ततोऽधस्तास्तुविख्यातं महातलमिति स्फुटम् । सर्पाणां काद्रवेयाणां गणः क्रोधवशो महान्
Below that is the well-known Mahātala, clearly named, where the great host of serpents, the Kādraveyas, reside, driven by wrath.
अनेकशिरसां विप्र प्रधानान्कीर्तयामि ते । कुहकस्तक्षकश्चैव सुषेणः कालियस्तथा
O sage, I will recount to you the chief among the many-headed ones: Kuhaka, Takṣaka, Suṣeṇa, and also Kāliya.
महाभोगा महासत्त्वाः क्रूराः क्रूरस्वजातयः । पतत्रिराजाधिपतेरुद्विग्नाः सर्व एव ते
They are of mighty coils, great strength, fierce, and of a cruel lineage; all of them are agitated by the king of birds.
स्वकलत्रापत्यसुहृत्कुटुम्बस्य च सङ्गताः । प्रमत्ता विहरन्त्येव नानाक्रीडाविशारदाः
Gathered with their wives, children, friends, and families, they roam about heedlessly, skilled in various games.
ततोऽधस्ताच्च विवरे रसातलसमाह्वये । दैतेया निवसन्त्येव पणयो दानवाश्च ये
Below that, in the region called Rasātala, the Daityas, Paṇis, and those known as Dānavas dwell.
निवातकवचा नाम हिरण्यपुरवासिनः । कालेया इति च प्रोक्ताः प्रत्यनीका हविर्भुजाम्
Called the Nivātakavacas, inhabitants of Hiraṇyapura, and also known as Kāleyas, they are adversaries of the sacrificers.
महौजसश्चोत्पत्त्यैव महासाहसिनस्तथा । सकलेशस्य च हरेस्तेजसा हतविक्रमाः
They are of great might from birth, exceedingly bold, but all their power was subdued by the energy of Hari, the Lord of all.
बिलेशया इव सदा विवरे निवसन्ति हि । ये वै वाग्भिः सरमया शक्रदूत्या निरन्तरम्
Like cave-dwellers, they always reside in the cavern, those who are constantly assailed by the harsh words of Indra’s messengers.
मन्त्रवर्णाभिरसुरास्ताडिता बिभ्यति स्म ह । ततोऽप्यधस्तात्पाताले नागलोकाधिपालकाः
Struck by the mantric utterances, those Asuras became fearful; and below that, in Pātāla, are the guardians of the serpent realms.
वासुकिप्रमुखाः शङ्खः कुलिकः श्वेत एव च । धनञ्जयो महाशङ्खो धृतराष्ट्रस्तथैव च
Foremost among them are Vāsuki, Śaṅkha, Kulika, Śveta, Dhanañjaya, Mahāśaṅkha, and Dhṛtarāṣṭra.
शङ्खचूडः कम्बलाश्वतरो देवोपदत्तकः । महामर्षा महाभोगा निवसन्ति विषोल्बणाः
Śaṅkhacūḍa, Kambala, Aśvatara, and Devopadattaka—these, filled with great wrath and mighty coils, dwell there, abundant in venom.
पञ्चमस्तकवन्तश्च फणासप्तकभूषिताः । केचिद्दशफणाः केचिच्छतशीर्षास्तथापरे
Some have five heads, adorned with seven hoods; some have ten hoods, and others possess a hundred heads.
सहस्रशिरसः केऽपि रोचिष्णुमणिधारकाः । पातालरन्ध्रतिमिरनिकरं स्वमरीचिभिः
Some have a thousand heads, bearing radiant jewels, and with their rays they dispel the dense darkness of the Pātāla caverns.
विधमन्ति च देवर्षे सदा सञ्जातमन्यवः । अस्य मूलप्रदेशे हि त्रिंशत्साहस्रकेऽन्तरे
O divine sage, ever wrathful, they scatter the masses of darkness in the chasms of Pātāla with their own brilliance.
योजनैः परिसंख्याते तामसी भगवत्कला । अनन्ताख्या समास्ते हि सर्वदेवप्रपूजिता
At the root of this region, within a space measured as thirty thousand yojanas, abides the tamasic power of the Lord, known as Ananta, worshipped by all the gods.
अहमित्यभिमानस्य लक्षणं यं प्रचक्षते । सङ्कर्षणं सात्वतीयाः कर्षणं द्रष्ट्टदृश्ययोः
That which is described as the mark of the sense of 'I am'—the Sātvatas call it Saṅkarṣaṇa, the force that draws together the seer and the seen.
इदं भूमण्डलं यस्य सहस्रशिरसः प्रभोः । अनन्तमूर्तेः शेषस्य ध्रियमाणं च शीर्षके
This earth-globe is upheld upon the head of the thousand-headed Lord, the infinite form of Śeṣa.
पृध्वीगोलमशेषं हि सिद्धार्थ इव लक्ष्यते । यस्य कालेन देवस्य सञ्जिहीर्षोः समं विभोः
The entire sphere of the earth appears as if it were a perfected treasure, supported by the will of that divine Lord, who, in the course of time, intends to withdraw it.
चराचरं भ्रुवोरन्तर्विवरादुदपद्यत । साङ्कर्षणो नाम रुद्रो व्यूहैकादशशोभितः
From the space between his eyebrows arose the moving and unmoving universe, and from there appeared Sankarshana, named Rudra, adorned with eleven forms.
त्रिलोचनश्च त्रिशिखं शूलमुत्तम्भयन्स्वयम् । उदतिष्ठन्महासत्त्वो महाभूतक्षयङ्करः
He is three-eyed, with three locks of hair, holding a trident aloft by his own power; that great being, of immense strength, stands forth, the destroyer of the great elements.
यस्याङ्घ्रिकमलद्वन्द्वशोणाच्छनखमण्डले । विराजन्मणिबिम्बेषु महाहिपतयोऽनिशम्
Upon the twin lotus feet of whom, in the radiant circles of his red nails, the great serpent lords constantly behold their own faces reflected like jewels.
एकान्तभक्तियोगेन सह सात्त्वतपुङ्गवैः । प्रणमन्तः स्वमूर्ध्ना ते स्वमुखानि समीक्षते
With single-minded devotion, together with the foremost of the Sattvatas, they bow their heads before him and gaze upon their own faces.
स्फुरत्कुण्डलमाणिक्यप्रभामण्डलभाञ्ज्यपि । सुकपोलानि चारूणि गण्डस्थलद्युमन्ति च
Even the shining circles of light from his sparkling jeweled earrings cannot outshine his beautiful, well-formed cheeks, which glow radiantly.
नागराजकुमार्योऽपि चार्वङ्गविलसत्त्विषः । विशदैर्विपुलैस्तद्वद्धवलैः सुभगैस्तथा
The daughters of the serpent kings, their limbs resplendent with beauty, likewise possess clear, broad, and lovely white arms.
रुचिरैर्भुजदण्डैश्च शोभमाना इतस्ततः । चन्दनागुरुकाश्मीरपङ्कलेपेन भूषिताः
Adorned with fragrant sandalwood, agarwood, and saffron paste, their charming, strong arms shine brilliantly in all directions.
तदभिमर्षसञ्जातकामावेशसमायुताः । ललितस्मितसंयुक्ताः सव्रीडं लोकयन्ति च
Overcome by the passion arising from his touch, joined with gentle smiles and modesty, they gaze at him bashfully.
अनुरागमदोन्मत्तविघूर्णारुणलोचनम् । करुणावलोकनेत्रं च आशासानास्तथाशिषः
His eyes, flushed and restless with the intoxication of love, are filled with compassion as he bestows blessings with his gracious gaze.
सोऽनन्तो भगवान्देवोऽनन्तसत्त्वो महाशयः । अनन्तगुणवार्धिश्च आदिदेवो महाद्युतिः
He is the infinite Lord, the divine one of endless strength and great resolve, an ocean of infinite virtues, the primeval god, and radiant with great splendor.
संहृतामर्षरोषादिवेगो लोकशुभाय च । आस्ते महासत्त्वनिधिः सर्वदेवप्रपूजितः
Having subdued the impulses of anger and wrath for the welfare of the worlds, that treasure of great strength sits, worshipped by all the gods.
ध्यायमानः सुरैः सिद्धैरसुरैश्चोरगैस्तथा । विद्याधरैश्च गन्धर्वैर्मुनिसङ्घैश्च नित्यशः
He is constantly meditated upon by gods, siddhas, asuras, serpents, vidyadharas, gandharvas, and assemblies of sages.