SB 5.24.30 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

ततोऽधस्ताद्रसातले दैतेया दानवा: पणयो नाम निवातकवचा: कालेया हिरण्यपुरवासिन इति विबुधप्रत्यनीका उत्पत्त्या महौजसो महासाहसिनो भगवत: सकललोकानुभावस्य हरेरेव तेजसा प्रतिहतबलावलेपा बिलेशया इव वसन्ति ये वै सरमयेन्द्रदूत्या वाग्भिर्मन्त्रवर्णाभिरिन्द्राद्ब‍िभ्यति ॥ ३० ॥

Verse text

tato ’dhastād rasātale daiteyā dānavāḥ paṇayo nāma nivāta-kavacāḥ kāleyā hiraṇya-puravāsina iti vibudha-pratyanīkā utpattyā mahaujaso mahā-sāhasino bhagavataḥ sakala-lokānubhāvasya harer eva tejasā pratihata-balāvalepā bileśayā iva vasanti ye vai saramayendra-dūtyā vāgbhir mantra-varṇābhir indrād bibhyati.

Synonyms

tataḥ adhastāt — below the planetary system Mahātala ; rasātale — on the planet called Rasātala ; daiteyāḥ — the sons of Diti ; dānavāḥ — the sons of Danu ; paṇayaḥ nāma — named Paṇis ; nivāta — kavacāḥ — Nivāta-kavacas ; kāleyāḥ — Kāleyas ; hiraṇya — puravāsinaḥ — Hiraṇya-puravāsīs ; iti — thus ; vibudha — pratyanīkāḥ — enemies of the demigods ; utpattyāḥ — from birth ; mahā — ojasaḥ — very powerful ; mahā — sāhasinaḥ — very cruel ; bhagavataḥ — of the Personality of Godhead ; sakala — loka — anubhāvasya — who is auspicious for all planetary systems ; hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; eva — certainly ; tejasā — by the Sudarśana cakra ; pratihata — defeated ; bala — strength ; avalepāḥ — and pride (because of bodily strength) ; bila — īśayāḥ — the snakes ; iva — like ; vasanti — they live ; ye — who ; vai — indeed ; saramayā — by Saramā ; indra — dūtyā — the messenger of Indra ; vāgbhiḥ — by the words ; mantra — varṇābhiḥ — 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 Paṇis, Nivāta-kavacas, Kāleyas and Hiraṇya-puravāsīs [those living in Hiraṇya-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.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Beneath Mahātala, in Rasātala, live the Paṇis, descendents of Diti and Danu, as well as the Nivāta-kavacas, Kāleyas and Hiraṇya-puravāsīs. They are all enemies of the devatās, and reside in holes like snakes. From birth they are extremely powerful and cruel, but their strength and pride are always defeated by the Sudarśana-cakra of the Lord, who is auspicious for all the planetary systems. When a female dog sent by Indra named Saramā chanted a particular curse, the demons of Mahātala became afraid of Indra. These are all different types of demons. They are enemies (pratyanīkāḥ) of Indra. They become frightened by the words of a mantra recited by a messenger of Indra. There is a Vedic story about this. The Paṇis desired compromise with the dog send by Indra named Saramā, who was looking for a cow hidden by those demons. They said “O Saramā what do you want?” Not wanting peace, the dog spoke roughly to them while praising Indra. “O Paṇis! You will be killed by Indra. Flee!” Hearing these words, they became afraid.

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.