05.100
नारद उवाच॥
nārada uvāca॥
[नारद (nārada) - Nārada; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
Nārada said:
इदं रसातलं नाम सप्तमं पृथिवीतलम्। यत्रास्ते सुरभिर्माता गवाममृतसम्भवा ॥५-१००-१॥
idaṁ rasātalaṁ nāma saptamaṁ pr̥thivītalam। yatrāstē surabhirmātā gavāmamr̥tasambhavā ॥5-100-1॥
[इदं (idaṁ) - this; रसातलम् (rasātalam) - Rasatala; नाम (nāma) - named; सप्तमम् (saptamam) - seventh; पृथिवीतलम् (pr̥thivītalam) - earth region; यत्र (yatra) - where; आस्ते (āstē) - dwells; सुरभि (surabhi) - Surabhi; माता (mātā) - the mother; गवाम् (gavām) - of cows; अमृतसम्भवा (amr̥tasambhavā) - born of nectar;]
This is Rasatala, the seventh region of the earth, where Surabhi dwells—the mother of cows, born of nectar. (5-100-1)
क्षरन्ती सततं क्षीरं पृथिवीसारसम्भवम्। षण्णां रसानां सारेण रसमेकमनुत्तमम् ॥५-१००-२॥
kṣarantī satataṁ kṣīraṁ pr̥thivīsārasambhavam। ṣaṇṇāṁ rasānāṁ sārēṇa rasamēkamanuttamam ॥5-100-2॥
[क्षरन्ती (kṣarantī) - flowing; सततं (satataṁ) - constantly; क्षीरं (kṣīraṁ) - milk; पृथिवीसारसम्भवम् (pr̥thivīsārasambhavam) - arising from the essence of the earth; षण्णां रसानां सारेण (ṣaṇṇāṁ rasānāṁ sārēṇa) - with the essence of the six tastes; रसम् एकम् अनुत्तमम् (rasam ēkam anuttamam) - a unique, unsurpassed flavour;]
Constantly flowing milk that arises from the essence of the earth, with the essence of the six tastes—a unique, unsurpassed flavour. (5-100-2)
अमृतेनाभितृप्तस्य सारमुद्गिरतः पुरा। पितामहस्य वदनादुदतिष्ठदनिन्दिता ॥५-१००-३॥
amr̥tēnābhitr̥ptasya sāramudgirataḥ purā। pitāmahasya vadanādudatiṣṭhadaninditā ॥5-100-3॥
[अमृतेन (amr̥tēna) - with ambrosia; अभितृप्तस्य (abhitr̥ptasya) - who was fully satisfied; सारम् (sāram) - the essence; उद्गिरतः (udgirataḥ) - when (he) spat out; पुरा (purā) - long ago; पितामहस्य (pitāmahasya) - of the Grandfather (Brahmā); वदनात् (vadanāt) - from the mouth; उदतिष्ठत् (udatiṣṭhat) - emerged; अनिन्दिता (aninditā) - the blameless one;]
Long ago, from the mouth of the Grandfather, who was fully satisfied by ambrosia and spat out its essence, the blameless one emerged. (5-100-3)
यस्याः क्षीरस्य धाराया निपतन्त्या महीतले। ह्रदः कृतः क्षीरनिधिः पवित्रं परमुत्तमम् ॥५-१००-४॥
yasyāḥ kṣīrasya dhārāyā nipatantyā mahītalē। hradaḥ kr̥taḥ kṣīranidhiḥ pavitraṁ paramuttamam ॥5-100-4॥
[यस्याः (yasyāḥ) - whose; क्षीरस्य (kṣīrasya) - of milk; धाराया (dhārāyā) - stream; निपतन्त्या (nipatantyā) - falling; महीतले (mahītalē) - onto the earth; ह्रदः (hradaḥ) - a lake; कृतः (kr̥taḥ) - was formed; क्षीरनिधिः (kṣīranidhiḥ) - a reservoir of milk; पवित्रं (pavitraṁ) - pure; परमुत्तमम् (paramuttamam) - supremely excellent;]
From the falling stream of her milk onto the earth, a lake was formed—a reservoir of milk, pure and supremely excellent. (5-100-4)
पुष्पितस्येव फेनस्य पर्यन्तमनुवेष्टितम्। पिबन्तो निवसन्त्यत्र फेनपा मुनिसत्तमाः ॥५-१००-५॥
puṣpitasyēva phēnasya paryantamanuvēṣṭitam। pibantō nivasantyatra phēnapā munisattamāḥ ॥5-100-5॥
[पुष्पितस्येव (puṣpitasyēva) - like a blossoming; फेनस्य (phēnasya) - foam; पर्यन्तम् (paryantam) - the rim; अनुवेष्टितम् (anuvēṣṭitam) - encircled; पिबन्तः (pibantaḥ) - drinking; निवसन्ति (nivasanti) - live; अत्र (atra) - here; फेनपाः (phēnapāḥ) - the foam-eaters; मुनिसत्तमाः (munisattamāḥ) - great sages;]
Here, great sages known as the foam-eaters live, drinking the water, settled along the rim encircled like the edge of blossoming foam. (5-100-5)
फेनपा नाम नाम्ना ते फेनाहाराश्च मातले। उग्रे तपसि वर्तन्ते येषां बिभ्यति देवताः ॥५-१००-६॥
phēnapā nāma nāmnā tē phēnāhārāśca mātalē। ugrē tapasi vartantē yēṣāṁ bibhyati dēvatāḥ ॥5-100-6॥
[फेनपा नाम (phēnapā nāma) - the Phenapas by name; नाम्ना (nāmnā) - so called; ते (tē) - they; फेनाहाराः (phēnāhārāḥ) - who subsist on foam; च (ca) - and; मातले (mātalē) - O Mātali; उग्रे तपसि (ugrē tapasi) - in severe austerity; वर्तन्ते (vartantē) - engage; येषां (yēṣāṁ) - of whom; बिभ्यति (bibhyati) - are afraid; देवताः (dēvatāḥ) - the gods;]
O Mātali, they are called the Phenapas, for they subsist on foam; they practice severe austerities, of whom even the gods are afraid. (5-100-6)
अस्याश्चतस्रो धेन्वोऽन्या दिक्षु सर्वासु मातले। निवसन्ति दिशापाल्यो धारयन्त्यो दिशः स्मृताः ॥५-१००-७॥
asyāścatasrō dhēnvō’nyā dikṣu sarvāsu mātalē। nivasanti diśāpālyō dhārayantyō diśaḥ smr̥tāḥ ॥5-100-7॥
[अस्याः (asyāḥ) - of her; चतस्रः (catasraḥ) - four; धेन्वः (dhēnvaḥ) - cows; अन्या (anyā) - other; दिक्षु (dikṣu) - in the directions; सर्वासु (sarvāsu) - in all; मातले (mātalē) - Matali; निवसन्ति (nivasanti) - reside; दिशापाल्यः (diśāpālyaḥ) - as guardians of the directions; धारयन्त्यः (dhārayantyaḥ) - those who support; दिशः (diśaḥ) - the directions; स्मृताः (smr̥tāḥ) - are known;]
Matali, four other cows of hers reside in all the directions; they are known as the guardians of the directions, supporting the quarters. (5-100-7)
पूर्वां दिशं धारयते सुरूपा नाम सौरभी। दक्षिणां हंसका नाम धारयत्यपरां दिशम् ॥५-१००-८॥
pūrvāṁ diśaṁ dhārayatē surūpā nāma saurabhī। dakṣiṇāṁ haṁsakā nāma dhārayatyaparāṁ diśam ॥5-100-8॥
[पूर्वां दिशं (pūrvāṁ diśaṁ) - the eastern direction; धारयते (dhārayatē) - supports; सुरूपा नाम (surūpā nāma) - named Surupa; सौरभी (saurabhī) - the daughter of Surabhi; दक्षिणां (dakṣiṇāṁ) - the southern; हंसका नाम (haṁsakā nāma) - named Hansaka; धारयति (dhārayati) - supports; अपरां दिशम् (aparāṁ diśam) - the other direction;]
Surupa, the daughter of Surabhi, supports the eastern direction, and Hansaka supports the southern direction. (5-100-8)
पश्चिमा वारुणी दिक्च धार्यते वै सुभद्रया। महानुभावया नित्यं मातले विश्वरूपया ॥५-१००-९॥
paścimā vāruṇī dikca dhāryatē vai subhadrayā। mahānubhāvayā nityaṁ mātalē viśvarūpayā ॥5-100-9॥
[पश्चिमा (paścimā) - the western; वारुणी (vāruṇī) - Varuṇī; दिक् (dik) - direction; धार्यते (dhāryatē) - is borne; वै (vai) - truly; सुभद्रया (subhadrayā) - by Subhadrā; महानुभावया (mahānubhāvayā) - the great-souled; नित्यं (nityaṁ) - always; मातले (mātalē) - Matali; विश्वरूपया (viśvarūpayā) - of wondrous form;]
The western direction, Varuṇī, is truly borne by Subhadrā, the great-souled, always by Matali of wondrous form. (5-100-9)
सर्वकामदुघा नाम धेनुर्धारयते दिशम्। उत्तरां मातले धर्म्यां तथैलविलसञ्ज्ञिताम् ॥५-१००-१०॥
sarvakāmadughā nāma dhēnurdhārayatē diśam। uttarāṁ mātalē dharmyāṁ tathailavilasañjñitām ॥5-100-10॥
[सर्वकामदुघा नाम (sarvakāmadughā nāma) - named Sarvakāmadughā; धेनुः (dhēnuḥ) - the cow; धारयते (dhārayatē) - upholds; दिशम् (diśam) - the direction; उत्तरां (uttarāṁ) - northern; मातले (mātalē) - O Mātali; धर्म्यां (dharmyāṁ) - auspicious; तथा (tathā) - as well as; एताविलसञ्ज्ञिताम् (ētāvilasañjñitām) - called Etāvilasa;]
O Mātali, the cow named Sarvakāmadughā upholds the northern direction, the auspicious one, also known as Etāvilasa. (5-100-10)
आसां तु पयसा मिश्रं पयो निर्मथ्य सागरे। मन्थानं मन्दरं कृत्वा देवैरसुरसंहितैः ॥५-१००-११॥
āsāṁ tu payasā miśraṁ payō nirmathya sāgarē। manthānaṁ mandaraṁ kr̥tvā dēvairasurasaṁhitaiḥ ॥5-100-11॥
[आसां (āsāṁ) - of these; तु (tu) - but; पयसा (payasā) - with the milk; मिश्रम् (miśram) - mixed; पयः (payaḥ) - milk; निर्मथ्य (nirmathya) - having churned; सागरे (sāgarē) - in the ocean; मन्थानम् (manthānam) - the churning rod; मन्दरम् (mandaram) - Mandara; कृत्वा (kr̥tvā) - making; देवैः (dēvaiḥ) - by the gods; असुरसंहितैः (asurasaṁhitaiḥ) - joined with the Asuras;]
But with the milk of these, mixed with other milk, churning the ocean, making Mandara the churning rod—by the gods joined with the Asuras— (5-100-11)
उद्धृता वारुणी लक्ष्मीरमृतं चापि मातले। उच्चैःश्रवाश्चाश्वराजो मणिरत्नं च कौस्तुभम् ॥५-१००-१२॥
uddhr̥tā vāruṇī lakṣmīramr̥taṁ cāpi mātalē। uccaiḥśravāścāśvarājō maṇiratnaṁ ca kaustubham ॥5-100-12॥
[उद्धृता (uddhr̥tā) - emerged; वारुणी (vāruṇī) - Varuṇī; लक्ष्मीः (lakṣmīḥ) - Lakṣmī; अमृतं (amr̥taṁ) - amṛta; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; मातले (mātalē) - O Mātali; उच्चैःश्रवाः (uccaiḥśravāḥ) - Uccaiḥśravā; च (ca) - and; अश्वराजः (aśvarājaḥ) - the king of horses; मणिरत्नं (maṇiratnaṁ) - the jewel; च (ca) - and; कौस्तुभम् (kaustubham) - Kaustubha;]
O Mātali, Varuṇī emerged, as did Lakṣmī, amṛta, Uccaiḥśravā the king of horses, and also the Kaustubha jewel. (5-100-12)
सुधाहारेषु च सुधां स्वधाभोजिषु च स्वधाम्। अमृतं चामृताशेषु सुरभिः क्षरते पयः ॥५-१००-१३॥
sudhāhārēṣu ca sudhāṁ svadhābhōjiṣu ca svadhām। amr̥taṁ cāmr̥tāśēṣu surabhiḥ kṣaratē payaḥ ॥5-100-13॥
[सुधाहारेषु (sudhāhārēṣu) - among streams of nectar; च (ca) - and; सुधाम् (sudhām) - nectar; स्वधाभोजिषु (svadhābhōjiṣu) - among those who consume offerings for ancestors; च (ca) - and; स्वधाम् (svadhām) - the ancestral offering; अमृतम् (amr̥tam) - ambrosia; च (ca) - and; अमृताशेषु (amr̥tāśēṣu) - among things that are immortal; सुरभिः (surabhiḥ) - Surabhi; क्षरते (kṣaratē) - yields; पयः (payaḥ) - milk;]
Among streams of nectar, she is nectar; among those who consume ancestral offerings, she is the offering; she is ambrosia among things immortal—Surabhi yields milk. (5-100-13)
अत्र गाथा पुरा गीता रसातलनिवासिभिः। पौराणी श्रूयते लोके गीयते या मनीषिभिः ॥५-१००-१४॥
atra gāthā purā gītā rasātalanivāsibhiḥ। paurāṇī śrūyatē lōkē gīyatē yā manīṣibhiḥ ॥5-100-14॥
[अत्र (atra) - here; गाथा (gāthā) - a verse; पुरा (purā) - in ancient times; गीता (gītā) - was sung; रसातलनिवासिभिः (rasātalanivāsibhiḥ) - by the dwellers of Rasātala; पौराणी (paurāṇī) - ancient; श्रूयते (śrūyatē) - is heard; लोके (lōkē) - in the world; गीयते (gīyatē) - is sung; या (yā) - which; मनीषिभिः (manīṣibhiḥ) - by the wise;]
Here, an ancient verse—once sung by the dwellers of Rasātala, an old verse that is still heard in the world and sung by the wise— (5-100-14)
न नागलोके न स्वर्गे न विमाने त्रिविष्टपे। परिवासः सुखस्तादृग्रसातलतले यथा ॥५-१००-१५॥
na nāgalōkē na svargē na vimānē triviṣṭapē। parivāsaḥ sukhastādr̥grasātalatalē yathā ॥5-100-15॥
[न (na) - not; नागलोके (nāgalōkē) - in the world of the Nāgas; न (na) - not; स्वर्गे (svargē) - in heaven; न (na) - not; विमाने (vimānē) - in a celestial chariot; त्रिविष्टपे (triviṣṭapē) - in the realm of the gods; परिवासः (parivāsaḥ) - residence; सुखः (sukhaḥ) - pleasure; तात् (tāt) - such as that; रसातलतले (rasātalatalē) - on the floor of Rasātala; यथा (yathā) - as;]
Nowhere in the world of the Nāgas, nor in heaven, nor in a celestial chariot in the realm of the gods, is there a residence as pleasurable as that on the floor of Rasātala. (5-100-15)