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.
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