| Canto 5: The Creative Impetus | Chapter 24: The Subterranean Heavenly Planets |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.24.30
tato 'dhastād rasātale daiteyā dānavāh panayo nāma nivāta-kavacāh kāleyā hiranya-puravāsina iti vibudha-pratyanīkā utpattyā mahaujaso mahā-sāhasino bhagavatah sakala-lokānubhāvasya harer eva tejasā pratihata-balāvalepā bileśayā iva vasanti ye vai saramayendra-dūtyā vāgbhir mantra-varnābhir indrād bibhyati
SYNONYMS
tatah adhastāt — below the planetary system Mahātala; rasātale — on the planet called Rasātala; daiteyāh — the sons of Diti; dānavāh — the sons of Danu; panayah nāma — named Panis; nivāta-kavacāh — Nivāta-kavacas; kāleyāh — Kāleyas; hiranya-puravāsinah — Hiranya-puravāsīs; iti — thus; vibudha-pratyanīkāh — enemies of the demigods; utpattyāh — from birth; mahā-ojasah — very powerful; mahā-sāhasinah — very cruel; bhagavatah — of the Personality of Godhead; sakala-loka-anubhāvasya — who is auspicious for all planetary systems; hareh — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; eva — certainly; tejasā — by the Sudarśana cakra; pratihata — defeated; bala — strength; avalepāh — and pride (because of bodily strength); bila-īśayāh — the snakes; iva — like; vasanti — they live; ye — who; vai — indeed; saramayā — by Saramā; indra-dūtyā — the messenger of Indra; vāgbhih — by the words; mantra-varnābhih — in the form of a mantra; indrāt — from King Indra; bibhyati — are afraid.
TRANSLATION
Beneath Mahātala is the planetary system known as Rasātala, which is the abode of the demoniac sons of Diti and Danu. They are called Panis, Nivāta-kavacas, Kāleyas and Hiranya-puravāsīs [those living in Hiranya-pura]. They are all enemies of the demigods, and they reside in holes like snakes. From birth they are extremely powerful and cruel, and although they are proud of their strength, they are always defeated by the Sudarśana cakra of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who rules all the planetary systems. When a female messenger from Indra named Saramā chants a particular curse, the serpentine demons of Mahātala become very afraid of Indra.
PURPORT
It is said that there was a great fight between these serpentine demons and Indra, the King of heaven. When the defeated demons met the female messenger Saramā, who was chanting a mantra, they became afraid, and therefore they are living in the planet called Rasātala.
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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness