Patala- Hindu LocationLocation · Realm"The Netherworld"

The Realms Below

Seven subterranean levels descend beneath the earth's surface, each spanning ten thousand yojanas. This is Patala, and it is no place of punishment. The Vishnu Purana declares it more splendid than Svarga itself, illuminated not by sun or moon but by the Nagamani, wish-fulfilling jewels that blaze on the hoods of its serpent inhabitants. Palaces of diamond and crystal line its depths. Gardens bloom with flowers unknown on the surface.

In Vitala, the second level, Shiva dwells in his form as Hatakesvara. The river Hataki flows through this realm, its waters mingling with fire to produce a gold called Hataka that adorns every surface. In Sutala, the third level, the Daitya king Bali rules with a distinction no other subterranean lord can claim: Vishnu himself stands guard at his gate. Bali had ruled all three worlds with such generosity that even the gods could not fault his virtue, only his growing power. Vishnu, as the dwarf Vamana, covered the cosmos in three strides and pushed Bali into the netherworld, then honored his righteousness by becoming his doorkeeper.

The deepest level belongs to the great Naga kings: Vasuki, Takshaka, and their kin. Here the Nagamani jewels burn brightest and the serpent courts hold sway. Yet even these lords live under a shadow. Garuda, Vishnu's eagle mount, is the serpents' eternal predator, and the many-hooded Nagas of the middle depths dwell in perpetual fear of him.

Krishna and Kaliya

The Naga king Kaliya had poisoned the waters of the Yamuna River near Vrindavan. His venom killed birds that flew over its surface and cattle that drank from its banks. The young Krishna leapt into the blackened river, found the serpent in his underwater lair, and danced upon Kaliya's multiple hoods until the Naga submitted. Rather than killing him, Krishna permitted Kaliya to retreat with his family to Patala, the Nagas' rightful dwelling beneath the earth.

Arjuna Below the Waters

During the Pandavas' years of exile, Arjuna descended to the Naga realm beneath the waters. There he married Ulupi, a Naga princess. Their son Iravan fought and died in the Kurukshetra war. Through marriage and war, the serpent world and the surface world were bound together, and the blood of Naga kings flowed in the veins of heroes.