Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 5

Rāhu, Eclipses, Antarikṣa, and the Seven Subterranean Heavens

Bila-svarga

Devanagari script

ततोऽधस्ताद्यक्षरक्ष: पिशाचप्रेतभूतगणानां विहाराजिरमन्तरिक्षं यावद्वायु: प्रवाति यावन्मेघा उपलभ्यन्ते ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

tato ’dhastād yakṣa-rakṣaḥ-piśāca-preta-bhūta-gaṇānāṁ vihārājiram antarikṣaṁ yāvad vāyuḥ pravāti yāvan meghā upalabhyante.

Translation

સિદ્ધ, ચારણ અને વિદ્યાધર લોકોની નીચે ‘અંતરિક્ષ’ નામના આકાશમાં યક્ષ, રાક્ષસ, પિશાચ, પ્રેત અને ભૂતગણોના વિહાર-સ્થાનો છે. જ્યાં સુધી પવન વહે છે અને જ્યાં સુધી વાદળો દેખાય છે ત્યાં સુધી અંતરિક્ષ વિસ્તરે છે; તેના ઉપર હવા નથી.

Synonyms

• tataḥ: below that/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb

• adhastāt: beneath
• adhastāt: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhastāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of place

• yakṣa-rakṣaḥ-piśāca-preta-bhūta-gaṇānām: of the groups of yakṣas, rākṣasas, piśācas, pretas, and bhūtas
• yakṣa-rakṣaḥ-piśāca-preta-bhūta-gaṇānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yakṣa + rakṣas + piśāca + preta + bhūta + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Plural; chain-compound ending in gaṇa ‘groups of …’; overall ‘of the groups of Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Piśācas, Pretas, and Bhūtas’

• vihāra-ajiram: roaming-ground
• vihāra-ajiram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vihāra + ajira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘courtyard/ground for roaming’

• antarikṣam: the mid-space/atmosphere
• antarikṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antarikṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular

• yāvat: as far as
• yāvat: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; correlative ‘as far as/so long as’

• vāyuḥ: wind
• vāyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• pravāti: blows
• pravāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

• yāvat: as far as
• yāvat: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; correlative ‘as long as/as far as’

• meghāḥ: clouds
• meghāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: megha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural

• upalabhyante: are perceived/are found
• upalabhyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√labh (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Ātmanepada, 3rd Person, Plural; passive-like sense ‘are found/are perceived’

Characters & Entities

• Yakṣas
• Rākṣasas
• Piśācas
• Pretas
• Bhūtas

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the antariksha (mid-sky) region?

This verse describes antarikṣa as the atmospheric expanse extending as far as wind blows and clouds are visible, and as a roaming region for Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, and ghostly beings like Pretas and Bhūtas.

Who is describing these cosmic regions in Canto 5 Chapter 24?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating the structure of the cosmos and the lower regions to Mahārāja Parīkṣit.

Practical application: what is the takeaway from hearing about Yakshas, Pretas, and Bhutas in the Bhagavatam?

The verse reminds a seeker that the universe contains many grades of beings and realms; hearing this in devotion fosters humility, sobriety, and a focus on bhakti as the safe path beyond fear and confusion.