Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 7
Rāhu, Eclipses, Antarikṣa, and the Seven Subterranean Heavens
Bila-svarga
उपवर्णितं भूमेर्यथासन्निवेशावस्थानमवनेरप्यधस्तात् सप्त भूविवरा एकैकशो योजनायुतान्तरेणायामविस्तारेणोपक्लृप्ता अतलं वितलं सुतलं तलातलं महातलं रसातलं पातालमिति ॥ ७ ॥
upavarṇitaṁ bhūmer yathā-sanniveśāvasthānam avaner apy adhastāt sapta bhū-vivarā ekaikaśo yojanāyutāntareṇāyāma-vistāreṇopakḷptā atalaṁ vitalaṁ sutalaṁ talātalaṁ mahātalaṁ rasātalaṁ pātālam iti.
Wahai Raja, di bawah bumi ini terdapat tujuh alam bawah yang dinamakan Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talātala, Mahātala, Rasātala dan Pātāla. Kedudukan sistem bumi telah aku jelaskan; panjang dan lebar tujuh alam bawah itu sama tepat seperti bumi, dan masing-masing terletak berjarak sepuluh ribu yojana.
FAQs
This verse states that below the earth are seven subterranean regions—Atala through Pātāla—each vast in extent and separated by ten thousand yojanas.
Śukadeva is systematically describing the structure of the universe in the Fifth Canto, and this verse transitions from the earth’s arrangement to the seven regions beneath it.
It cultivates humility and God-centered perspective—reminding a seeker that the cosmos is vast and ordered, and that human life is meant for inquiry into the Supreme rather than mere material preoccupation.