372
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 5, Ch. 24]
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead offers a devotee material happiness, this is not His real favor. The demigods, who are very puffed up by their material opulence, pray to the Lord only for material happiness, not knowing anything better. Devotees like Prahlāda Mahārāja, however, do not want material happiness. Not to speak of material happiness, they do not want even liberation from material bondage, although one can achieve this liberation simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, even with improper pronunciation.
Below Sutala is the planet Talātala, the abode of the demon Maya. This demon is always materially happy because he is favored by Lord Śiva, but he cannot achieve spiritual happiness at any time. Below Talātala is the planet Mahātala, where there are many snakes with hundreds and thousands of hoods. Below Mahātala is Rasātala, and below that is Pātāla, where the serpent Vasukī lives with his associates.
TEXT 1
श्रीशुक उवाच
अधस्तात्सवितुर्योजनायुते स्वर्भानुर्नक्षत्रवच्चरतीत्येके योऽसव्रमरत्वं ग्रहत्वं चालभत भगवदनुकम्पया स्वयमसुरापसदः सैंहिकेयो ह्यतदर्हस्तस्य तात जन्म कर्माणि चोपरिष्टाद्वक्ष्यामः ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca
adhastāt savitur yojanāyute svarbhānur nakṣatravac caratīty eke yo 'sāv amaratvam grahatvam cālabhata bhagavad-anukampayā svayam asurāpasadaḥ saimhikeyo hy atad-arhas tasya tāta janma karmāṇi copariṣtād vakṣyāmaḥ.
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; adhastāt—below; savituḥ—the sun globe; yojana—a measurement equal to eight miles; ayute—ten thousand; svarbhānuḥ—the planet known as Rāhu; nak- ṣatra-vat—like one of the stars; carati—is rotating; iti—thus; eke— some who are learned in the Purāṇas; yaḥ—which; asau—that; amaratvam—a lifetime like those of the demigods; grahatvam—a posi- tion as one of the chief planets; ca—and; alabhata—obtained;