवलम्

divārkaraśmayo yatra na bhavanti vidhorniśi na śītamātapo yatra maṇitejo'tra kevalam

There, there are no sun's rays by day, nor moonlight by night; there is neither cold nor heat there — only the radiance of gems alone.

Verse 30 (shiva.uma.15.30)

भक्ष्यभोज्यान्नपानानि भुज्यन्ते मुदितैर्भृशम् । यत्र न ज्ञायते कालो गतोऽपि मुनिसत्तम

bhakṣyabhojyānnapānāni bhujyante muditairbhṛśam yatra na jñāyate kālo gato'pi munisattama

O best of sages, there, foods to eat and to enjoy, and drinks, are consumed by the greatly joyful inhabitants; there time is not perceived, even as it passes.

Verse 31 (shiva.uma.15.31)

पुंस्कोकिलरुतं यत्र पद्मानि कमलाकराः । नद्यः सरांसि रम्याणि मनोज्ञान्यम्बराणि च

puṁskokilarutaṁ yatra padmāni kamalākarāḥ nadyaḥ sarāṁsi ramyāṇi manojñānyambarāṇi ca

There is the call of the male cuckoo, lotuses, lotus-ponds, delightful rivers and lakes, and enchanting garments,

Verse 32 (shiva.uma.15.32)

भूषणान्यतिशुभ्राणि गन्धाढ्यं चानुलेपनम् । वीणावेणुमृदङ्गानां स्वना गेयानि च द्विज

bhūṣaṇānyatiśubhrāṇi gandhāḍhyaṁ cānulepanam vīṇāveṇumṛdaṅgānāṁ svanā geyāni ca dvija

O twice-born one, exceedingly radiant ornaments, fragrance-rich unguents, and the sounds of vinas, flutes, and drums, together with songs, are there too.

Verse 33 (shiva.uma.15.33)

दैत्योरगैश्च भुज्यन्ते पाताले वै सुखानि च । तपसा समवाप्नोति दानवैः सिद्धमानवैः

daityoragaiśca bhujyante pātāle vai sukhāni ca tapasā samavāpnoti dānavaiḥ siddhamānavaiḥ

In Patala, indeed, such pleasures are enjoyed by Daityas and serpents — pleasures which Danavas, Siddhas, and men attain only through austerity."