Atala

Atala · a-tala

Atala is one of the seven lokas below the earth, the adholokas or pātālas. The Bhavishya Purāṇa names it in each of its lists of the seven.

In the Brahma Parva

Sumantu Muni tells King Śatānīka of the lokas below the earth. The seven adholokas as first given are Tala, Sutala, Pātāla, Talātala, Atala, Vītala and Rasātala. A bracket in the print gives them in another order: Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talātala, Rasātala, Mahātala and Pātāla.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 126

In the Madhyama Parva

In the account of creation and the seven upper and seven lower lokas, the seven pātālas are named as Pātāla, Vitala, Atala, Tala, Talātala, Sutala and Rasātala. Below them lie the narakas beginning with Raurava, and below the pātālas is the Vaishṇavī body named Śesha.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 1, Chapters 2–3

In the Uttara Parva

Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa tells Yudhishṭhira of the seven pātāla lokas: Atala, Mahātala, Bhūmitala, Sutala, Vitala, Rasātala and Talāvala. In them live dānavas such as Hiraṇyāksha and nāgas such as Vāsuki, and Siddhas and ṛshis also live there.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 2

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 126; Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 1, Chapters 2–3; Uttara Parva, Chapter 2