Chapter 45 - Description of Nether Worlds (pātāla-varṇana)

The sages said:

1. O Sūta, everything pertaining to Lord Śiva has been clearly stated. It behoves you to narrate the form of the lord as the soul of all.

Sūta said:

2-3. Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ, Mahaḥ, Jana, Tapas, Satya, Pātāla, the crores of hellish seas, stars, planets, the sun, the moon, the polar star, the seven sages (Great Bear) and those going about in aerial chariots—all these abide by his grace.

4. All these are created by him. O excellent brahmins, they have him as their soul. Śiva is always stationed in the form of samaṣṭi (the collective whole). He is the soul of all.

5. Those who are confounded, those who are deluded by his Māyā do not know the great lord Maheśvara the noble soul, the Ātman of all.

6. Indeed the three worlds constitute his body. Hence after bowing to him I shall recount the splendid detail of the worlds.

7. Formerly, I had mentioned to you about the shape and features of the Cosmic Egg. I shall now describe the features of the worlds in the cosmic Egg.

8. The Earth, the firmament, Svaḥ, Mahaḥ, Jana, Tapas and Satya—these seven are the splendid worlds originating from the Cosmic Egg.

9. O brahmins, beneath these are the seven worlds beginning with Mahātala. Beneath them are the hells one by one.

10. Mahātala has the golden ground surface, which is rendered splendid by jewels, mansions and shrines dedicated to lord Śiva.

11. It is occupied by Ananta, Mucukunda and king Bali who is the resident of Pātāla and Svarga.

12. O brāhmins, Rasātala is rocky, Talātala is full of gravels, Sutala is yellow and Vitala has the lustre of coral.

13-15. Atala is white. Tala is black. O men of good holy rites, the extent of all the Talas below is as much as that of the earth, viz., 1000 yojanas each. The sky above each Tala extends to ten thousand yojanas. The magnitude of all the seven along with the clouds is seven thousand lakhs of yojanas. The root (i.e. the space below the last world Pātāla) is thirty thousand yojanas.

16. O excellent sages, the splendid Rasātala is frequented by Suvarṇa, Vāsuki and by others as well.

17. What is famous as Talātala is endowed with all splendours and is frequented by Virocana, Hiraṇyākṣa, Naraka and others.

18. Sutala is occupied by Vaināyaka and others, by Pūrvadevas (demons) with Kālanemi at the head and by others too.

19. Vitala is occupied by Dānavas and others beginning with Tārakāgni, serpents Mahāntaka and others and by the Asura Prahlāda.

20. Atala is occupied by Kambalāśva, by the heroic Mahākumbha and the intelligent Hayagrīva.

21. Tala (i.e. Mahātala) is rendered splendid and occupied by Śaṅkukarṇa and other heroes beginning with Namuci.

22-23. In all these nether worlds the great lord is present along with Umā, Skanda, Nandin and all the chieftains of Gaṇas. O excellent ones, above all these seven Talas are the earth and other worlds. The earth too is of seven divisions about which I shall tell you now.