Srimadh Bagawatham - Types of Hell

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/06/srimadh-bagawatham-description-of-our_30.html

Description of different types of hells:

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Parikshit wished to know about the place where sinners would go after death. Sukacharyar thus started to narrate about the different types of hell.

‘Is hell located in this world itself or is it part of the other worlds?’

‘Hell is found within the three lower worlds located in the Southern direction from Earth. (The three lower planets in solar systems below the earth’s celestial sphere). Lord Yama is the guardian of Dharma and he purifies the souls by punishing them.  The Lord doesn’t punish the souls immediately as He gives them a chance to repent and correct their mistakes. For those people who never repent and escape the criminal justice system on Earth, purification is carried out by punishing them at hell. The souls get a body called Yathana sareeram which prevents them from dying even when they are punished severely. After they have been purified by punishments, they are released from hell. 

Names of Various Hell:

The different types of hells are Tâmisra, Andhatâmisra, Raurava, Mahâraurava, Kumbhîpâka, Kâlasûtra, Asipatravana, Sûkaramukha, Andhakûpa, Krimibhojana, Sandams'a, Taptasûrmi, Vajrakanthaka-s'âlmalî, Vaitaranî, Pûyoda, Prânarodha, Vis'asana, Lâlâbhaksha, Sârameyâdana, Avîci, Ayahpâna, and also Kshârakardama, Rakshogana-bhojana, S'ûlaprota, Dandas'ûka, Avatha-nirodhana, Paryâvartana and Sûcîmukha.’

Punishment for Committing Various Sins:

A person who steals other person’s property is thrown in the hell called of Tâmisra ['the darkness'].  A man who steals the wife of another man is thrown in the hell called Andhatâmisra ['blind darkness']. The attendants of Lord Yama make a life size bronze figurine which resembles the woman he coveted; they heat the figurine to high temperature and force the man to embrace the figurine.

Raurava is the hell reserved for people who torture other living creatures. A creature called ruru with frightening appearance will chase the people in this hell. From this hell, the sinner is thrown in the hell called Kumbhîpâka where the sinner is cooked alive.

A person who murdered a Brahmin goes to the hell called Kâlasûtra ['the long course of time']. The surface of the hell is made off copper and is heated from both above and below.

Asipatravana ['the razor-sharp forest'] is reserved for people who deviated from the path of self realization by being a hypocrite. The person is beaten by Yama Dhutas and is made to run through the forest and the razor sharp leaves cuts through their body.

Sûkaramukha ['hog's mouth'] is the hell reserved for the leader of a nation who punished an innocent person.

The person who intentionally harmed others in order for his own survival lands in Andhakûpa ['the overgrown well']. The person will be tormented by the many creatures living in the dark well.

The person who never shared food he/she had obtained by the grace of God with others will land in the hell called Krimibhojana ['to feed on worms'] where the person in the form of a worm has to feed on other worms and in turn may be eaten by the others.

Thieves go to Sandamsa where they are forced to hold red hot iron balls in their fingers.

Vaitaranî is the hell reserved for royalty who acted against Dharma. Here they are thrown into a moat and tormented by creatures living in the moat.

Pûyoda is reserved for the men who moved in with women of immoral character. These men are thrown into foul smelling water full of excrement.

Prânarodha, 'smothering the breath’ is the hell for people of higher classes like Brahmins who hunt protected (endangered) animals.

Vis'asana ['the sleeplessness'] is for those people who sacrifice animals to gain wealth and status. Here they are cut into pieces.

The king who plunders with his army will be thrown in to the hell Sârameyâdana where he will be eaten by voracious seven hundred twenty dogs.

A person who gives false statement in court and lies in order to gain something in return, is thrown in to Avîcimat ['having no water'] where he is carried to the top of a tall mountain and then thrown head down. Even after hitting his head the person does not die and is carried over and over again to the top of the mountain and then thrown down.

Ayahpâna is the hell for people who used intoxicating substances like alcohol and drugs. These people are forced to drink red hot molten iron.

Rakshogana-bhojana, 'to be the food of the devil' is the hell for people who performed human sacrifice and ate human meat. In this hell they are are cut with sharp swords and eaten.

S'ûlaprota, 'pierced by the pike' is the hell where people who lured innocent creatures go to. Here the people are tormented by vultures and other birds with sharp beaks.

People who caused harm to others in anger are thrown in Dandas'ûka where they are eaten by seven hooded snakes.

Ways To Avoid Entering Hell:

Parikshit was horrified after listening to the narration about the hellish worlds. ‘Is there anything which can prevent a person bound for hell from entering hell?’

‘The shastras list many expiatory acts which remove the accumulated sins,’ said Sukacharyar.

‘I am not interested in expiatory rites as they are equal to washing an elephant. An elephant rolls around in mud after its bath. Similarly a person commits more sins even after performing expiatory rites. What is the one thing which can completely prevent a person from doing those acts which accumulate sins?’

‘Once, a rishi was traveling via a beautiful forest when the trees caught fire. The rishi witnessed the beautiful forest turn in to ashes. After a few months during the rainy season, the rishi returned to the same forest. To his utter surprise he found that the trees were green with new shoots and the entire forest was alive with new life! It was then did the rishi realize the truth about karma. Prayachittam (expiatory) rite performed are like the forest fire which destroyed all life above ground but was unable to destroy the life present in the roots buried below ground; similarly, the expiatory rites destroy our sins while they are unable to destroy our karma vasanai which are buried within us and incite us to indulge in sinful acts. Hari Namasankeerthanam is the only means to destroy the karma vasanai which incites us to accumulate sins. A child is burnt by fire even when it touches the fire without knowing that fire burns, this is because it is the nature of fire to burn. Similarly, it is the nature of the Lord to be happy when we chant His names even without knowing their meaning or unintentionally without even thinking about the fact that we are chanting His names. The Lord prevents anyone who chants His names from committing sinful acts.’

The rishi thus started to narrate the history of Ajamilan.

Continued On: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/07/srimadh-bagawatham-ajamila-charitram.html

Srimadh Bagawatham - Description Of Our Universe - Part 2

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/06/srimadh-bagawatham-description-of-our.html

The different dwipas of Bhuloka may represent planets with intelligent life within our solar system. It is said that there are people in the other dwipas who lead a very spiritual life and live for around five thousand years.  The Earth’s celestial sphere is thought to contain six companion globes belonging to the higher dimension. We are used to the three dimensional world and can see only objects in the three dimensional world. In the world of two dimension everything looks flat; organisms used to the two dimensional world will be unable to perceive the third dimension. There was a novel in which a square resides in the two dimensional world and is visited by a sphere. All that the square saw was a circle and didn’t understand the sphere’s description of itself in 3D till the sphere took the square to the 3D world. Like the square, our senses do not have the capacity to perceive the objects belonging to higher dimensions. Hence, these objects may even go unnoticed by us. It has been established in Mathematics and Physics that up to ten dimensions are possible.

The seven dwipas could also represent the eveolution of beings from one spiritual plane to the other.

The seven dwipas and seas can also be used to describe the sections/fluids in the Lord’s Universal’s form (Vishwaroopam).  Lavana or salt sea (urine), cane juice sea (perspiration), Surâ or sea of wine (senses), Sarpi or sea of ghee (semen), Dadhi or buttermilk sea [yoghurt, whey] (mucus), the sea of milk (saliva), and the sea of pure water (tears).

http://www.skjainastro.com/Kalachakra.aspx

There are in total 14 planetary systems with intelligent life forms with the earth part of our solar system in the middle. Indra’s world called swargam is in the third solar system above our own system with Brahma’s Sathya Lokam marking the seventh solar system. Below earth are the solar systems named Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talâtala, Mahâtala, Rasâtala and Pâtâla.

All these solar systems form one Brahmandam (Universe). A Brahma is the chief of one Universe. There are many tens of thousands of Universes each headed by a Brahma. Below Patala is an air cushion which is 38,000 yojanas wide. (1 yojana = 8 miles). Lord Ananta supports the entire Brahmandam with His one thousand hoods. To prevent the Brahmandam from vibrating when Lord Anata breathes, the air cushion exists between His heads and the Brahmandam to observe shock waves created by his respiration.’

The Bagawatham clearly mentions that it is impossible to attempt space travel to any of these worlds as it would take millions of light years. Only mystical (yogic) travel is possible between the worlds. In the Mahabharata, Arjuna was pulled into the world of Nagas by Ulupi when he went for a swim in a river; he did not go to the bottom of the river bed but found himself in another world. Similarly Nanda Gopan was pulled into the world of Varuna when he went to take a dip in the Yamuna by one of Varuna’s attendant. In ancient times people might have made use of worm holes to travel from one world to the other as indicated in the above two examples or they might have been pulled in to the other worlds by using yogic powers. “Beam me up Scottie” of the ancient world!

Continued On:http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/06/srimadh-bagawatham-types-of-hell.html

Srimadh Bagawatham - Description of our Universe Part 1

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/06/srimadh-bagawatham-jata-bharatar.html

Description of our world and the Universe:

Parikshit requested Sukacharyar to describe the world and the Universe. 

Ref: The Cosmology of the Bhagavatha Purana: Mysteries of the sacred Universe by Richard L. Thompson

Sukacharyar said, ‘Mount Meru is surrounded by Jambhu Dwipa. The Jambhu Dwipa is surrounded by a salt water ocean. The salt water ocean is encircled by the Plaksha dwipa which is twice as big as Jambhu Dwipa. It obtained its name because of the tall Plaksha tree. At the root of the Plaksha tree is a fire with seven flames. The master of that dvîpa is the son of Priyavrata named Idhmajihva. The Plaksha Dwipa is surrounded by an ocean of sugarcane juice which is encircled by the Salmala Dwipa. The Salmala Dwipa is twice as large as Plaksha Dwipa and is surrounded by an ocean of liquor. The Dwipa received its name from the Salmali tree which is also the home of Garuda. The son of Priyavrata called Yajñabâhu is the master of that dvîpa.  This dwipa with its ocean is encircled by Kusa Dwipa. The Kusa grass grows in this Dwipa. The son of Mahârâja Priyavrata called Hiranyaretâ is the master of this Dwipa. The Dwipa is surrounded by an ocean of ghee followed by Krauñcadvîpa which in turn is surrounded by an ocean of milk. Ghritaprishthha, the son of Mahârâja Priyavrata is the master of this dwipa.  The Krauncha Dwipa with the ocean of milk is encircled by the Saka dwipa with an ocean of whey. Medhâtithi the son of Priyavrata is the ruler of this dwipa. The Saka Dwipa is encircld by the Pushkara Dwipa with an ocean of sweet water. Vîtihotra the son of Priyavrata is the ruler of this dwipa. Beyond these dwipas is the boundary between the world of light and world without light.

It is evident that the dwipas cannot be found on Earth. These are definitely not the continents present on Earth.  The above narration contains information about our planetary system. The Bhulokam described in Bagawatham has to be taken as the Earth’s celestial sphere and not the spherical Earth itself.  The nature of the surrounding ocean as sugar cane etc is a description of the aura surrounding the dwipas.

Ref: The Cosmology of the Bhagavatha Purana: Mysteries of the sacred Universe by Richard L. Thompson

Ref: The Cosmology of the Bhagavatha Purana: Mysteries of the sacred Universe by Richard L. Thompson

 

Ref: The Cosmology of the Bhagavatha Purana: Mysteries of the sacred Universe by Richard L. Thompson

 The mount Meru mentioned in the description represents the North Pole. If we were to look at this celestial sphere, the Sun would appear to go around the pole instead of rising and setting from East to West.

Ref: The Cosmology of the Bhagavatha Purana: Mysteries of the sacred Universe by Richard L. Thompson

The seven dwipas with the seven oceans described correspond to the celestial orbit of the seven main planets and the space between the orbits. This is a suitable solution since Priyavrata is said to have created these seven dwipas and oceans by driving after the Sun. Hence, these dwipas and oceans have to be in the same plane as the Sun if they were made by Priyavrata driving after the Sun.

Jambhudwipa corresponds to the entire Earth with Bharata Varsha representing the Indian Sub Continent alone in great detail.

The other lokas like Bhuvar, Swarg are different solar systems located above our solar system with the sub-terranean regions like atala, patala etc are other solar-systems located directly below our own solar- system. Thus the description shows the presence of many solar systems with intelligent life; at least on 14 worlds. Beyond Satya lokam is the boundary of our Universe and all the worlds, solar systems are enclosed within the boundary which looks like a giant egg (Brhmandam). 

Ref: The Cosmology of the Bhagavatha Purana: Mysteries of the sacred Universe by Richard L. Thompson

There are many such eggs floating around on the causal waters which prove the existence of many Universes. The eternal Sri Vaikuntham is above all these Brhmandams. The narration shows how insignificant we really are compared to the macrocosmic model of our Universe as well as the millions of other Universes.

Continued On: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/06/srimadh-bagawatham-description-of-our_30.html

Srimadh Bagawatham - Jata Bharatar Charitram Part 6

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/06/srimadh-bagawatham-jata-bharatar_4996.html

Many years went by. Nidhakar performed Bagawath Thiruvaradhanam every day and would wait outside his gate to see if any passerby would like to break bread with him that day. According to shastras a person must wait outside to look for a passerby and invite them for lunch. A person must wait outside as long as it takes to milk one cow. 

Soon Nidhakar saw an old man come by. He was happy to see the old man look effulgent.

‘Please bless my home by doing antaryami nivedhanam at my humble abode,’ asked Nidhakar.

‘I will come,’ said the old man. ‘What is the menu for today’s meal?’

‘We have rice, lentil soup, spinach and snake gourd.’

‘That’s not enough for me. I need a variety of mixed rice. I need tamarind rice, lemon rice, coconut rice, curd rice, kheer, dahi vada, morkuzhambu.’

‘Please wait here,’ said Nidhakar as he directed the old man to take a seat in his living room. He then went inside to find his wife.

‘Shalini, you are the best wife a man could have. You have helped me stay on the path of dharma by helping me perform athithi pooja. Our previous guests never demanded any special food but today an old man agreed to break bread with us but he wants special meals. It is very rare to find a guest who demands special menu. We are truly blessed and I know that you will definitely stay by my side today!’

‘Ask the guest to wait for a while. I will try to prepare the food items as fast as possible.’

Soon Nidhakar and his wife served the food items to the old man. After lunch, Nidhakar asked the old man to rest for a while.

‘Swami, has your hunger been quenched? Are you satisfied?’ asked Nidhakar as he fanned the old man.

‘Who felt hungry? I feel neither hunger nor tiredness! When did I eat?’

Nidhakar felt surprised. He had personally served all the food items to the old man and had watched him eat.

‘Did I eat? Was I feeling hungry?’ asked the old man emphasizing on the word “I”.

‘I’ refers to the atma. How can an atma feel hungry or even consume food? Does an atma grow stronger after eating? Atma does not require any nutrients. The Lord exists inside our body in the form of Jadaragni. As the Agni burns, hunger and thirst arise. This is the law of the body. Is it right to assign the law of the body to the atma? Just because the atma is inside the body does not mean that the atma is eating. Air passing through a flute comes out as different tune according to the hole it comes out of. Similarly all atmas look alike but according to their past karmas obtain different types of bodies. The atma appears as the controller of this body because it resides in the body but the atma along with the body is the body of the Lord. Thus the Lord is the inner controller. This is the concept of chit, achit and Iswaran. Chit is the atma which has intelligence. This body is achit as it is nothing but nonliving matter. Both the atma and the body are supported by the Lord.’

Nidhakar immediately recogonised his guru Ribu. He fell at his feet.

‘I have understood your teachings now. You don’t have to test me again. I won’t make a mistake again and consider the body to be the atma by mistake!’’

Jata Bharatar ended his narrative. King Rahugunan prostrated before Jata Bharatar.

‘I feel blessed that I have met you! I was in search of an Acharyan. I was on my way to see Sri Kapila Vasudevan as I wanted to become his disciple but by good fate I have met you along the way and have received instructions from you!’ said the king. The king prostrated before Jata Bharatar and paid his respects to Jata Bharatar.

Thus Jata Bharathar instructed the king about the science of the atma.

Continued On:http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/06/srimadh-bagawatham-description-of-our.html