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If any one enters Atala these women completely allure him by their Hataka (golden) charm, and when the man is completely over- come by their allurements, he says "I am Isvara", "I am Siddha." 146 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana [The women are only forms of Maya because Maya is personified as an alluring woman. A man in Atala is completely under the domi- nation of Maya and becomes estranged from spirit. So Maya is all in all to him and he knows no other. ] Vitala:—Below Atala is Vitala. There Bhava (Siva) the king of Gold reigns in company with his consort Bhavani, attended by Bhitas. He remains there for the benefit of the Prajapati creation. The fluid of intercourse with Bhavani gives rise to a river called Hataki (Golden). Agni kindled by Vayu drinks up that river and gives out the gold called Hataka which is used in ornaments by the Asuras who dwell there. (We have known Siva as the Astral Lord. We find him here en- gaged in the work of creation. The text speaks of a mysterious con- nection between him and the gold called Hataka. The occult varieties of gold such as Jamvanada and Hataka form a fit subject of study. Hataka refers to the Prajapati creation. There is duality in Vitala, as distinguished from the singleness of Maya in Atala). Sutala:—Below Vitala is Sutala. There the renowned Bali son of Virochana still dwells. Vamana, the Dwarf Incarnation of Vishnu, took away the Triloki from him and replaced him here. His enjoy- ments even here are greater than those of Indra. He performs Sva- dharma and worships Vishnu. His sins are all removed. (A full account of Bali will be given below.) Talatala:—Below Sutala is Talatala. Maya, the Danava king, rules there. His "Three Puras" (abodes) were destroyed by Siva who is hence called Tripurari. But Siva favoured him again and placed him in Talatala. He is the preceptor of all Mayavins. He is preserved by Siva and he has no fear from Sudarsana (the chakra weapon of Vishnu, which symbolises Time.) (Bali and Maya, Triloki and Tripura, the seizure of one and the destruction of the other, the restoration of Bali to Sutala and of Maya to Talatala, the favour shown to them in those regions, the correspon- dences of Sutala and Talatala are worth careful consideration. In the case of one, Vishnu or the Preservative aspect of the Second Purusha is the actor, and in the other, Siva, the Destructive aspect.) Mahatala:—Below Talatala is Mahatala. Many headed serpents, the progeny of Kadru, dwell there. The chief amongst them are Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 147 Kuhaka, Takshaka, Kaliya, Sushena, and others. They are always afraid of Garuda, the Vehicle of Vishnu, and they are therefore seldom seen to indulge in pleasure-trips outside. Rasdatala:—Below Mahatala is Rasatala; Daityas, Danavas and Pa- nis, named Nivatakavachas, Kalakeyas and Hiranyapuravasins dwell there. They are the enemies of the Devas. They are powerful from their very birth. They are subdued by the Sudarsana of Vishnu. They are like serpents. They fear even the threats of Sarama, the bitch of the gods who is Indra’s messenger to them. They fear Indra also. Patala:—Below Rasatala is Patala. The Nagas dwell there. Vastki is their chief. The other principal Nagas are—Sankha, Kulika, Maha Sankha, Sveta, Dhananjaya, Asvatara, and Devadatta. Their hood is very large and they are very furious. Some of them are five headed, some 7 headed, some 10 headed, some a thousand headed. The pre- cious stones on their hoods dispel all darkness in Patala. ANANTA. SKANDHA V. CHAP. 25. At the root of Patala, thirty thousand Yojanas beyond, is the Tamas aspect of Bhagavan called Ananta. Those that worship the Chaturvytha aspect call him Sankarshana. He has a thousand heads. The earth held up on one of these heads looks but like a mustard seed. When the time for dissolution comes, Ananta assumes His Tamas form and becomes Rudra—other wise called Sankarshana, a host of eleven, with three eyes, three tufts of hair and with tridents on their heads. At other times, Ananta withdraws His Tamas and abides for the good of all Lokas. His eyes roll as it were by intoxication. His garments are blue. He has one ear-ring. He has a plough on his back. THE NARAKAS. SKANDHA V. CHAP. 26. Where are the Narakas, O Rishi, asked Parikshit? Are they par- ticular localities? Are they outside the Triloki or inside? Suka replied:— 148 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana They are inside the Triloki on the south side below the earth, over the waters, where Agnishvatta and other Pitris deeply meditate on the welfare of their respective descendants. There, Yama, the Death-god, metes out just punishment to the dead. There are twenty-one Narakas:— 1. Tamisra 2. Andha Tamisara 3. Rourava 4. Maharourava 5. Kumbhipaka 6. Kala Sutra 7. Asipatravana 8. Stkara Mukha 9. Andha Ktipa 10. Krimi bhajana 11. Sandansa 12. Tapta Surmi 13. Vajra-Kantaka Salmali 14. Vaitarani 15. Pitydda 16. Pranarodha 17. Vaisasana 18. Lalabhaksha Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 149 19. Sarameyadana 20. Avichi and 21. Ayahpana. There are seven other Narakas: 1. Kshara Kardama 2. Rakshogana bhojana 3. Stlaprota 4. Danda Sika 5. Avata-nirodhana 6. Parya vartana and 7. Sachi mukha. (For details of these Narakas, the reader is referred to the original. They are more for the exoteric than for the esoteric reader.) There are hundreds and thousands of such Narakas in the realms of Yama. The vicious enter them by turns. The meritorious go to Svarga. But the Karma of men is not exhausted in Svarga or Naraka. For that which remains unexhausted, they enter life again by re-birth. (The mention of Pitris and Yama connects the Narakas with the astral plane.) SKANDHA VI. THE STORY OF AJAMILA SKANDHA VI. CHAP. 1-3. Raja Parikshit asked how men could avoid Naraka. SUKA replied:—It is by Prayaschitta (expiation) that men can avoid Naraka. But it is not Vedic Prayaschitta, not fasting by Chan- drayana and other Vratas. These Vedic performances cannot root out 150 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana vicious tendencies, for the performer is seen again to indulge in vices. They do not purify the mind. They simply counteract the Karmic ef- fect of the act for which Prayaschitta is performed. The real Prayas- chitta is devotion to Vishnu. Ajamila was the son of a Brahmana. He was dutiful, virtuous, modest, truthful, and regular in the performance of Vedic injunctions. One day in obedience to his father he went into the forests and there collected fruits, flowers, sacrificial wood and Kusa—on returning he saw a Sudra in company with a slave-girl. He tried much to subdue his passions but did not succeed. He spent the whole of his patri- mony to win the love of that girl. He gave up his own wife and kept company with that slave girl. He had by her several sons of whom the youngest was Narayana. Ajamila lost all his good qualities in low company and he forgot his daily practices. To support the woman and her children, he had recourse to all sorts of vicious and unlawful acts. Narayana was the favorite among his sons. He caressed him always. At last his end approached. He thought even then of his youngest son who was playing at a distance. Three fierce-looking messengers of Yama appeared, with ropes in hand. Terrified at the sight Ajamila cried out "Narayana, Narayana." Instantly the Messengers of Vishnu appeared. At the time when the servants of Yama were drawing out the Jiva from the heart of Ajamila, the attendants of Vishnu stopped them with a strong voice. "But who are you" said they "to interfere with the just sway of Yama." The bright attendants of Vishnu only smiled and asked: "What is Dharma? Does your lord Yama hold the sceptre of punishment against all who perform Karma? Is there no distinction made?" The astral messengers replied:—"The performance of Vedic In- junctions is Dharma and their disregard is Adharma. This Ajamila in his earlier days duly respected the Vedas. But in company with the slave-girl, he lost his Brahmanism, disregarded the Vedas and did things which a Brahmana should not do. He justly comes for punish- ment to Yama." The attendants of Vishnu expressed wonder at these words. "And you are servants of him, who is called the king of Dharma, and you do not know that there is something above the Vedas too. This Ajamila consciously or unconsciously took the name of Narayana and that Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 151 saved him from your clutches. It is in the nature of fire to consume fuel and so it is in the nature of Vishnu’s name to destroy all sins. If one unconsciously takes some powerful medicine, does it not have effect? It matters not whether Ajamila meant his youngest son or not but still he took the name of Narayana. So you must retire." Wonder-struck the servants of Yama left their hold over Ajamila. They went away and complained to their Master. "There must be one law and one dispenser of that law. Otherwise some will be punished and others not. Why should there be this difference? We know Thee to be the sole dispenser of the Law for the vicious. But just now the attendants of Vishnu came and wrested from our hands a transgres- sor against the Vedas." "True my sons", replied Yama, "there is some one above me and it is Vishnu. His ways are mysterious. "The whole Universe is in Him. His attendants always save His votaries. Only twelve of us know his Dharma, which is Bhagavata and no one else. These twelve are Brahma, Siva, Sanat Kumara, Narada, Kapila, Manu, Prahlada, Janaka, Bhishma, Bali, Suka and my- self." Ajamila heard the conversation between the messengers of Yama and Vishnu. He became sorely penitent (the repentance is strongly described).