SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 5

(1) The king said: 'O great saint, from where rose the variegated forms of living in the different worlds?

(2) The sage said: 'Because of the varying degrees of belief of the ones engaged with the three modes of material nature, became so the complete of the resulting diversity of destinations possible. (3) Now, of the impiety of what we know as forbidden actions will there accordingly no doubt, depending the difference of faith of the performer, be a different consequence to the karmic action; let me explain to you about the extend of the thousands of hellish conditions typical for the ones of desire who from time immemorial out of ignorance indeed in so many different ways were out for their advantage.'

(4) The king said: 'What one calls hell out here, my lord, is that a particular place on earth or is that outside of the worlds we know, or somewhere in between?'

(5) The rishi said: 'It is found between the three worlds towards the lower region, beneath the earth; somewhere above the causal waters live they, the forefathers headed by Agnishvāttā, who, in the directing of their own families, with great absorption in the truth are longing for the blessings. (6) It is there that their ruler, the son of the Sungod [Yamarāja] has his kingdom; the dead brought there by his people are according the weight of their karmic faults subjected to punishments that are executed by him who with his followers is never in transgression with the Supreme Lord. (7) Some are sure to count there twenty-one hells, o King, of which the names, forms and characteristics, I thus, one after another outlining them, will recount to you. There are: Tāmisra, Andhatāmisra, Raurava, Mahāraurava, Kumbhīpāka, Kālasūtra, Asipatrāvana, Sūkaramukha, Andhakūpa, Krimibhojana, Sandams'a, Taptasūrmi, Vajrakanthaka-s'ālmalī, Vaitaranī, Pūyoda, Prānarodha, Vis'asana, Lālābhaksha, Sārameyādana, Avīci, Ayahpāna, and some more like Kshārakardama, Rakshogana-bhojana, S'ūlaprota, Dandas'ūka, Avatha-nirodhana, Paryāvartana and Sūcīmukha. These twenty-eight hells are the different places of requital.

(8) There is the person who, but having taken the money, the wife or another man's children away, is sure, by the most terrible men of death, to be bound with the ropes of time and by force to be thrown into the hell of Tāmisra ['the darkness'] where he has to starve, crave for water, is beaten up with sticks and is scolded at; the living entity by the severe punishments received there loses at times his consciousness having landed in that most dark condition. (9) Sure so too is there Andhatāmisra where he, who but cheats another man to enjoy his wife and children, by his life forcibly is thrown into; by suffering always the utmost misery has he, being lost in losing his sense and sight, become much like a tree cut down by the roots, the reason for which one speaks of Andhatāmisra [the 'blind of darkness']. (10) The one who in his life here considers his body either to be his self or his own and who so, envious of others selfish, day after day labors to support his own family only, such a person will, giving up on this world, for sure of that sin see himself fall down in Raurava. (11) The beings who in this life were harmed by him, who in the afterlife is being subjected to the miseries of restraint, turn into savage creatures indeed that to the same extend hurt him; because of these savage creatures [called rurus], that are more vicious than snakes, do the scholars thus speak of the name Raurava [which also refers to the fearful, the unsteady and the dishonest]. (12) So is there the certainty of Mahāraurava [ the 'great beast'] wherein a person, who is only intent upon maintaining his body, is thrown to be killed and eaten by the ruru animals named kravyāda. (13) But a person who in this life is either very cruel towards animals or cooks them alive is, condemned by even the most cruel hearted man-eaters, in his next life by the servants of Yamaraj thrown in Kumbhīpāka ['the hell of the cooking pot'] to be cooked in boiling oil himself. (14) But anyone out here who kills a brahmin, such a person will be forced into a hell named Kālasūtra ['the long course of time'] that with a circumference of ten-thousand yojanas and a surface of copper is heated by the sun and by fire from above and below. Internally plagued by hunger and thirst and externally being scorched does his body at times stay down, at times move its limbs; at times standing and at times running hither and thither, for the duration of as many thousands of years as there are hairs on the body of an animal. Do it yourself hell

(15) And anyone who in his life for no reason deviates from the path laid out for him in the Vedas resorting to a system of his own making, is forced into Asi-patravana ['the razor-sharp forest']. There he is beaten with a whip to make him, with that in mind, run in all directions having his body on both sides cut by the razor sharp edges of palm trees; he who killed his own religious principles will thus suffer the result of following an atheistic path and fall down at every step, to which he, having lost his bearings, in the greatest pain then thinks: 'Oh how lost I am!' (16) But anyone who in this life as a king or servant of the king inflicts punishment upon an innocent man or beats a brahmin's body, that most sinful one will in his afterlife fall down in the hell of Sūkaramukha ['hog's mouth']. There will the different parts of his body by the strong assistants be crushed as if it concerned sugarcane; just like someone innocently arrested to be punished, will he then, pitiably crying out loud, fully illusioned, at times be fainting. (17) Anyone though who in this life, like some creatures designed by the Creator which parasite unaware of the pain caused to others, himself causes pain in his survival while he very well knows what he does to others of God, will land in his afterlife in Andhakūpa ['the overgrown well']. Therein will that person indeed fall down according the evil he did to them, the respective entities, the animals, wild beasts, birds, snakes, mosquitos, lice, worms and flies and whatever others; just as the ones with their inferior body will he in the darkness be persecuted, hurt and disturbed by them everywhere and wander around not being able to find a place to rest. (18) Or anyone who in his life, without dividing it among others, eats whatever he obtained by the grace of God in neglect of the five forms of sacrifice [to the gods, the wise, the ancestors, the needy and the animals], is considered to be alike a crow; such a person will in his afterlife fall down into the most abominable hell of Krimibhojana ['to feed on worms'] where, landing in a hundred thousand yojanas wide lake full of worms, he as a worm himself may feed on and on his turn be eaten by the other worms for as many years as that lake is wide. Such is the pain that he, who without atonement eats food not shared and offered, gives himself. (19) Anyone indeed who without apparent reason in this life is of theft or violence, stealing gold, gems and so on from a brahmin or from others, that person, o King, will in his afterlife by the men of Yamarāja with red-hot iron balls and tongs have his skin torn to pieces [because of the tongs is that hell called Sandams'a]. (20) Or any person, both man or woman, who in this life approaches an unsuitable desirous one for sexual intercourse, will in his afterlife be beaten by whips and forced to embrace a very hot iron image to the form of a man being a woman or the form of a woman being a man [: Taptasūrmi, the hell of 'the red hot iron statue']. (21) Anyone who in this life indiscriminately has sexual intercourse, will in his afterlife be in the hell of Vajrakanthaka-s'ālmalī ['thunderbolt-thorn cotton tree'] where hung [on the thorns] he will be pulled down. (22) Or persons who in this life were truly of royalty or of the government, but despite of a high birth transgressed the boundaries of dharma, they having died fall down in Vaitaranī ['the river of impetuous passion']; having broken with the principles of rule do they suffer in that moat around hell being eating by ferocious animals in the stream here and there. Unable to relinquish the body and carried by the vitality of their sin are they then reminded of their bad deeds pained in the river of stool, urine, pus, blood, hair, nails, bones, marrow, flesh and fat. (23) But persons who in this life indeed as husbands to low class women lost their cleanliness, good behavior and regulated life, in shamelessly behaving like animals, they too will, having died, fall in an ocean full of pus, excrement, urine, mucus and saliva, only eating all that which is so extremely disgusting [: the Pūyoda hell of 'fetid waters']. (24) Those though affiliated to the brahminical, who in this life either keeping dogs or asses, take pleasure in hunting with them to kill animals in defiance of the rules, will after their death themselves become the targets of Yamarāja's men who will pierce them with arrows [the hell of Prānarodha, 'the suppression of breath']. (25) And people who in this life being so very proud of their wealth and position for their prestige in sacrifices kill animals, they will in the next world fall into the hell of Vis'asana ['the sleeplessness'], where the helpers of Yamarāja will make them suffer and will kill them. (26) But he who in this life as a high class person, deluded by his lusts causes the wife of the same caste to drink his semen, will of that sin in his next life be thrown into a river of semen and be forced to drink it himself [this is the hell of Lālābhaksha, 'to have semen for food']. (27) And persons who out here as real thieves of arson and poison plundered villages, as well as those of the mercantile class, the royalty and the government who as such belong to them, will for certain after they died, be devoured by the voracious sevenhundred-twenty mighty toothed dogs of the Yamadūtas [: the hell of Sārameyādana 'the dogs meal']. (28) He who also in this life speaks a lie or bears false witness in exchange for goods, in giving charity or in some other way, will after his death, head first, free fall been thrown into the hell of Avīcimat ['having no water'] from the top of a hundred yojana high mountain. There is the arid land of stone waves where he, with the body broken in pieces, does not die but is raised to the top to fall down again. (29) Or if a brahmin or his wife, or anyone under a vow, out of illusion in this life, drinks liquor, or when a learned one, a ruler or a trader drinks intoxicating beverages [soma-rasa], will they all, being brought to hell, by foot be stepped on their chest and have red-hot molten iron poured into their mouths [: the hell of Ayahpāna, 'iron-drink'].

(30) Furthermore, anyone also who in this life but by false pride proved himself degraded before a more honorable one of good birth, austerity, knowledge, good behavior and loyalty to the principles, in not showing much of respect, is a dead man alive who after dying head down is thrown into the hell of Kshārakardama [the 'pool of acrid mud'] to suffer there the most painful conditions. (31) And persons who in this life as men and women sacrificed other people in worship [of Kālī] to eat them afterwards, those killers will like animals be slain in the abode of Yamarāja by punishing rākshasas just like them who cut them with swords to pieces, drink their blood and dance and sing thereto in delight just like they as man-eaters themselves did in the world [the hell called Rakshogana-bhojana, 'to be the food of the devil']. (32) Persons though who out here allured innocent creatures seeking shelter in the forest or the village, making them believe to be safe, but instead gave them pain fixing them like a plaything on a lance or a leash, those people are certain after their death to have their own bodies be fixed likewise and, overwhelmed by hunger and thirst and such, to be tortured by sharp beaked birds like herons and vultures, so that they may remember the sins they committed [the hell of S'ūlaprota, 'pierced on the lance']. (33) Those men of an angry nature, who in this life actually caused unnecessary pain to others, they too will after their death fall down in a hell called Dandas'ūka ['the cudgel in return'] where, o King, five- and seven hooded serpents raise to eat them just like mice. (34) Or, people who in this life either in a blind well, in granaries or in caves, confine living beings, will likewise in the next life for sure be forced to enter the same places to be confined there with poisonous fumes, fire and smoke [the hell called Avatha-nirodhana, 'to be thrown in the dark']. (35) But a person who this life as a householder repeatedly receiving guests or visitors, gave them a sinful look of anger as if to burn them with his eyes, he for sure lands in the hell of those with a sinful vision where one's eyes violently by the powerful beaks of herons, vultures and crows are plucked out [the hell of Paryāvartana, 'the eyes plucked']. (36) The egotistical ones whose vision is crooked, who are full of suspicion towards all and whose heart and face by the thought of expenditure and loss have dried up, and who like ghosts protecting the wealth never find happiness, they too, after death will of the sinful acts to protect those riches and their increase of income, fall down in a hell called Sūcīmukha ['the pin-first'], where indeed the commanders of Yamarāja like expert weavers with thread and needle stitch the limbs of the body of the money grabbing ghost and great sinner.

(37) For all lacking in dharma as I mentioned and also for those I did not mention, are there, according the degree of sinfulness, all these sorts of hells to fall into. There are many hundreds and thousands of them in the realm of Yamarāja, o King; similarly are there elsewhere in this world for the ones of principle and piety new births to enter when the results of their piety or vice are exhausted [compare B.G. 4: 9 and 3.30: 29]. (38) The path of liberation I described to you in the beginning [cantos two and three]; there I showed how the Supreme Lord Nārāyana in the purāna sure could be as much as the universe that is like an egg divided in fourteen parts; I described the gross form of Him, consisting of His own energy and qualities, as directly the Great Person [the virāth-rūpa]. That person who venerating hears and reads or explains about that song of the Supreme Personality of the Supersoul will, although it is difficult to understand, by faith and devotion have his intelligence purified so that he may comprehend. (39) Hearing about the gross as well as the subtle form of the Supreme Lord, should the adept of transcendence lead the mind which is captivated by the gross form, thus in contemplation step by step to the subtle, the spiritual form. (40) Of this planet earth, have the different realms and regions, the rivers, the mountains, the sky, the oceans and the direction and situations of the lower worlds, the hellish worlds and the higher worlds above by me been described to you, o King; how wonderful this gross body of the Supreme Controller is where the whole mass of living entities reposes!'

The King said: 'O great saint, from where rose the variegated forms of living in the different worlds?'

The king said: 'O great saint, from where came the variegated of living in the different worlds?' (Vedabase)

Text 2

The sage said: 'Because of the varying degrees of belief of the ones engaged with the three modes of material nature, became so the complete of the resulting diversity of destinations possible.

The sage said: 'Because of the varying degrees of belief of the ones engaged with the three modes of material nature became so the complete of the resulting diversity of destinations possible. (Vedabase)

Text 3

Now, of the impiety of what we know as forbidden actions will there accordingly no doubt, depending the difference of faith of the performer, be a different consequence to the karmic action; let me explain to you about the extend of the thousands of hellish conditions typical for the ones of desire who from time immemorial out of ignorance indeed in so many different ways were out for their advantage.'

Now, of the impiety of what we know as forbidden actions will there accordingly no doubt, depending the different faith of the performer, be a different consequence to the karmic action; let me explain you about the extend of the thousands of hellish conditions typical for the ones of desire who from time immemorial out of ignorance indeed in so many different ways were out for their advantage.' (Vedabase)

Text 4

The king said: 'What one calls hell out here, my lord, is that a particular place on earth or is that outside of the worlds we know, or somewhere in between?'

The king said: 'What one calls hell out here, my Lord, is that a particular place on earth or is that outside of the worlds we know, or somewhere in between?' (Vedabase)

Text 5

The rishi said: 'It is found between the three worlds towards the lower region, beneath the earth; somewhere above the causal waters live they, the forefathers headed by Agnishvāttā, who, in the directing of their own families, with great absorption in the truth are longing for the blessings.

The rishi said: 'It is certainly found between the three worlds towards the lower region, beneath the earth; somewhere above the causal waters live they, the forefathers headed by Agnishvāttā, who in the directing of their own families with great absorption in the truth for sure are longing for the blessings. (Vedabase)

Text 6

It is there that their ruler, the son of the Sungod [Yamarāja] has his kingdom; the dead brought there by his people are according the weight of their karmic faults subjected to punishments that are executed by him who with his followers is never in transgression with the Supreme Lord.

It is there that their ruler, the son of the Sungod [Yamarāja] has his kingdom; the dead brought there by his people are according the weight of their karmic faults subjected to punishments that are executed by him who with his followers is never in transgression with the Supreme Lord. (Vedabase)

Text 7

Some are sure to count there twenty-one hells, o King, of which the names, forms and characteristics, I thus, one after another outlining them, will recount to you. There are: Tāmisra, Andhatāmisra, Raurava, Mahāraurava, Kumbhīpāka, Kālasūtra, Asipatrāvana, Sūkaramukha, Andhakūpa, Krimibhojana, Sandams'a, Taptasūrmi, Vajrakanthaka-s'ālmalī, Vaitaranī, Pūyoda, Prānarodha, Vis'asana, Lālābhaksha, Sārameyādana, Avīci, Ayahpāna, and some more like Kshārakardama, Rakshogana-bhojana, S'ūlaprota, Dandas'ūka, Avatha-nirodhana, Paryāvartana and Sūcīmukha. These twenty-eight hells are the different places of requital.

Some are sure to count there to be twenty-one hells, o King, of which the names, forms and characteristics, I thus, one after another outlining them, will recount to you. There are: Tāmisra, Andhatāmisra, Raurava, Mahāraurava, Kumbhīpāka, Kālasūtra, Asipatrāvana, Sūkaramukha, Andhakūpa, Krimibhojana, Sandams'a, Taptasūrmi, Vajrakanthaka-s'ālmalī, Vaitaranī, Pūyoda, Prānarodha, Vis'asana, Lālābhaksha, Sārameyādana, Avīci, Ayahpāna, and some more like Kshārakardama, Rakshogana-bhojana, S'ūlaprota, Dandas'ūka, Avatha-nirodhana, Paryāvartana and Sūcīmukha. These twenty-eight hells are the different places of requital. (Vedabase)

Text 8

There is the person who, but having taken the money, the wife or another man's children away, is sure, by the most terrible men of death, to be bound with the ropes of time and by force to be thrown into the hell of Tāmisra ['the darkness'] where he has to starve, crave for water, is beaten up with sticks and is scolded at; the living entity by the severe punishments received there loses at times his consciousness having landed in that most dark condition.

There is the person who, but having taken the money, the wife or another man's children away, is sure, by the most terrible men of death to be bound with the ropes of time and by force to be thrown into the hell of Tāmisra ['the darkness'] where he has to starve, crave for water, is beaten up with sticks and is scolded at; the living entity by the severe punishments received there certainly at times loses his consciousness having gotten into that most dark condition. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Sure so too is there Andhatāmisra where he, who but cheats another man to enjoy his wife and children, by his life forcibly is thrown into; by suffering always the utmost misery has he, being lost in losing his sense and sight, become much like a tree cut down by the roots, the reason for which one speaks of Andhatāmisra [the 'blind of darkness'].

Sure so too is there Andhatāmisra where he, who but cheats another man to enjoy his wife and children, by his life forcibly is thrown into; by suffering always the utmost misery has he, being lost in losing his sense and sight, become much like a tree cut down by the roots, the reason for which one speaks of Andhatāmisra [the 'blind of darkness']. (Vedabase)

Text 10

The one who in his life here considers his body either to be his self or his own and who so, envious of others selfish, day after day labors to support his own family only, such a person will, giving up on this world, for sure of that sin see himself fall down in Raurava.

The one who in his life here considers his body either to be his self or his own and who so, envious of others selfish, day after day works to support his own family only, such a person will, giving up on this world, for sure of that sin see himself fall down in Raurava. (Vedabase)

Text 11

The beings who in this life were harmed by him, who in the afterlife is being subjected to the miseries of restraint, turn into savage creatures indeed that to the same extend hurt him; because of these savage creatures [called rurus], that are more vicious than snakes, do the scholars thus speak of the name Raurava [which also refers to the fearful, the unsteady and the dishonest].

The beings who in this life were harmed by him, who in the afterlife is being subjected to the miseries of restraint, turn into savage creatures indeed that to the same extend hurt him; because of these savage creatures [called ruru's], that are more vicious than snakes, do the scholars thus speak of the name Raurava [which also refers to the fearful, the unsteady and the dishonest]. (Vedabase)

Text 12

So is there the certainty of Mahāraurava [ the 'great beast'] wherein a person, who is only intent upon maintaining his body, is thrown to be killed and eaten by the ruru animals named kravyāda.

So is there the certainty of Mahāraurava [ the 'great beast'] wherein a person, who is only intent upon maintaining his body, is thrown to be killed and eaten by the ruru-animals named kravyāda. (Vedabase)

Text 13

But a person who in this life is either very cruel towards animals or cooks them alive is, condemned by even the most cruel hearted man-eaters, in his next life by the servants of Yamaraj thrown in Kumbhīpāka ['the hell of the cooking pot'] to be cooked in boiling oil himself .

But a person who in this life is either very cruel towards animals or cooks them alive is, condemned by even the most cruel hearted man-eaters, in his next life by the servants of Yamaraj thrown in Kumbhīpāka ['the hell of the cooking pot'] to be cooked in boiling oil himself. (Vedabase)

Text 14

But anyone out here who kills a brahmin, such a person will be forced into a hell named Kālasūtra ['the long course of time'] that with a circumference of ten-thousand yojanas and a surface of copper is heated by the sun and by fire from above and below. Internally plagued by hunger and thirst and externally being scorched does his body at times stay down, at times move its limbs; at times standing and at times running hither and thither, for the duration of as many thousands of years as there are hairs on the body of an animal.

But anyone out here who kills a brahmin, such a person will be forced into a hell named Kālasūtra ['the long course of time'] that with a circumference of ten-thousand yojanas and a surface of copper is heated by the sun and by fire from above and below. Internally plagued by hunger and thirst and externally being scorched does his body at times stay down, at times move its limbs; at times standing and at times running here and there, for the duration of as many thousands of years as there are hairs on the body of an animāl. (Vedabase)

Text 15

And anyone who in his life for no reason deviates from the path laid out for him in the Vedas by resorting to a system of his own making, is forced into Asi-patravana ['the razor-sharp forest']. There he is beaten with a whip to make him, with that in mind, run in all directions having his body on both sides cut by the razor sharp edges of palm trees; he who killed his own religious principles will thus suffer the result of following an atheistic path and fall down at every step, to which he, having lost his bearings, in the greatest pain then thinks: 'Oh how lost I am!'

And anyone who in his life for no reason deviates from the path laid out for him in the Vedas resorting to a system of his own making, is forced into Asi-patravana ['the razor-sharp forest'] where he is beaten with a whip so that sure of that he runs hither and tither having his body on both sides cut by the razor sharp edges of palm trees; he who killed his own religious principles will thus suffer the result of following an atheistic path and, in the greatest pain thinking 'Oh how lost I am!', fall down at every step having lost consciousness. (Vedabase)

Text 16

But anyone who in this life as a king or servant of the king inflicts punishment upon an innocent man or beats a brahmin's body, that most sinful one will in his afterlife fall down in the hell of Sūkaramukha ['hog's mouth']. There will the different parts of his body by the strong assistants be crushed as if it concerned sugarcane; just like someone innocently arrested to be punished, will he then, pitiably crying out loud, fully illusioned, at times be fainting.

But anyone who in this life indeed as a king or servant of the king inflicts punishment upon an innocent man or beats a brahmin's body, that most sinful one will in his afterlife fall down in the hell of Sūkaramukha ['hog's mouth']. There will the different parts of his body by the strong assistants be crushed as if it concerned sugarcane; for sure just like the innocent one taken in for punishment will he then pitiably crying it out, become illusioned, at times fainting. (Vedabase)

Text 17

Anyone though who in this life, like some creatures designed by the Creator which parasite unaware of the pain caused to others, himself causes pain in his survival while he very well knows what he does to others of God, will land in his afterlife in Andhakūpa ['the overgrown well']. Therein will that person indeed fall down according the evil he did to them, the respective entities, the animals, wild beasts, birds, snakes, mosquitos, lice, worms and flies and whatever others; just as the ones with their inferior body will he in the darkness be persecuted, hurt and disturbed by them everywhere and wander around not being able to find a place to rest.

Anyone though, who in this life indeed towards some creatures designed by the Creator which unaware of the pain of others parasite, himself causes pain in his survival very well knowing what he does to others of God, such a person lands in his afterlife in Andhakūpa ['the overgrown well']. Therein will that person indeed fall down according the malice he did to them, the respective entities, the animals, wild beasts, birds, snakes, mosquito's, lice, worms and flies and whatever others; just as the ones with their inferior body will he in the darkness be persecuted, hurt and disturbed by them everywhere and wander around not being able to find a place to rest. (Vedabase)

Text 18

Or anyone who in his life, without dividing it among others, eats whatever he obtained by the grace of God in neglect of the five forms of sacrifice [to the gods, the wise, the ancestors, the needy and the animals], is considered to be alike a crow; such a person will in his afterlife fall down into the most abominable hell of Krimibhojana ['to feed on worms'] where, landing in a hundred thousand yojanas wide lake full of worms, he as a worm himself may feed on and on his turn be eaten by the other worms for as many years as that lake is wide. Such is the pain that he, who without atonement eats food not shared and offered, gives himself.

Or anyone who in his life without dividing it, eats whatever he obtained by the grace of God, without the five forms of sacrifice [to the gods, the wise, the ancestors, the needy and the animals], is considered to be alike a crow; such a person will in his afterlife fall down into the most abominable hell of Krimibhojana ['to feed on worms'] where, landing in a hundred thousand yojanas wide lake full of worms, he as a worm himself is sure to feed on and on his turn is eaten by the other worms for as many years as that lake is wide. Such is the pain that he, who without atonement eats food not shared and offered, gives himself. (Vedabase)

Text 19

Anyone indeed who without apparent reason in this life is of theft or violence, stealing gold, gems and so on from a brahmin or from others, that person, o King, will in his afterlife by the men of Yamarāja with red-hot iron balls and tongs have his skin torn to pieces [because of the tongs is that hell called Sandams'a].

Anyone indeed who without apparent reason in this life is of theft or violence, stealing gold, gems and so on from a brahmin or from others, that person, o King, will in his afterlife by the men of Yamarāja with red-hot iron balls and tongs have his skin torn to pieces [because of the tongs is that hell called Sandams'a]. (Vedabase)

Text 20

Or any person, both man or woman, who in this life approaches an unsuitable desirous one for sexual intercourse, will in his afterlife be beaten by whips and forced to embrace a very hot iron image to the form of a man being a woman or the form of a woman being a man [: Taptasūrmi, the hell of 'the red hot iron statue'].

Or any person, both man or woman, who in this life approaches an unsuitable desirous one for sexual intercourse will in his afterlife be beaten by whips and forced to embrace a very hot iron image to the form of a man being a woman or the form of a woman being a man. [: Taptasūrmi, the hell of 'the red hot iron statue']. (Vedabase)

Text 21

Anyone who in this life indiscriminately has sexual intercourse, will in his afterlife be in the hell of Vajrakanthaka-s'ālmalī ['thunderbolt-thorn cotton tree'] where hung [on the thorns] he will be pulled down.

Anyone who in this life verily indiscriminately has sexual intercourse; he will in his afterlife be in the hell of Vajrakanthaka-s'ālmalī ['thunderbolt-thorn cotton tree'] where hung [on the thorns] he will be pulled down. (Vedabase)

Text 22

Or persons who in this life were truly of royalty or of the government, but despite of a high birth transgressed the boundaries of dharma, they having died fall down in Vaitaranī ['the river of impetuous passion']; having broken with the principles of rule do they suffer in that moat around hell being eating by ferocious animals in the stream here and there. Unable to relinquish the body and carried by the vitality of their sin are they then reminded of their bad deeds pained in the river of stool, urine, pus, blood, hair, nails, bones, marrow, flesh and fat.

Or persons who in this life were truly of royalty or of the government, but despite of high birth transgressed the boundaries of dharma, they having died fall down in Vaitaranī ['the river of impetuous passion']; having broken with the principles of rule do they suffer in that moat around hell being eating by ferocious animals in the stream here and there. Unable to separate from the body and carried by the vitality of their sin are they then reminded of their bad deeds pained in the river of stool, urine, pus, blood, hair, nails, bones, marrow, flesh and fat. (Vedabase)

Text 23

But persons who in this life indeed as husbands to low class women lost their cleanliness, good behavior and regulated life, in shamelessly behaving like animals, they too will, having died, fall in an ocean full of pus, excrement, urine, mucus and saliva, only eating all that which is so extremely disgusting [: the Pūyoda hell of 'fetid waters'] .

But persons who in this life indeed as husbands to low class women lost their cleanliness, good behavior and regulated life, shamelessly behaving like animals, they too indeed will, having died, fall in an ocean full of pus, excrement, urine, mucus and saliva, only eating all that which is so extremely disgusting [: the Pūyoda hell of 'fetid waters']. (Vedabase)

Text 24

Those though affiliated to the brahminical, who in this life either keeping dogs or asses, take pleasure in hunting with them to kill animals in defiance of the rules, will after their death themselves become the targets of Yamarāja's men who will pierce them with arrows [the hell of Prānarodha, 'the suppression of breath'].

Those though affiliated to the brahminical, who in this life either keeping dogs or asses, take pleasure in hunting, in offense with the rules indeed killing those animals, will after their death themselves become the targets of Yamarāja's men who will pierce them with arrows [the hell of Prānarodha, 'the suppression of breath']. (Vedabase)

Text 25

And people who in this life being so very proud of their wealth and position for their prestige in sacrifices kill animals, they will in the next world fall into the hell of Vis'asana ['the sleeplessness'], where the helpers of Yamarāja will make them suffer and will kill them.

And people who in this life being so very proud of their wealth and position for their prestige in sacrifices kill animals, they will in the next world fall into the hell of Vis'asana ['the sleeplessness'], where the helpers of Yamarāja making them suffer will kill them. (Vedabase)

Text 26

But he who in this life as a high class person, deluded by his lusts causes the wife of the same caste to drink his semen, will of that sin in his next life be thrown into a river of semen and be forced to drink it himself [this is the hell of Lālābhaksha, 'to have semen for food'].

But he who in this life indeed as a high class person, deluded by his lusts causes the wife of the same caste to drink his semen, he of that sin will his next life, being thrown into a river of semen and be forced to drink it himself [this is the hell of Lālābhaksha, 'to have semen for food']. (Vedabase)

Text 27

And persons who out here as real thieves of arson and poison plundered villages, as well as those of the mercantile class, the royalty and the government who as such belong to them, will for certain after they died, be devoured by the voracious sevenhundred-twenty mighty toothed dogs of the Yamadūtas [: the hell of Sārameyādana 'the dogs meal'].

And persons who out here were real thieves of arson and poison plundering villages and the mercantile class, the royalty and the government or those who are so even belonging to them, they will for certain having died, be devoured by the voracious sevenhundred and twenty mighty toothed dogs of the Yamadūtas [: the hell of Sārameyādana 'the dogs meal']. (Vedabase)

Text 28

He who also in this life speaks a lie or bears false witness in exchange for goods, in giving charity or in some other way, will after his death, head first, free fall been thrown into the hell of Avīcimat ['having no water'] from the top of a hundred yojana high mountain. There is the arid land of stone waves where he, with the body broken in pieces, does not die but is raised to the top to fall down again.

He who also in this life speaks a lie or bears false witness in exchange for goods, in giving charity or in some other way, that person indeed after dying will, head first, free fall been thrown into the hell of Avīcimat ['having no water'] from the top of hundred yojana high mountain. There is the land that appears like water, of stone and arid; with the body broken in pieces he does not die but is raised to the top to fall down again. (Vedabase)

Text 29

Or if a brahmin or his wife, or anyone under a vow, out of illusion in this life, drinks liquor, or when a learned one, a ruler or a trader drinks intoxicating beverages [soma-rasa], will they all, being brought to hell, by foot be stepped on their chest and have red-hot molten iron poured into their mouths [: the hell of Ayahpāna, 'iron-drink'].

Or anyone or his wife who out of illusion in his life indeed, verily under the vow as a learned one, a ruler or a trader, drinks intoxicating beverages [soma-rasa] or drinks liquor, they all, being brought to hell, will by foot stepped on their chest have red-hot molten iron poured into their mouths [: the hell of Ayahpāna, 'iron-drink']. (Vedabase)

Text 30

Furthermore, anyone also who in this life but by false pride proved himself degraded before a more honorable one of good birth, austerity, knowledge, good behavior and loyalty to the principles, in not showing much of respect, is a dead man alive who after dying head down is thrown into the hell of Kshārakardama [the 'pool of acrid mud'] to suffer there the most painful conditions.

Furthermore, anyone also who in his life but by false pride proved himself degraded before a more honorable one of good birth, austerity, knowledge, good behavior and loyalty to the principles, not showing much of respect, is a dead man alive who after dying head down is thrown into the hell of Kshārakardama [the 'pool of acrid mud'] to suffer indeed the most painful conditions. (Vedabase)

Text 31

And persons who in this life as men and women sacrificed other people in worship [of Kālī] to eat them afterwards, those killers will like animals be slain in the abode of Yamarāja by punishing rākshasas just like them who cut them with swords to pieces, drink their blood and dance and sing thereto in delight just like they as man-eaters themselves did in the world [the hell called Rakshogana-bhojana, 'to be the food of the devil'].

And persons who in this life veritably were men that sacrificed other men in worship [of Kālī] or women that used men for sacrifice eating them, those killers will like animals be slain in the abode of Yamaraj, punished by the rākshasas alike them who cut them with swords to pieces, drink their blood and dance and sing thereto in delight just like they as man-eaters themselves did in the world [the hell called Rakshogana-bhojana, 'to be the food of the devil']. (Vedabase)

Text 32

Persons though who out here allured innocent creatures seeking shelter in the forest or the village, making them believe to be safe, but instead gave them pain fixing them like a plaything on a lance or a leash, those people are certain after their death to have their own bodies be fixed likewise and, overwhelmed by hunger and thirst and such, to be tortured by sharp beaked birds like herons and vultures, so that they may remember the sins they committed [the hell of S'ūlaprota, 'pierced on the peak'].

Persons though who out here brought near innocent creatures seeking shelter in the forest or the village, making them believe to be safe, but giving them pain fixing them like a plaything on a lance or a leash, those people are certain after their death to have their own bodies be fixed likewise and, overwhelmed by hunger and thirst and such, to be tortured by sharp beaked birds like herons and vultures, so that they may remember the sins they committed [the hell of S'ūlaprota, 'pierced on the lance']. (Vedabase)

Text 33

Those men of an angry nature, who in this life actually caused unnecessary pain to others, they too will after their death fall down in a hell called Dandas'ūka ['the cudgel in return'] where, o King, five- and seven hooded serpents raise to eat them just like mice.

Those men of an angry nature, who in this life actually caused unnecessary pain to others, they too will after dying fall down in a hell called Dandas'ūka ['the cudgel in return'] where, o King, five- and seven hooded serpents raise to eat them just like mice. (Vedabase)

Text 34

Or, people who in this life either in a blind well, in granaries or in caves, confine living beings, will likewise in the next life for sure be forced to enter the same places to be confined there with poisonous fumes, fire and smoke [the hell called Avatha-nirodhana, 'to be thrown in the dark'].

Or, people who in this life either in a blind well, in granaries or in caves, confine living beings will likewise in the next life for sure be forced to enter the same places to be confined there with poisonous fumes, fire and smoke [the hell called Avatha-nirodhana, 'to be thrown in the dark']. (Vedabase)

Text 35

But a person who this life as a householder repeatedly receiving guests or visitors, gave them a sinful look of anger as if to burn them with his eyes, he for sure lands in the hell of those with a sinful vision where one's eyes violently by the powerful beaks of herons, vultures and crows are plucked out [the hell of Paryāvartana, 'the eyes plucked'].

But a person who this life as a householder repeatedly receiving guests or visitors, gave them a sinful look of anger as if to burn them with his eyes, he for sure lands in the hell of those with a sinful vision where one's eyes violently by the powerful beaks of herons, vultures and crows are plucked out [the hell of Paryāvartana, 'the eyes plucked']. (Vedabase)

Text 36

The egotistical ones whose vision is crooked, who are full of suspicion towards all and whose heart and face by the thought of expenditure and loss have dried up, and who like ghosts protecting the wealth never find happiness, they too, after death will of the sinful acts to protect those riches and their increase of income, fall down in a hell called Sūcīmukha ['the pin-first'], where indeed the commanders of Yamarāja like expert weavers with thread and needle stitch the limbs of the body of the money grabbing ghost and great sinner.

The egotistic ones whose vision is crooked, who are full of suspicion towards all and whose heart and face by the thought of expenditure and loss have dried up, and who like ghosts protecting the wealth never find happiness, they too, after death will of the sinful acts to protecting those riches and their increase of income, fall down in a hell called Sūcīmukha ['the pin-first'], where indeed the commanders of Yamarāja like expert weavers with thread and needle stitch the limbs of the body of the money grabbing ghost and great sinner. (Vedabase)

Text 37

For all lacking in dharma as I mentioned and also for those I did not mention, are there, according the degree of sinfulness, all these sorts of hells to fall into. There are many hundreds and thousands of them in the realm of Yamarāja, o King; similarly are there elsewhere in this world for the ones of principle and piety new births to enter when the results of their piety or vice are exhausted [compare B.G. 4: 9].

For all who lack in dharma that I mentioned and also for those I did not mention, are there indeed according the degree of sinfulness all these sorts of hells to fall into of which there are many hundreds and thousands in the realm of Yamarāja, o King; similarly are there elsewhere out here for the ones of principle and piety new births to enter when the results of piety or vice are exhausted [compare B.G. 4:9]. (Vedabase)

Text 38

The path of liberation I described to you in the beginning [cantos two and three]; there I showed how the Supreme Lord Nārāyana in the purāna sure could be as much as the universe that is like an egg divided in fourteen parts; I described the gross form of Him, consisting of His own energy and qualities, as directly the Great Person [the virāth-rūpa]. That person who venerating hears and reads or explains about that song of the Supreme Personality of the Supersoul will, although it is difficult to understand, by faith and devotion have his intelligence purified so that he may comprehend.

The path of liberation I described to you In the beginning [cantos two and three]; there I showed how the Supreme Lord Nārāyana in the purāna sure could be as much as the universe that is like an egg divided in fourteen parts; I described the gross form of Him, consisting of His own energy and qualities, as directly the Great Person [the Virāth Rūpa]. That person who venerating hears and reads or explains about that song of the Supreme Personality of the Supersoul will, although it is difficult to understand, by faith and devotion have his intelligence purified so that he may comprehend. (Vedabase)

Text 39

Hearing about the gross as well as the subtle form of the Supreme Lord, should the adept of transcendence lead the mind which is captivated by the gross form, thus in contemplation step by step to the subtle, the spiritual form.

Hearing about the gross as well as the subtle form of the Supreme Lord, should the adept of transcendence lead the mind conquered by the gross form, thus in contemplation step by step to the subtle, the spiritual form. (Vedabase)

Text 40

Of this planet earth, have the different realms and regions, the rivers, the mountains, the sky, the oceans and the direction and situations of the lower worlds, the hellish worlds and the higher worlds above by me been described to you, o King; how wonderful this gross body of the Supreme Controller is where the whole mass of living entities reposes!

Of this planet earth, have the different realms and regions, the rivers, the mountains, the sky, the oceans and the direction and situations of the lower worlds, the hellish worlds and the higher worlds above by me been described to you, o King; how wonderful this gross body of the Supreme Controller is where the whole mass of living entities reposes!.' (Vedabase)