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[468] In the *Prajñāpanā Sūtra*, it is stated that when a being in the *Pātāla Kalasa* (a hell) dies due to the exhaustion of its lifespan, it is reborn as a fish in the second or third division of the *Pātāla Kalasa*, after penetrating the thousand-yojana thick wall of the *Pātāla Kalasa*. At that time, the *taijas-śarīra-avagāhanā* (the extent of the subtle body) of that hell-being, due to the *māraṇāntika-samudghāta* (the violent death), is slightly more than a thousand yojanas.
The *taijas-śarīra-avagāhanā* of a human being is said to be from the *samaya-kṣetra* (the time-field) to the *loka-anta* (the end of the world). This means that the *taijas-śarīra-avagāhanā* of a human being should be understood to be from the human realm to the extreme end of the lower realms or the extreme end of the upper realms, because it is possible for a human being to be born in an *eka-indriya* (a being with one sense organ).
The implication is that the birth or death of a human being is not possible outside the *samaya-kṣetra*. Therefore, their *taijas-śarīra-avagāhanā* cannot be greater than this. It is called the *samaya-kṣetra* because this region, which is the size of two and a half *dvīpa* (continents), is the dominant region of time due to the movement of the sun and other celestial bodies.
The *taijas-śarīra-avagāhanā* of the gods from the *Vānavyantara* (a heaven) to the *Saudharmā Iśāna* (a heaven) is said to be from an infinitesimal part of a finger in length to the extreme end of the third hell-earth below, diagonally to the outer edge of the *Svayambhūramaṇa* ocean, and upwards to the *Īṣat-prāg-bhāra* earth.
This means that all the *bhavana-pati* (lords of the mansions), *vyantara* (intermediate gods), *jyotiṣka* (celestial beings), and *Saudharmā-Iśāna* gods are also born in *eka-indriya* realms. When they die, they are reborn as earth-bodied beings in their nearby ornaments, such as their *keyūra* (armlets), *kuṇḍala* (earrings), or *padmarāga* (ruby) gems, while they are still infatuated and unconscious in those ornaments. At that time, the *taijas-śarīra-avagāhanā* of those gods is an infinitesimal part of a finger.
When a *bhavana-pati* or other god goes to the extreme end of the third hell-earth for some purpose and dies there due to the exhaustion of their lifespan, they are reborn as an earth-bodied being in the outer edge of the *Svayambhūramaṇa* ocean or in the region of the *Īṣat-prāg-bhāra* earth. At that time, their *taijas-śarīra-avagāhanā* is from the extreme end of the third hell-earth below, to the outer edge of the *Svayambhūramaṇa* ocean in the middle, and upwards to the region of the *Īṣat-prāg-bhāra* earth.
The *taijas-śarīra-avagāhanā* of the *Sanatkumāra* and other gods is as follows: The *Sanatkumāra* and other gods are not born in *eka-indriya* or *vikala-indriya* (imperfect sense organ) realms due to their nature. They are born only in *pañcendriya* (five sense organ) realms or as human beings. Therefore, when they die while bathing in the *mandara* mountain's pond, they are reborn as fish in the nearby region. At that time, the *taijas-śarīra-avagāhanā* of their subtle body is an infinitesimal part of a finger.
If a *Sanatkumāra* or other god goes to the *Acyutakalpa* (a heaven) at the invitation of another god and dies there due to the exhaustion of their lifespan, they are reborn in the region of the *Svayambhūramaṇa* ocean or in the second or third division of the *Pātāla Kalasa*.
1. *Prajñāpanā*. *Malayavṛtti*, pages 427 to 429.
2. Ibid., page 429.