The Patalas and Shesha Who Bears the Earth

Verse 1 (vishnu.2.5.1)

पराशर उवाच । विस्तार एष कथितः पृथिव्या भवतो मया । सप्ततिस् तु सहस्राणि द्विजोच्छ्रायोऽपि कथ्यते

parāśara uvāca vistāra eṣa kathitaḥ pṛthivyā bhavato mayā saptatis tu sahasrāṇi dvijocchrāyo'pi kathyate

Parashara said: This extent of the earth has been told to you by me; its height too, seventy thousand yojanas, is now declared, O twice-born.

Verse 2 (vishnu.2.5.2)

दशसाहस्रम् एकैकं पातालं मुनिसत्तम । अतलं वितलं चैव नितलं च गभस्तिमत् । महाख्यं सुतलं चाग्र्यं पातालं चापि सप्तमम्

daśasāhasram ekaikaṁ pātālaṁ munisattama atalaṁ vitalaṁ caiva nitalaṁ ca gabhastimat mahākhyaṁ sutalaṁ cāgryaṁ pātālaṁ cāpi saptamam

O best of sages, there are seven Patalas, each ten thousand yojanas — Atala, and Vitala, and Nitala, Gabhastimat, the one called Maha[tala], excellent Sutala, and the seventh, Patala itself.

Verse 3 (vishnu.2.5.3)

शुक्लकृष्णारुणाः पीताः शर्कराः शैलकाञ्चनाः । भूमयो यत्र मैत्रेय वरप्रासादशोभिताः

śuklakṛṣṇāruṇāḥ pītāḥ śarkarāḥ śailakāñcanāḥ bhūmayo yatra maitreya varaprāsādaśobhitāḥ

White, black, reddish, yellow, gravelly, and of stone and gold — such are the soils there, O Maitreya, adorned with excellent mansions.

Verse 4 (vishnu.2.5.4)

तेषु दानवदैतेयजातयः शतसंघशः । निवसन्ति महानागजातयश् च महामुने

teṣu dānavadaiteyajātayaḥ śatasaṁghaśaḥ nivasanti mahānāgajātayaś ca mahāmune

In them dwell the races of Danavas and Daityas in hundreds of groups, and the races of great Nagas too, O great sage.

Verse 5 (vishnu.2.5.5)

स्वर्लोकाद् अपि रम्याणि पातालानीति नारदः । प्राह स्वर्गसदां मध्ये पातालाभ्यागतो दिवि

svarlokād api ramyāṇi pātālānīti nāradaḥ prāha svargasadāṁ madhye pātālābhyāgato divi

Narada, having come to heaven from the Patalas, declared among the dwellers of heaven that the Patalas are even more delightful than heaven itself —

Verse 6 (vishnu.2.5.6)

आह्लादकारिणः शुभ्रा मणयो यत्र सुप्रभाः । नागाभरणभूषासु पातालं केन तत्समम्

āhlādakāriṇaḥ śubhrā maṇayo yatra suprabhāḥ nāgābharaṇabhūṣāsu pātālaṁ kena tatsamam

'Where delight-giving, radiant, most lustrous gems adorn the Nagas as ornaments — what could compare to Patala?

Verse 7 (vishnu.2.5.7)

दैत्यदानवकन्याभिर् इतश् चेतश् च शोभिते । पाताले कस्य न प्रीतिर् विमुक्तस्यापि जायते

daityadānavakanyābhir itaś cetaś ca śobhite pātāle kasya na prītir vimuktasyāpi jāyate

Adorned here and there with the daughters of Daityas and Danavas — in that Patala, whose delight would not arise, even a liberated soul's?

Verse 8 (vishnu.2.5.8)

दिवार्करश्मयो यत्र प्रभां तन्वन्ति नातपम् । शशिनश् च न शीताय निशि द्योताय केवलम्

divārkaraśmayo yatra prabhāṁ tanvanti nātapam śaśinaś ca na śītāya niśi dyotāya kevalam

Where the sun's rays by day spread only light, not heat; and the moon's rays by night give only illumination, not coldness.

Verse 9 (vishnu.2.5.9)

भक्ष्यभोज्यमहापानमुदितैर् अतिभोगिभिः । यत्र न ज्ञायते कालो गतोऽपि दनुजादिभिः

bhakṣyabhojyamahāpānamuditair atibhogibhiḥ yatra na jñāyate kālo gato'pi danujādibhiḥ

Where time is not known to be passing, even as it passes, for the Danavas and others there, delighted with food, drink, and great feasts, and exceedingly given to enjoyment.

Verse 10 (vishnu.2.5.10)

वनानि नद्यो रम्याणि सरांसि कमलाकराः । पुंस्कोकिलाभिलापाश् च मनोज्ञान्य् अम्बराणि च

vanāni nadyo ramyāṇi sarāṁsi kamalākarāḥ puṁskokilābhilāpāś ca manojñāny ambarāṇi ca

Delightful forests, rivers, lakes, beds of lotuses, the sweet calls of male cuckoos, and enchanting garments,

Verse 11 (vishnu.2.5.11)

भूषणान्य् अतिशुभ्राणि गन्धाढ्यं चानुलेपनम् । वीणावेणुमृदङ्गानां स्वनास् तूर्याणि च द्विज

bhūṣaṇāny atiśubhrāṇi gandhāḍhyaṁ cānulepanam vīṇāveṇumṛdaṅgānāṁ svanās tūryāṇi ca dvija

exceedingly bright ornaments, fragrant unguents, and the sounds of the vina, flute, mridanga, and other instruments, O twice-born —

Verse 12 (vishnu.2.5.12)

एतान्य् अन्यानि चोदारभाग्यभोग्यानि दानवैः । दैत्योरगैश् च भुज्यन्ते पातालान्तरगोचरैः

etāny anyāni codārabhāgyabhogyāni dānavaiḥ daityoragaiś ca bhujyante pātālāntaragocaraiḥ

these and other bountiful pleasures are enjoyed by the Danavas and the serpent-race who dwell within the Patalas.'

Verse 13 (vishnu.2.5.13)

पातालानाम् अधश् चास्ते विष्णोर् या तामसी तनुः । शेषाख्या यद्गुणान् वक्तुं न शक्ता दैत्यदानवाः

pātālānām adhaś cāste viṣṇor yā tāmasī tanuḥ śeṣākhyā yadguṇān vaktuṁ na śaktā daityadānavāḥ

Below even the Patalas dwells that dark form of Vishnu, called Shesha, whose qualities not even the Daityas and Danavas are able to describe.

Verse 14 (vishnu.2.5.14)

योऽनन्तः पठ्यते सिद्धैर् देवदेवर्षिपूजितः । सहस्रशिरसा व्यक्तस्वस्तिकामलभूषणः

yo'nantaḥ paṭhyate siddhair devadevarṣipūjitaḥ sahasraśirasā vyaktasvastikāmalabhūṣaṇaḥ

He who is called Ananta, praised by the Siddhas, worshipped by the gods, the god of gods, and the divine sages, bearing a thousand hoods, adorned with spotless ornaments marked with the manifest svastika sign.

Verse 15 (vishnu.2.5.15)

फणामणिसहस्रेण यः स विद्योतयन् दिशः । सर्वान् करोति निर्वीर्यान् हिताय जगतोऽसुरान्

phaṇāmaṇisahasreṇa yaḥ sa vidyotayan diśaḥ sarvān karoti nirvīryān hitāya jagato'surān

Illuminating the directions with the jewels of his thousand hoods, he renders all the asuras powerless, for the welfare of the world.

Verse 16 (vishnu.2.5.16)

मदाघूर्णितनेत्रोऽसौ यः सदैवैककुण्डलः । किरीटी स्रग्धरो भाति साग्निः श्वेत इवाचलः

madāghūrṇitanetro'sau yaḥ sadaivaikakuṇḍalaḥ kirīṭī sragdharo bhāti sāgniḥ śveta ivācalaḥ

With eyes rolling from intoxication, ever wearing a single earring, crowned and garlanded, he shines like a white mountain together with fire.

Verse 17 (vishnu.2.5.17)

नीलवासा मदोत्सिक्तः श्वेतहारोपशोभितः । साभ्रगङ्गाप्रपातोऽसौ कैलासाद्रिर् इवोन्नतः

nīlavāsā madotsiktaḥ śvetahāropaśobhitaḥ sābhragaṅgāprapāto'sau kailāsādrir ivonnataḥ

Clothed in blue, exhilarated with wine, adorned with a white necklace — he is like the lofty Kailasa mountain with the Ganga cascading through the clouds.

Verse 18 (vishnu.2.5.18)

लाङ्गलासक्तहस्ताग्रो बिभ्रन् मुसलम् उत्तमम् । उपास्यते स्वयं कान्त्या यो वारुण्या च मूर्तया

lāṅgalāsaktahastāgro bibhran musalam uttamam upāsyate svayaṁ kāntyā yo vāruṇyā ca mūrtayā

With the tip of his hand grasping a plough, bearing an excellent pestle-club, he is worshipped by his own splendor and by the embodied form of Varuni, goddess of wine.

Verse 19 (vishnu.2.5.19)

कल्पान्ते यस्य वक्त्रेभ्यो विषानलशिखोज्ज्वलः । संकर्षणात्मको रुद्रो निष्क्रम्यात्ति जगत्त्रयम्

kalpānte yasya vaktrebhyo viṣānalaśikhojjvalaḥ saṁkarṣaṇātmako rudro niṣkramyātti jagattrayam

At the end of the kalpa, from whose mouths, blazing with the flame of poisonous fire, Rudra in the form of Sankarshana emerges and devours the three worlds.

Verse 20 (vishnu.2.5.20)

स बिभ्रच् छेखरीभूतम् अशेषं क्षितिमण्डलम् । आस्ते पातालमूलस्थः शेषोऽशेषसुरार्चितः

sa bibhrac chekharībhūtam aśeṣaṁ kṣitimaṇḍalam āste pātālamūlasthaḥ śeṣo'śeṣasurārcitaḥ

Bearing upon himself, like a diadem, the entire circle of the earth, Shesha, worshipped by all the gods, remains seated at the root of the Patalas.

Verse 21 (vishnu.2.5.21)

तस्य वीर्यं प्रभावश् च स्वरूपं रूपम् एव च । न हि वर्णयितुं शक्यं ज्ञातुं वा त्रिदशैर् अपि

tasya vīryaṁ prabhāvaś ca svarūpaṁ rūpam eva ca na hi varṇayituṁ śakyaṁ jñātuṁ vā tridaśair api

His power, his majesty, his true nature, and his form — these cannot be described, nor can even the gods know them.

Verse 22 (vishnu.2.5.22)

यस्यैषा सकला पृथ्वी फणामणिशिखारुणा । आस्ते कुसुममालेव कस् तद्वीर्यं वदिष्यति

yasyaiṣā sakalā pṛthvī phaṇāmaṇiśikhāruṇā āste kusumamāleva kas tadvīryaṁ vadiṣyati

This entire earth, reddened by the glow of his hood-jewels, rests upon him like a garland of flowers — who indeed could describe his power?

Verse 23 (vishnu.2.5.23)

यदा विजृम्भतेऽनन्तो मदाघूर्णितलोचनः । तदा चलति भूर् एषा साद्रितोया सकानना

yadā vijṛmbhate'nanto madāghūrṇitalocanaḥ tadā calati bhūr eṣā sādritoyā sakānanā

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

Verse 24 (vishnu.2.5.24)

गन्धर्वाप्सरसः सिद्धाः किंनरोरगचारणाः । नान्तं गुणानां गच्छन्ति तेनानन्तोऽयम् अव्ययः

gandharvāpsarasaḥ siddhāḥ kiṁnaroragacāraṇāḥ nāntaṁ guṇānāṁ gacchanti tenānanto'yam avyayaḥ

Gandharvas, apsarases, siddhas, kinnaras, uragas, and charanas cannot find the end of his qualities — for this reason he is called Ananta, the endless and imperishable one.

Verse 25 (vishnu.2.5.25)

यस्य नागवधूहस्तैर् लेपितं हरिचन्दनम् । मुहुः श्वासानिलापास्तं याति दिक्षूदवासताम्

yasya nāgavadhūhastair lepitaṁ haricandanam muhuḥ śvāsānilāpāstaṁ yāti dikṣūdavāsatām

The sandalwood paste smeared by the hands of the Naga-wives, wafted again and again by the breath of his sighs, becomes the fragrance pervading the directions.

Verse 26 (vishnu.2.5.26)

यम् आराध्य पुराणर्षिर् गर्गो ज्योतींषि तत्त्वतः । ज्ञातवान् सकलं चैव निमित्तपठितं फलम्

yam ārādhya purāṇarṣir gargo jyotīṁṣi tattvataḥ jñātavān sakalaṁ caiva nimittapaṭhitaṁ phalam

Having worshipped whom, the ancient sage Garga came to know the heavenly bodies truly, and the entire fruit declared by astrological portents.

Verse 27 (vishnu.2.5.27)

तेनेयं नागवर्येण शिरसा विधृता मही । बिभर्ति मालां लोकानां सदेवासुरमानुषाम्

teneyaṁ nāgavaryeṇa śirasā vidhṛtā mahī bibharti mālāṁ lokānāṁ sadevāsuramānuṣām

By that finest of Nagas, this earth is upheld upon his head; he bears, like a garland, the worlds together with their gods, asuras, and men.