FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.24.16

अथातले मयपुत्रोऽसुरो बलो निवसति येन ह वा इह सृष्टा: षण्णवतिर्माया: काश्चनाद्यापि मायाविनो धारयन्ति यस्य च जृम्भमाणस्य मुखतस्त्रय: स्त्रीगणा उदपद्यन्त स्वैरिण्य: कामिन्य: पुंश्चल्य इति या वै बिलायनं प्रविष्टं पुरुषं रसेन हाटकाख्येन साधयित्वा स्वविलासावलोकनानुरागस्मितसंलापोपगूहनादिभि: स्वैरं किल रमयन्ति यस्मिन्नुपयुक्ते पुरुष ईश्वरोऽहं सिद्धोऽहमित्ययुतमहागजबलमात्मानमभिमन्यमान: कत्थते मदान्ध इव ॥ १६ ॥
athātale maya-putro ’suro balo nivasati yena ha vā iha sṛṣṭāḥ ṣaṇ-ṇavatir māyāḥ kāścanādyāpi māyāvino dhārayanti yasya ca jṛmbhamāṇasya mukhatas trayaḥ strī-gaṇā udapadyanta svairiṇyaḥ kāminyaḥ puṁścalya iti yā vai bilāyanaṁ praviṣṭaṁ puruṣaṁ rasena hāṭakākhyena sādhayitvā sva-vilāsāvalokanānurāga-smita-saṁlāpopagūhanādibhiḥ svairaṁ kila ramayanti yasminn upayukte puruṣa īśvaro ’haṁ siddho ’ham ity ayuta-mahā-gaja-balam ātmānam abhimanyamānaḥ katthate madāndha iva.
[athaatale maya-putro ’suro balo nivasati yena ha vaa iha srishtaah shan-navatir maayaah kaashchanaadyaapi maayaavino dhaarayanti yasya cha jrimbhamaanasya mukhatas trayah stree-ganaa udapadyanta svairinyah kaaminyah pumshchalya iti yaa vai bilaayanam pravishtam purusham rasena haatakaakhyena saadhayitvaa sva-vilaasaavalokanaanuraaga-smita-samlaapopagoohanaadibhih svairam kila ramayanti yasminn upayukte purusha eeshvaro ’ham siddho ’ham ity ayuta-mahaa-gaja-balam aatmaanam abhimanyamaanah katthate madaandha iva.]
atha — now atale — on the planet named Atala maya-putraḥ asuraḥ — the demon son of Maya balaḥ — Bala nivasati — resides yena — by whom ha vā — indeed iha — in this sṛṣṭāḥ — propagated ṣaṭ-ṇavatiḥ — ninety-six māyāḥ — varieties of illusion kāścana — some adya api — even today māyā-vinaḥ — those who know the art of magical feats (like manufacturing gold) dhārayanti — utilize yasya — of whom ca — also jṛmbhamāṇasya — while yawning mukhataḥ — from the mouth trayaḥ — three strī-gaṇāḥ — varieties of women udapadyanta — were generated svairiṇyaḥ — svairiṇī (one who only marries in her same class) kāminyaḥ — kāmiṇī (one who, being lusty, marries men from any group) puṁścalyaḥ — puṁścalī (one who wants to go from one husband to another) iti — thus yāḥ — who vai — certainly bila-ayanam — the subterranean planets praviṣṭam — entering puruṣam — a male rasena — by a juice hāṭaka-ākhyena — made from an intoxicating herb known as hāṭaka sādhayitvā — making sexually fit sva-vilāsa — for their personal sense gratification avalokana — by glances anurāga — lustful smita — by smiling saṁlāpa — by talking upagūhana-ādibhiḥ — and by embracing svairam — according to their own desire kila — indeed ramayanti — enjoy sex pleasure yasmin — which upayukte — when used puruṣaḥ — a man īśvaraḥ aham — I am the most powerful person siddhaḥ aham — I am the greatest and most elevated person iti — thus ayuta — ten thousand mahā-gaja — of big elephants balam — the strength ātmānam — himself abhimanyamānaḥ — being full of pride katthate — they say mada-andhaḥ — blinded by false prestige iva — like.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
athātale maya-putro ’suro balo nivasati yena ha vā iha sṛṣṭāḥ ṣaṇ-ṇavatir māyāḥ kāścanādyāpi māyāvino dhārayanti yasya ca jṛmbhamāṇasya mukhatas trayaḥ strī-gaṇā udapadyanta svairiṇyaḥ kāminyaḥ puṁścalya iti yā vai bilāyanaṁ praviṣṭaṁ puruṣaṁ rasena hāṭakākhyena sādhayitvā sva-vilāsāvalokanānurāga-smita-saṁlāpopagūhanādibhiḥ svairaṁ kila ramayanti yasminn upayukte puruṣa īśvaro ’haṁ siddho ’ham ity ayuta-mahā-gaja-balam ātmānam abhimanyamānaḥ katthate madāndha iva.
atha
now
atale
on the planet named Atala
maya-putraḥ asuraḥ
the demon son of Maya
balaḥ
Bala
nivasati
resides
yena
by whom
ha vā
indeed
iha
in this
sṛṣṭāḥ
propagated
ṣaṭ-ṇavatiḥ
ninety-six
māyāḥ
varieties of illusion
kāścana
some
adya api
even today
māyā-vinaḥ
those who know the art of magical feats (like manufacturing gold)
dhārayanti
utilize
yasya
of whom
ca
also
jṛmbhamāṇasya
while yawning
mukhataḥ
from the mouth
trayaḥ
three
strī-gaṇāḥ
varieties of women
udapadyanta
were generated
svairiṇyaḥ
svairiṇī (one who only marries in her same class)
kāminyaḥ
kāmiṇī (one who, being lusty, marries men from any group)
puṁścalyaḥ
puṁścalī (one who wants to go from one husband to another)
iti
thus
yāḥ
who
vai
certainly
bila-ayanam
the subterranean planets
praviṣṭam
entering
puruṣam
a male
rasena
by a juice
hāṭaka-ākhyena
made from an intoxicating herb known as hāṭaka
sādhayitvā
making sexually fit
sva-vilāsa
for their personal sense gratification
avalokana
by glances
anurāga
lustful
smita
by smiling
saṁlāpa
by talking
upagūhana-ādibhiḥ
and by embracing
svairam
according to their own desire
kila
indeed
ramayanti
enjoy sex pleasure
yasmin
which
upayukte
when used
puruṣaḥ
a man
īśvaraḥ aham
I am the most powerful person
siddhaḥ aham
I am the greatest and most elevated person
iti
thus
ayuta
ten thousand
mahā-gaja
of big elephants
balam
the strength
ātmānam
himself
abhimanyamānaḥ
being full of pride
katthate
they say
mada-andhaḥ
blinded by false prestige
iva
like.
My dear King, now I shall describe to you the lower planetary systems, one by one, beginning from Atala. In Atala there is a demon, the son of Maya Dānava named Bala, who created ninety-six kinds of mystic power. Some so-called yogīs and svāmīs take advantage of this mystic power to cheat people even today. Simply by yawning, the demon Bala created three kinds of women, known as svairiṇī, kāmiṇī and puṁścalī. The svairiṇīs like to marry men from their own group, the kāmiṇīs marry men from any group, and the puṁścalīs change husbands one after another. If a man enters the planet of Atala, these women immediately capture him and induce him to drink an intoxicating beverage made with a drug known as hāṭaka [cannabis indica]. This intoxicant endows the man with great sexual prowess, of which the women take advantage for enjoyment. A woman will enchant him with attractive glances, intimate words, smiles of love and then embraces. In this way she induces him to enjoy sex with her to her full satisfaction. Because of his increased sexual power, the man thinks himself stronger than ten thousand elephants and considers himself most perfect. Indeed, illusioned and intoxicated by false pride, he thinks himself God, ignoring impending death.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
In Atala there is a demon, the son of Maya Dānava named Bala, who created ninety-six kinds of mystic power. Some people hold some of these powers even today. Simply by yawning, the demon Bala created three kinds of women, known as svairiṇī, kāmiṇī and puṁścalī. When a man enters their houses, these women make him fit with hāṭaka, and enjoy with him by embraces, talking, attractive smiles and playful glances. Drinking this beverage, the man, thinking he has the strength of ten thousand elephants, as if blind with intoxication, boasts “I am God, and am perfect.” Those women who enjoy in their own caste are called svariṇī. Those who enjoy outside their caste are called kāminī. Those who are very fickle in enjoying are called puṁścalī. Bilāyanam means their houses which are like holes. They make him fit for sex enjoyment by the beverage. When he drinks that beverage (yasmin upayukte), he feels as strong as ten thousand elephants.
Bala created ninety-six kinds of mystic power that cheaters still use today to deceive people. Spiritual deception is ancient and refined. Stay sharp — impressive powers do not equal authentic teaching.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have I been impressed by someone's powers without checking the integrity of their teaching?
  • What criteria do I use to distinguish real teachers from skillful frauds?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 24