THE EIGHTH BOOK Chapter XIX On the narrative of the Atala and other underworlds 1-32. Nārāyaṇa said: O Vipra! In the first beautiful region Atala, the exceedingly haughty son of the Dānava Māyā, named Bala, is living. He has created the ninety-six Māyās. All the requisites of the inhabitants are obtained by them. The other Māyāvis know one or two

THE EIGHTH BOOK Chapter XX On the narrative of the Talātala 1-37. Nārāyaṇa said: O Nārada! The cave lower down than Sutala is Talātala! The Lord of Tripura, (the three cities) the great Māyā Dānava is the Ruler of this region. Mahēśvara, the Doer of good to the three Bhuvanas, burnt his three cities; but at last, being pleased with

THE EIGHTH BOOK Chapter XXI On the narrative of hells 1-9. Nārāyaṇa said: O Devarṣi! Sanātana, the son of Brahmā, recites thus in the assembly of the Devas, the glories of the Bhagavān Ananta Deva, and worships Him, thus How can one of ordinary sight and understanding grasp the real nature of Brahmā, Whose mere Glance enables the Prākriti work

THE EIGHTH BOOK Chapter XXII On the narrative of the sins leading to hells 1. Nārada said: “O Everlasting One! O Muni! Now describe the various actions that lead to these tormenting hells. I like to hear about them in detail.” 2-52. Nārāyaṇa said: O Devarṣi! He who steals other’s sons, wives, and riches, the wicked fellow is taken to

THE EIGHTH BOOK Chapter XXIII On the description of the remaining hells 1-31. Nārāyaṇa said: O Nārada! When persons, impelled by sinful motives, always speak false at the time of giving evidence or at the time of taking or giving money, they, after their death, go to the terrible hell, named Avīchi. There, from the summit of a mountain, one

THE EIGHTH BOOK Chapter XXIV On the worship of the Devī 1-2. Nārada said: “O Bhagavān! Of what sort is the Dharma, i.e., the worship of the Devī? In what way shall we worship Her, so that She gives us the Highest Place? What are the methods and forms of Her Worship? Where and when shall we worship Her, so

THE NINTH BOOK Chapter I On the description of Prākriti 1. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: This (Highest) Prākriti is recognised as five-fold. When She is engaged in the work of Creation, She appears as (1) Durgā , the Mother of Ganeśa, (2) Rādhā , (3) Lakṣmī , (4) Saraswat ī and (5) S āvitr ī . 2-3. Nārada replied: O Thou,

THE NINTH BOOK Chapter II On the origin of Prakriti and Puruṣa 1-4. Nārada said: O Lord! I have heard all that you said in brief about the Prakriti Devī. Now describe in detail. Why the Mūla Prakriti Ādya Śaktī (the Prime Force) was created at the beginning before the creation of this world of five elements. How did She,

THE NINTH BOOK Chapter III On the origin of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa and others 1-34. Nārāyaṇa said:- “O Devarṣi! The egg (born of Mūla Prakriti) that was floating in the waters for a period equal to the life period of Brahmā, now in the fullness of time separated into two parts. Within that egg there was a powerful Child, lustrous