Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 16
Rāhu, Eclipses, Antarikṣa, and the Seven Subterranean Heavens
Bila-svarga
Devanagari script
अथातले मयपुत्रोऽसुरो बलो निवसति येन ह वा इह सृष्टा: षण्णवतिर्माया: काश्चनाद्यापि मायाविनो धारयन्ति यस्य च जृम्भमाणस्य मुखतस्त्रय: स्त्रीगणा उदपद्यन्त स्वैरिण्य: कामिन्य: पुंश्चल्य इति या वै बिलायनं प्रविष्टं पुरुषं रसेन हाटकाख्येन साधयित्वा स्वविलासावलोकनानुरागस्मितसंलापोपगूहनादिभि: स्वैरं किल रमयन्ति यस्मिन्नुपयुक्ते पुरुष ईश्वरोऽहं सिद्धोऽहमित्ययुतमहागजबलमात्मानमभिमन्यमान: कत्थते मदान्ध इव ॥ १६ ॥
Transliteration
athātale maya-putro ’suro balo nivasati yena ha vā iha sṛṣṭāḥ ṣaṇ-ṇavatir māyāḥ kāścanādyāpi māyāvino dhārayanti yasya ca jṛmbhamāṇasya mukhatas trayaḥ strī-gaṇā udapadyanta svairiṇyaḥ kāminyaḥ puṁścalya iti yā vai bilāyanaṁ praviṣṭaṁ puruṣaṁ rasena hāṭakākhyena sādhayitvā sva-vilāsāvalokanānurāga-smita-saṁlāpopagūhanādibhiḥ svairaṁ kila ramayanti yasminn upayukte puruṣa īśvaro ’haṁ siddho ’ham ity ayuta-mahā-gaja-balam ātmānam abhimanyamānaḥ katthate madāndha iva.
Translation
王よ、今よりアタラ界を説こう。そこにはマヤ・ダーナヴァの子である阿修羅バラが住み、九十六種の幻力を作り出した。今日でも、いわゆるヨーギーやスワーミーの中には、それを利用して人々を欺く者がいる。バラがあくびをするだけで、その口から三種の女が生まれた—スヴァイリニー、カーミニー、プンシュチャリーである。スヴァイリニーは自分の集団の男と結婚し、カーミニーはどの集団の男でも受け入れ、プンシュチャリーは次々に夫を替える。男がアタラに入ると、彼女たちは直ちに捕らえ、「ハータカ」と呼ばれる薬から作った酩酊の飲み物を飲ませ、男の情欲の力を増大させる。さらに、艶やかな眼差し、親密な言葉、愛の微笑み、抱擁などで彼を惑わし、彼女たちが満足するまで交わらせる。力が増した酔いの中で、男は自分を一万頭の象に匹敵する強者と思い、「我こそ神、我こそ成就者」と豪語し、迫り来る死を顧みない。
Synonyms
athanow/then
atha:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootatha (अव्यय)
FormDiscourse particle (निपात) ‘now/then’
atalein Atala
atale:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootatala (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); name of a netherworld
maya-putraḥMaya’s son
maya-putraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmaya (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘son of Maya’
asuraḥthe demon
asuraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootasura (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to maya-putraḥ
balaḥBala
balaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbala (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); proper name ‘Bala’
nivasatidwells
nivasati:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootni√vas (धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
yenaby whom
yena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun ‘by whom’
haindeed (narrative)
ha:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootha (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात) narrative emphasis
vāindeed/also
vā:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात)
ihahere
iha:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiha (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय) ‘here’
sṛṣṭāḥcreated
sṛṣṭāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Root√sṛj (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त/भूतकृदन्त), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन), Feminine agreeing with māyāḥ
ṣaṭ-ṇavatiḥninety-six
ṣaṭ-ṇavatiḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeNoun
Rootṣaṭ (संख्या) + navati (संख्या)
FormFeminine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); dvigu numeral compound meaning ‘ninety-six’
māyāḥillusory arts/magical powers
māyāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmāyā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)
kāścanasome
kāścana:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeNoun
Rootkā (प्रातिपदिक) + cana (अव्यय)
FormFeminine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); indefinite pronoun ‘some’ (काः + चन)
adya-apieven today/still
adya-api:
Kāla (काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootadya (अव्यय) + api (अव्यय)
FormAdverbial combination ‘even today/still now’
māyāvinaḥmagicians/illusionists
māyāvinaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmāyāvin (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)
dhārayantimaintain/hold (practice)
dhārayanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√dhṛ (धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
yasyaof whom
yasya:
Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय)
jṛmbhamāṇasyaof (him) as he yawns/gapes
jṛmbhamāṇasya:
Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
TypeVerb
Rootjṛmbh (धातु)
FormPresent middle participle (शानच्/वर्तमान-कृदन्त), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine/Neuter; ‘of (him) while yawning/gaping’
mukhataḥfrom the mouth
mukhataḥ:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial ablative ‘from the mouth’
trayaḥthree
trayaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roottri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral qualifying strī-gaṇāḥ
strī-gaṇāḥgroups of women
strī-gaṇāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootstrī (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष ‘groups of women’
udapadyantaarose/came forth
udapadyanta:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootud√pad (धातु)
FormImperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)
svairiṇyaḥwanton/free women
svairiṇyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsvairiṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); appositional descriptor of strī-gaṇāḥ
kāminyaḥlustful women
kāminyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkāminī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)
puṁścalyaḥpromiscuous women
puṁścalyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpuṁścalī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)
itinamely
iti:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
FormQuotative/enumerative particle (इति-निपात)
yāḥwho (those women)
yāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); relative pronoun referring to those women
vaiindeed
vai:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvai (अव्यय)
FormEmphatic particle (निपात) ‘indeed’
bilāyanama cave/den
bilāyanam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootbilāyana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
praviṣṭamhaving entered
praviṣṭam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootpra√viś (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine agreeing with puruṣam
puruṣama man
puruṣam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
rasenawith a liquid/essence
rasena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootrasa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)
hāṭaka-ākhyenacalled hāṭaka
hāṭaka-ākhyena:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roothāṭaka (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष ‘named hāṭaka (gold-like)’ qualifying rasena
sādhayitvāhaving produced/caused
sādhayitvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√sādh (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/gerund (क्त्वा) ‘having effected/produced’
sva-vilāsa-avalokana-anurāga-smita-saṁlāpa-upagūhana-ādibhiḥwith their play, glances, affection, smiles, talk, embraces, etc.
sva-vilāsa-avalokana-anurāga-smita-saṁlāpa-upagūhana-ādibhiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootsva (प्रातिपदिक) + vilāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + avalokana (प्रातिपदिक) + anurāga (प्रातिपदिक) + smita (प्रातिपदिक) + saṁlāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + upagūhana (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter/Instrumental plural (तृतीया/3, बहुवचन); samāhāra-dvandva list ‘with their play, glances, affection, smiles, talk, embraces, etc.’
svairamfreely
svairam:
Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsvaira (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘at will/freely’ (स्वैरम्)
kilaindeed/it is said
kila:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkila (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात) reportative/emphatic ‘it is said/indeed’
ramayantithey delight/entertain
ramayanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√ram (धातु)
FormCausative present (णिजन्त, लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
yasminin whom/when
yasmin:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); relative ‘in whom/when’
upayuktewhen engaged/when used (in enjoyment)
upayukte:
Adhikaraṇa (सप्तमी-absolute/अधिकरण)
TypeVerb
Rootupa√yuj (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); locative absolute sense ‘when (he) is engaged/used (in pleasure)’
puruṣaḥthe man
puruṣaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
īśvaraḥa lord/master
īśvaraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootīśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate nominative
ahamI
aham:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
siddhaḥaccomplished/perfected
siddhaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsiddha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective
ahamI
aham:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
itithinking/saying thus
iti:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
FormQuotative particle (इति) closing the thought
ayuta-mahā-gaja-balamthe strength of ten thousand great elephants
ayuta-mahā-gaja-balam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootayuta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + gaja (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); numeral-determinative compound ‘strength of ten-thousand great elephants’ used as object of abhimanyamānaḥ (considering)
ātmānamhimself
ātmānam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
abhimanyamānaḥthinking/priding himself
abhimanyamānaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootabhi√man (धातु)
FormPresent middle participle (शानच्), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine; ‘considering/priding himself’
katthateboasts/brags
katthate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√katth (धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)
mada-andhaḥblinded by pride
mada-andhaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootmada (प्रातिपदिक) + andha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष ‘blinded by intoxication/pride’ qualifying (implicit) he
ivalike
iva:
Sambandha (उपमा)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiva (अव्यय)
FormSimile particle (उपमा-निपात) ‘like/as’
Characters & Entities
B
BalaM
MayaS
SvairiṇīK
KāminīP
PuṁścalīFAQs
Bhagavatam 5.24.16 describes Atala as a subterranean realm ruled by the asura Bala, where powerful māyā (mystic illusion) and sensual enchantment bewilder men into pride and delusion.
He highlights how lust and intoxication operate as māyā—capturing the mind through attraction and leading the conditioned soul to false confidence, thinking “I am lord” and “I am perfected.”
It warns that intoxication, glamour, and ego-boosting pleasures can create a false sense of power; a seeker should cultivate self-control, humility, and devotion to remain clear-minded and spiritually grounded.