Patala

The source of information on the cosmology of Hinduism , including information about Patal, is such texts as the Puranas and the Mahabharata , which have the status of the Fifth Veda in Hinduism ^{[2] [3] [4]} . The information about the worlds of Patala and its inhabitants contained in these scriptures attracts the attention of many scholars of ancient texts, Indologists, Sanskritologists and philosophers ^{[5] [6]} .

In the Bhagavata Purana , Sukadeva begins her story about these worlds as follows:

In Vishnu Purana , these seven regions are called Atal, Vital, Nital, Gabhastimat, Mahatala, Sutala and Patal itself. “ Padma Purana ” gives the same names of the worlds of Patala that are also mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana, as well as the names of the rulers of each of the regions ^[7] :

• Atala - controlled by Bala (according to another version - Mahamaya).
• Vitala - controlled by Hatakeshvara, one of the forms of Shiva .
• Sutala - operated by Bali
• Talatala is ruled by Maya .
• Mahatala - ruled by the nagas
• Rasatala - controlled by daityas and danavas
• Patala, or Nagaloka

In these seven worlds, even the color of the soil is distinguished (white, red, yellow, and so on).

Location and brief description of Patala

According to the Padma Purana and the Bhagavata Purana , Patala is one of the seven worlds located in the lowest level of the universe and also called bila-swarga ( Skt. "Underground sky") - underground worlds. The Bhagavata Purana , which contains extensive information on cosmology, gives a description of these worlds and reports on their location.

These underground worlds begin 70,000 yojanas (910,000 km) below the Earth and are located one below the other, starting with the highest and ending with the lowest, in the following order: Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talatala , Mahatala, Rasatal and Patal (Nagaloka). The interval between these worlds is 10,000 yojanas (130,000 km).

Atala is the first of the lower worlds of the universe . On it lives the demon Bala , the son of the mayana of Maya , who created ninety-six kinds of magical abilities. By the will of Bala, three types of women arose on Atal: svayrini (independent), fireplaces (lustful), and pumshchalis (those whom it is easy to seduce). When a new man appears on Atal, these women give him a stupefying drink and indulge in love pleasures with him, after which he, confident in his irresistibility and strength, begins to imagine himself to be God .

10,000 yojanas below Atala is Vitala - the abode of the great and powerful Hatakeshvara (one of the forms of Shiva ). Hatakeshvara - the lord of all the gold deposits - lives on Vital with his faithful wife Bhavani. Thanks to them, a special kind of gold called hataka is formed on Vital.

Under Vitala is Sutala . She lives on her mahajana Bali , known as an unusually loyal and most successful king. The Puranas contain a narrative of how the Supreme Personality of Godhead was embodied in the form of a dwarf- brahman Vamanadeva and came to a sacrifice arranged by Bali. The king, who owned all three worlds, sacrificed to Vamanadeva everything that he had. Satisfied with the generosity of the king, Vamana returned the kingdom to him and made Bali richer than Indra himself, the king of heaven.

Near Sutala, at a distance of 10,000 yojanas from it, is located Talatala , ruled by the king of the Asuras, Danawa Maya. He is also known as a teacher of all magicians and sorcerers and a talented architect who created many beautiful cities and buildings of the world of bila-swarg.

Below Talatala is the Mahatala , inhabited by huge multi-headed naga , serpentine creatures known for their viciousness. The main among these snakes are Kuhaka, Takshaka, Potassium and Sukshen . All the nagas of the Mahatala, along with their friends and relatives, indulge in pleasures, however they live in constant fear of Garuda , who from time to time flies to the Mahatala and destroys them.

Below Mahatala is Rasatala, which is inhabited by demons , the descendants of Diti and Danu : pani, nivata-kavachi, kalei and hiranya-puravasi . All these demons are sworn enemies of the demigods and live in burrows, like snakes. The demons living on Rasatal are unusually strong and powerful and proud of it, but they are also overtaken by Sudarsana-chakra - the weapon of Swayam-bhagavan , the ruler of all worlds.

Under Rasatala is another world - Patal , also called Patalalok or Nagaloka . Patala is the last, the lowest of the seven worlds of bila-swarg. The inhabitants of this world are nagas, many-headed snake-like creatures who are very much attached to material pleasures and are unusually vicious in nature. These snakes carry rare gems on their many heads, whose radiance illuminates the world of all seven lower worlds. The lords of Nagaloka are the nagas of Shankh, Kulik, Mahashankh, Shvet, Dhananjaya, Dhritarashtra, Shankhachud, Flounder, Ashvatar and Devadatta , and the main among them is the naga Vasuki . For the enjoyment of the naga living in Patalalok, there are all conditions: beautiful gardens, parks and ponds. It is here that the capital of Patala is located - the city of Bhogavati , paved with gold and having in the center a beautiful palace made of precious stones of the king of the nagas Vasuki ^[8] . The inhabitants of this world reliably protect it. But once the demon Hiranyakasipu took all their jewels from the inhabitants of Nagaloka and stole their beautiful wives, which is why all the inhabitants of this world were in very great concern. After Narasimha killed Hiranyakasipu, the inhabitants of Nagaloka received the jewels they used to decorate their heads, and their wives returned home, extremely joyful and happy, and together with their husbands expressed respect and gratitude to Nrsimhadeva for having rid themselves of Hiranyakasipu from many troubles. Patala, or Nagaloka is considered the most beautiful and beautiful place and, according to the Rishi Narada , who visited Patala, surpasses the skies of Indra or svargu in beauty and size.

Inhabitants of Patala

According to the Puranas, the seven lower worlds of the Universe are of the same size as the Earth , and their inhabitants are Daityas , Danavas, Rakshasas and Naga. The magnificent cities, palaces, gardens and parks of this realm of artificial paradise surpass even those in which the demigods enjoy on the higher worlds of the universe. Almost all the inhabitants of Bila Svarga lead a family life, along with their wives, children and friends indulging in sensual pleasures without any restrictions, while even the devas living in the worlds can not always enjoy this freely.

Nature and Architecture Patala

A talented architect and artist Maya lives in this kingdom of bila-svargi, who is said to be able to perfectly create material comforts, as well as erect wonders of architecture that have amazing supernatural powers. According to Mahabharata, during the reign of Maharaja Yudhisthira, Maya was in the forest of Khandava (the protected forest of Indra , the king of heaven). Krishna , desiring to kill the demon, pursued him with a wheel and fire. When a fire broke out in the forest, the demon Maya Danava asked Arjuna for protection, and Arjuna saved him. Then Maya, out of gratitude, offered Arjuna some kind of service, but he did not want to take anything from him. Upon learning this, Krishna , extremely pleased that the asura asked for protection from his devotee , suggested that Maya build a assembly palace for King Yudhisthira . This wonderful assembly palace has become a real miracle of architectural excellence. Representatives of various states and tribes who arrived at the assembly palace felt the supernatural power of the Pandavas and, despite their envy towards them, without any objections obeyed King Yudhisthira and paid tribute to him. Danava Maya, who creates miracles of material architecture, has an extraordinary ability to reflect the strength and power of its owner in the structure of material elements.

In the kingdom of bila-swarga, created in the image of worlds, Maya built a huge number of indescribable beauty of cities with exquisitely finished buildings: residential houses, temples, houses for the reception of foreigners, halls of meetings. The palaces of the rulers of these worlds are decorated with precious stones, and many demons and nagas always gather in them. Entire flocks of parrots, blackbirds, pigeons and other birds live there. Created in imitation of paradise, these cities are built with great taste and grace and look luxurious.

Danava Maya, as the king of demons and the teacher of all magicians and sorcerers, enjoys the protection of Shiva and therefore considers himself invulnerable even to the Sudarshan Chakra.

Not only the architectural structures, but also the gardens, parks and reservoirs of Patala are superior in their beauty to the parks and reservoirs of the demigods that live on the higher worlds. Trees in the worlds of Patala are unusually beautiful, their trunks and branches are twined with vines and bend under the weight of the fruit, and the flowers exude a delicate aroma. The lakes and ponds of this underground artificial paradise are also unusually beautiful: they are filled with clear water, where fish splash merrily and lilies and lotuses grow in abundance.

The capital of Patala is the city of Bhogavati .

Patalians lifestyle

Sunlight does not penetrate the worlds of bila-swarga, therefore time is not divided into days and nights, and those living in these underground worlds do not know the fear generated by the passage of time. However, in this world of artificial paradise it is never dark: the gloom of these worlds illuminates the radiance of precious stones on the heads of many of the naga living there.

The inhabitants of these worlds drink juices and elixirs from miraculous healing herbs and bathe in them, so they do not suffer from diseases of the body or from diseases of the mind. Residents of bila-svarga do not know old age: they do not have gray hair and wrinkles, and the skin always retains its freshness. They do not know the miserable condition caused by aging; to the end of their days they are vigorous, strong and do not know weakness, apathy and fatigue.

This is how the inhabitants of the underground worlds live - happily ever after, surrounding themselves with all kinds of amenities and indulging in the most exquisite pleasures. The only thing they have no power over is the inexorable time that appears on the worlds of Patala in the guise of the fiery radiance of the Sudarshan Chakra - weapons of the Supreme Personality of Godhead , which brings death to the inhabitants of artificial paradise: “When Sudarshan flies through the underworld, all pregnant wives of demons, seeing her radiance, are resolved from the burden ahead of schedule. "

It is said that worlds where sunlight does not penetrate are inhabited by living beings who have fallen there as punishment for their past unrighteous deeds. According to the Bhagavad-gita , these living entities are called demons. Filled with malice and grandeur, the demons are under the influence of the mode of passion . They get their demonic qualities even in the womb, and subsequently reward the same demonic qualities of their children and followers. Such demons are born in various demonic forms of life again and again, dropping lower and lower, until they reach the most disgusting life forms. Thus they pave their own direct path to the hellish worlds . In the Puranas, it is reported that below the last of the seven worlds of bila-swarga - Patala, in the space between the three worlds and the Garbhodak ocean, there are worlds called Naraka . According to the Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana , the distance between Patala and Naraka, which is located above the Garbhodaka Ocean itself, is 30,000 yojanas (390,000 km).