The Subterranean Heavenly Planets

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Canto 5: The Creative ImpetusChapter 24: The Subterranean Heavenly Planets

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam

 

SB 5.24 Summary

 

SB 5.24.1: Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King, some historians, the

speakers of the Puranas, say that 10,000 yojanas [80,000 miles] below the sun is

the planet known as Rahu, which moves like one of the stars. The presiding deity

of that planet, who is the son of Simhika, is the most abominable of all asuras,

but although he is completely unfit to assume the position of a demigod or

planetary deity, he has achieved that position by the grace of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. Later I shall speak further about him.

 

SB 5.24.2: The sun globe, which is a source of heat, extends for 10,000 yojanas

[80,000 miles]. The moon extends for 20,000 yojanas [160,000 miles], and Rahu

extends for 30,000 yojanas [240,000 miles]. Formerly, when nectar was being

distributed, Rahu tried to create dissension between the sun and moon by

interposing himself between them. Rahu is inimical toward both the sun and the

moon, and therefore he always tries to cover the sunshine and moonshine on the

dark-moon day and full-moon night.

 

SB 5.24.3: After hearing from the sun and moon demigods about Rahu's attack, the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, engages His disc, known as the Sudarsana

cakra, to protect them. The Sudarsana cakra is the Lord's most beloved devotee

and is favored by the Lord. The intense heat of its effulgence, meant for

killing non-Vaisnavas, is unbearable to Rahu, and he therefore flees in fear of

it. During the time Rahu disturbs the sun or moon, there occurs what people

commonly know as an eclipse.

 

SB 5.24.4: Below Rahu by 10,000 yojanas [80,000 miles] are the planets known as

Siddhaloka, Caranaloka and Vidyadhara-loka.

 

SB 5.24.5: Beneath Vidyadhara-loka, Caranaloka and Siddhaloka, in the sky called

antariksa, are the places of enjoyment for the Yaksas, Raksasas, Pisacas, ghosts

and so on. Antariksa extends as far as the wind blows and the clouds float in

the sky. Above this there is no more air.

 

SB 5.24.6: Below the abodes of the Yaksas and Raksasas by a distance of 100

yojanas [800 miles] is the planet earth. Its upper limits extend as high as

swans, hawks, eagles and similar large birds can fly.

 

SB 5.24.7: My dear King, beneath this earth are seven other planets, known as

Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talatala, Mahatala, Rasatala and Patala. I have already

explained the situation of the planetary systems of earth. The width and length

of the seven lower planetary systems are calculated to be exactly the same as

those of earth.

 

SB 5.24.8: In these seven planetary systems, which are also known as the

subterranean heavens [bila-svarga], there are very beautiful houses, gardens and

places of sense enjoyment, which are even more opulent than those in the higher

planets because the demons have a very high standard of sensual pleasure, wealth

and influence. Most of the residents of these planets, who are known as Daityas,

Danavas and Nagas, live as householders. Their wives, children, friends and

society are all fully engaged in illusory, material happiness. The sense

enjoyment of the demigods is sometimes disturbed, but the residents of these

planets enjoy life without disturbances. Thus they are understood to be very

attached to illusory happiness.

 

SB 5.24.9: My dear King, in the imitation heavens known as bila-svarga there is

a great demon named Maya Danava, who is an expert artist and architect. He has

constructed many brilliantly decorated cities. There are many wonderful houses,

walls, gates, assembly houses, temples, yards and temple compounds, as well as

many hotels serving as residential quarters for foreigners. The houses for the

leaders of these planets are constructed with the most valuable jewels, and they

are always crowded with living entities known as Nagas and Asuras, as well as

many pigeons, parrots and similar birds. All in all, these imitation heavenly

cities are most beautifully situated and attractively decorated.

 

SB 5.24.10: The parks and gardens in the artificial heavens surpass in beauty

those of the upper heavenly planets. The trees in those gardens, embraced by

creepers, bend with a heavy burden of twigs with fruits and flowers, and

therefore they appear extraordinarily beautiful. That beauty could attract

anyone and make his mind fully blossom in the pleasure of sense gratification.

There are many lakes and reservoirs with clear, transparent water, agitated by

jumping fish and decorated with many flowers such as lilies, kuvalayas, kahlaras

and blue and red lotuses. Pairs of cakravakas and many other water birds nest in

the lakes and always enjoy in a happy mood, making sweet, pleasing vibrations

that are very satisfying and conducive to enjoyment of the senses.

 

SB 5.24.11: Since there is no sunshine in those subterranean planets, time is

not divided into days and nights, and consequently fear produced by time does

not exist.

 

SB 5.24.12: Many great serpents reside there with gems on their hoods, and the

effulgence of these gems dissipates the darkness in all directions.

 

SB 5.24.13: Since the residents of these planets drink and bathe in juices and

elixirs made from wonderful herbs, they are freed from all anxieties and

physical diseases. They have no experience of grey hair, wrinkles or invalidity,

their bodily lusters do not fade, their perspiration does not cause a bad smell,

and they are not troubled by fatigue or by lack of energy or enthusiasm due to

old age.

 

SB 5.24.14: They live very auspiciously and do not fear death from anything but

death's established time, which is the effulgence of the Sudarsana cakra of the

Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

SB 5.24.15: When the Sudarsana disc enters those provinces, the pregnant wives

of the demons all have miscarriages due to fear of its effulgence.

 

SB 5.24.16: My dear King, now I shall describe to you the lower planetary

systems, one by one, beginning from Atala. In Atala there is a demon, the son of

Maya Danava named Bala, who created ninety-six kinds of mystic power. Some

so-called yogis and svamis take advantage of this mystic power to cheat people

even today. Simply by yawning, the demon Bala created three kinds of women,

known as svairini, kamini and pumscali. The svairinis like to marry men from

their own group, the kaminis marry men from any group, and the pumscalis change

husbands one after another. If a man enters the planet of Atala, these women

immediately capture him and induce him to drink an intoxicating beverage made

with a drug known as hataka [cannabis indica]. This intoxicant endows the man

with great sexual prowess, of which the women take advantage for enjoyment. A

woman will enchant him with attractive glances, intimate words, smiles of love

and then embraces. In this way she induces him to enjoy sex with

her to her full satisfaction. Because of his increased sexual power, the man

thinks himself stronger than ten thousand elephants and considers himself most

perfect. Indeed, illusioned and intoxicated by false pride, he thinks himself

God, ignoring impending death.

 

SB 5.24.17: The next planet below Atala is Vitala, wherein Lord Siva, who is

known as the master of gold mines, lives with his personal associates, the

ghosts and similar living entities. Lord Siva, as the progenitor, engages in sex

with Bhavani, the progenitress, to produce living entities, and from the mixture

of their vital fluid the river named Hataki is generated. When fire, being made

to blaze by the wind, drinks of this river and then sizzles and spits it out, it

produces gold called Hataka. The demons who live on that planet with their wives

decorate themselves with various ornaments made from that gold, and thus they

live there very happily.

 

SB 5.24.18: Below the planet Vitala is another planet, known as Sutala, where

the great son of Maharaja Virocana, Bali Maharaja, who is celebrated as the most

pious king, resides even now. For the welfare of Indra, the King of heaven, Lord

Visnu appeared in the form of a dwarf brahmacari as the son of Aditi and tricked

Bali Maharaja by begging for only three paces of land but taking all the three

worlds. Being very pleased with Bali Maharaja for giving all his possessions,

the Lord returned his kingdom and made him richer than the opulent King Indra.

Even now, Bali Maharaja engages in devotional service by worshiping the Supreme

Personality of Godhead in the planet of Sutala.

 

SB 5.24.19: My dear King, Bali Maharaja donated all his possessions to the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vamanadeva, but one should certainly not

conclude that he achieved his great worldly opulence in bila-svarga as a result

of his charitable disposition. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the

source of life for all living entities, lives within everyone as the friendly

Supersoul, and under His direction a living entity enjoys or suffers in the

material world. Greatly appreciating the transcendental qualities of the Lord,

Bali Maharaja offered everything at His lotus feet. His purpose, however, was

not to gain anything material, but to become a pure devotee. For a pure devotee,

the door of liberation is automatically opened. One should not think that Bali

Maharaja was given so much material opulence merely because of his charity. When

one becomes a pure devotee in love, he may also be blessed with a good material

position by the will of the Supreme Lord. However, one

should not mistakenly think that the material opulence of a devotee is the

result of his devotional service. The real result of devotional service is the

awakening of pure love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which continues

under all circumstances.

 

SB 5.24.20: If one who is embarrassed by hunger or who falls down or stumbles

chants the holy name of the Lord even once, willingly or unwillingly, he is

immediately freed from the reactions of his past deeds. Karmis entangled in

material activities face many difficulties in the practice of mystic yoga and

other endeavors to achieve that same freedom.

 

SB 5.24.21: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in everyone's

heart as the Supersoul, sells Himself to His devotees such as Narada Muni. In

other words, the Lord gives pure love to such devotees and gives Himself to

those who love Him purely. Great, self-realized mystic yogis such as the four

Kumaras also derive great transcendental bliss from realizing the Supersoul

within themselves.

 

SB 5.24.22: The Supreme Personality of Godhead did not award His mercy to Bali

Maharaja by giving him material happiness and opulence, for these make one

forget loving service to the Lord. The result of material opulence is that one

can no longer absorb his mind in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

SB 5.24.23: When the Supreme Personality of Godhead could see no other means of

taking everything away from Bali Maharaja, He adopted the trick of begging from

him and took away all the three worlds. Thus only his body was left, but the

Lord was still not satisfied. He arrested Bali Maharaja, bound him with the

ropes of Varuna and threw him in a cave in a mountain. Nevertheless, although

all his property was taken and he was thrown into a cave, Bali Maharaja was such

a great devotee that he spoke as follows.

 

SB 5.24.24: Alas, how pitiable it is for Indra, the King of heaven, that

although he is very learned and powerful and although he chose Brhaspati as his

prime minister to instruct him, he is completely ignorant concerning spiritual

advancement. Brhaspati is also unintelligent because he did not properly

instruct his disciple Indra. Lord Vamanadeva was standing at Indra's door, but

King Indra, instead of begging Him for an opportunity to render transcendental

loving service, engaged Him in asking me for alms to gain the three worlds for

his sense gratification. Sovereignty over the three worlds is very insignificant

because whatever material opulence one may possess lasts only for an age of

Manu, which is but a tiny fraction of endless time.

 

SB 5.24.25: Bali Maharaja said: My grandfather Prahlada Maharaja is the only

person who understood his own self-interest. Upon the death of Prahlada's

father, Hiranyakasipu, Lord Nrsimhadeva wanted to offer Prahlada his father's

kingdom and even wanted to grant him liberation from material bondage, but

Prahlada accepted neither. Liberation and material opulence, he thought, are

obstacles to devotional service, and therefore such gifts from the Supreme

Personality of Godhead are not His actual mercy. Consequently, instead of

accepting the results of karma and jnana, Prahlada Maharaja simply begged the

Lord for engagement in the service of His servant.

 

SB 5.24.26: Bali Maharaja said: Persons like us, who are still attached to

material enjoyment, who are contaminated by the modes of material nature and who

lack the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, cannot follow the supreme

path of Prahlada Maharaja, the exalted devotee of the Lord.

 

SB 5.24.27: Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, how shall I glorify the

character of Bali Maharaja? The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of

the three worlds, who is most compassionate to His own devotee, stands with club

in hand at Bali Maharaja's door. When Ravana, the powerful demon, came to gain

victory over Bali Maharaja, Vamanadeva kicked him a distance of eighty thousand

miles with His big toe. I shall explain the character and activities of Bali

Maharaja later [in the Eighth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam].

 

SB 5.24.28: Beneath the planet known as Sutala is another planet, called

Talatala, which is ruled by the Danava demon named Maya. Maya is known as the

acarya [master] of all the mayavis, who can invoke the powers of sorcery. For

the benefit of the three worlds, Lord Siva, who is known as Tripurari, once set

fire to the three kingdoms of Maya, but later, being pleased with him, he

returned his kingdom. Since that time, Maya Danava has been protected by Lord

Siva, and therefore he falsely thinks that he need not fear the Sudarsana cakra

of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

SB 5.24.29: The planetary system below Talatala is known as Mahatala. It is the

abode of many-hooded snakes, descendants of Kadru, who are always very angry.

The great snakes who are prominent are Kuhaka, Taksaka, Kaliya and Susena. The

snakes in Mahatala are always disturbed by fear of Garuda, the carrier of Lord

Visnu, but although they are full of anxiety, some of them nevertheless sport

with their wives, children, friends and relatives.

 

SB 5.24.30: Beneath Mahatala is the planetary system known as Rasatala, which is

the abode of the demoniac sons of Diti and Danu. They are called Panis,

Nivata-kavacas, Kaleyas and Hiranya-puravasis [those living in Hiranya-pura].

They are all enemies of the demigods, and they reside in holes like snakes. From

birth they are extremely powerful and cruel, and although they are proud of

their strength, they are always defeated by the Sudarsana cakra of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, who rules all the planetary systems. When a female

messenger from Indra named Sarama chants a particular curse, the serpentine

demons of Mahatala become very afraid of Indra.

 

SB 5.24.31: Beneath Rasatala is another planetary system, known as Patala or

Nagaloka, where there are many demoniac serpents, the masters of Nagaloka, such

as Sankha, Kulika, Mahasankha, Sveta, Dhananjaya, Dhrtarastra, Sankhacuda,

Kambala, Asvatara and Devadatta. The chief among them is Vasuki. They are all

extremely angry, and they have many, many hoods -- some snakes five hoods, some

seven, some ten, others a hundred and others a thousand. These hoods are

bedecked with valuable gems, and the light emanating from the gems illuminates

the entire planetary system of bila-svarga.

 

Copyright © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the

International Society for Krishna Consciousness

 

 

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