The Subterranean Heavenly Planets

In the Twenty-fourth Chapter, the places of Rāhu, the Siddhas and others, as well as the seven lower planets starting with Atala are described. A-tat-arhaḥ means he was not qualified to be devatā.

Parvaṇi means the full moon and dark moon. On these days it creates an obstacle to the full moon and dark moon for those looking from the earth. It created an obstacle previously by coming between the sun and moon to drink nectar. He created enmity with them when they understood what he was doing.

Ubhayatra means “to the sun and moon.” Seeing (verb is omitted) the cakra rotating, situated in front of it, he then fled. They say that is situation is an eclipse. Because of either precise or imprecise alignment, there are full and partial eclipses. Rāhu does not actually devour the sun or moon, since he is situated 10,000 yojanas away from the sun.

This verse describes upper limit of Bhūrloka above the earth plane. Swans and other birds are transformations of earth.

Below the earth, in different parts, are the seven lower planets. Bhū-vivaraḥ means “in hollow cavities of the earth.” It refers to Atala and the other planets. Antaram means a space or limit according to Amara-koṣa. Thus from the earth, to a limit of 10,000 yojanas Atala extends. From Atala, Vitala extends another 10,000 yojanas. Their length and breath are also 10,000 yojanas. The heights of the places are as much as possible (within 10,000 yojanas).

This verse gives a general description of those places. Bhūtiḥ means influence. Vibhūtiḥ means wealth. They have more pleasure than Indra (īśvarāt).

In these lower planets there are cities, decorated with the fine houses of the leaders, which have houses, walls etc. made of the best jewels, and with artificial land areas crowded with couples of pigeons, demons and Nāgas. Instead of nāgāsura, nānāsvah is found. Then it means “with couples of pigeons making sounds.”

The gardens, surpassing the beauty of heaven, shine with the beauty of trees having attractive branches bent down with flowers, giving pleasure to the senses and mind, and with pleasure for the senses causes by the sweet cries of groups of playing birds which have made their nests in forests of lotuses whose water is disturbed by jumping fish, and frequented by couples of birds. Lohita (red) and śata-patra (having a hundred petals) are two different water plants.

The inhabitants do not have anxiety or sickness from food or drink because of consuming the juice of divine herbs and elixirs. They do not experience various effect of age. First, they do not have wrinkles or grey hair or old age. Second, they do not experience change of bodily complexion, bad odor, and perspiration. Finally they do not experience fatigue (klama) or lack of pleasure (glāniḥ).

If the child is lost up to the fourth month after pregnancy it is called garbha-srāva and if the child is lost in the fifth or sixth month it is called garbha-pāta.

Those women who enjoy in their own caste are called svariṇī. Those who enjoy outside their caste are called kāminī. Those who are very fickle in enjoying are called puṁścalī. Bilāyanam means their houses which are like holes. They make him fit for sex enjoyment by the beverage. When he drinks that beverage (yasmin upayukte), he feels as strong as ten thousand elephants.

That gold is heated by Vāyu and hardened (pibati) by Agni. This gold is spit out (niṣṭhyūtam) by Agni, taken from the fire. Or, it has been given up by Śiva and Bhavāṇī. The men wear that gold along with their jewel ornaments with great admiration.

Bali has much fame (udāra-śravāḥ) and verses of praise (puṇya-ślokaḥ). He was reinstated on Sutala-loka.

Some people will think that Bali attained his position on Sutala as a result of giving land to Vāmana. This verse negates that idea. The wealth in his abode in Sutala is not the real result (sākṣātkāraḥ) of giving land to the Lord. His giving land is famous. Bhūmi means the three worlds. It is stated in the scriptures that just by giving a small portion of land to a brāhmaṇa learned in the Vedas one can attain the enjoyment of Svarga. Thus it is impossible that he attained only enjoyment of wealth on Sutala as a result of giving the three worlds to the Supreme Lord. He should get liberation from the world. And the incidental enjoyment on Sutala should be greater that the enjoyment on Svarga. He gave land to Lord Vāsudeva, who acts as the life of beings (jīva-bhūta-ātma-bhūte), antaryāmī. But he is the supreme ātmā (paramātmane), being the aṁśī or source of all the antaryāmīs. Viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam ekāṁśena sthito jagat: by one portion of myself I am situated in this universe. (BG 10.42) Being fit as the supreme (upapanne), he is also the supreme pure (tiṛthatmane). If giving a leaf or flower gives liberation, how much more will giving the three worlds yield (apavarga-dvārasya)? Thus merely attaining Sutala is not the result of his giving the three worlds.

What to speaking of offering the three worlds, or even offering a leaf or flower with devotion! Even nāmābhasa destroys the bondage of karma, which cannot be removed by pious acts. It is not easy to destroy the bondage of karma. Those desiring liberation—not those who piously give land--accept many means to destroy the bondage of karma by other means. They accept difficulties in aṣṭāḍga-yoga and sāḍkhya to destroy bondage.

This is not the result of giving land to the Supreme Lord, the soul of all beings. The Lord gives himself (ātma-de), being controlled by the devotees like Nārada. He is the form of Paramātmā (ātmatame)2 for the realizers of ātmā like the Kumāras. How can the Lord who gives premānanda and brahmānanda give material pleasure to his devotee? In exchange for the land, the Lord gave Bali the bliss of prema, which brings him under control, since the Lord became the door keeper of Bali on Sutala.

Actually material enjoyment is an obstacle for the devotees practicing pure bhakti, not his mercy. Because he gave material enjoyment to Indra, it may be inferred that Indra was not practicing pure bhakti. The Lord did not show mercy to Indra (amuṣya).

vāsudeve mano yasya japa-homārcanādiṣu

tasyāntarāyo maitreya devendratvādikaṁ phalam

O Maitreya! Receiving results such as becoming a devatā are an obstacle for those whose minds are absorbed in Vāsudeva through japa, sacrifice and worship. Viṣṇu Purāṇa 2.6.43

Actually the Lord was not merciful to Indra, but was merciful to Bali, a pure devotee.

The pure bhakti of Bali and receiving the Lord’s mercy are made clear by Bali’s own statement. Because (yat) the Lord used a trick and locked Bali in the cave, Bali spoke as follows. Because the Lord, on the pretext of begging, since he found no other means, stole the three worlds from him leaving him only his body, and bound him up (sampratimuktaḥ) and threw him a cave, he said this. Amara-koṣa says āmuktaḥ, pratimukta, pinnadha and āpinaddha mean “bound up.”

Indra, whose minister is Bṛhaspati, though very learned, is not fixed in the goal of human life, because Bṛhaspati did not teach him properly. This is indicated by Indra asking for the three worlds from me by sending Upendra standing at his door. He thus gave up Upendra. Why did he not ask for Upendra? If he did, what wouldn’t the Lord give him? Why did he not ask for the Lord? He asked for material blessings, like a person completely blinded by illusion. Or why did he not send (apahāya) Bṛhaspati to ask me for the land? If Bṛhaspati had asked, would I not have given that brāhmaṇa the three worlds? Why did he ask the Lord to get him back his land? Material desires are all insignificant. What is the value of the three worlds which changes every Manvantara because of the great speed of time?

In this world Prahlāda alone was fixed in the supreme goal. When his father was killed (uparate) he did not accept the kingdom.

“But you are like Prahlāda.” With modesty and humility, he answers.

Tasya refers to Bali.

Mahīyate means “is worshipped.”

The snakes have many hoods. They are described. Puruṣa-vāhāt means “from the carrier of the Lord.”

These are all different types of demons. They are enemies (pratyanīkāḥ) of Indra. They become frightened by the words of a mantra recited by a messenger of Indra. There is a Vedic story about this. The Paṇis desired compromise with the dog send by Indra named Saramā, who was looking for a cow hidden by those demons. They said “O Saramā what do you want?” Not wanting peace, the dog spoke roughly to them while praising Indra. “O Paṇis! You will be killed by Indra. Flee!” Hearing these words, they became afraid.

Mahā-bhoginaḥ means “having many hoods.”

Thus ends the commentary on the Twenty-fourth Chapter of the Fifth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.