A Description of the Hellish Planets
VERSE 5.26.1
rājovāca
maharṣa etad vaicitryaṁ lokasya katham iti.
SYNONYMS
rājā uvāca — the King said; maharṣe — O great saint (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); etat — this; vaicitryam — variegatedness; lokasya — of the living entities; katham — how; iti — thus.
TRANSLATION
King Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī: My dear sir, why are the living entities put into different material situations? Kindly explain this to me.
VERSE 5.26.2
ṛṣir uvāca
tri-guṇatvāt kartuḥ śraddhayā karma-gatayaḥ pṛthag-vidhāḥ sarvā eva sarvasya tāratamyena bhavanti.
SYNONYMS
ṛṣiḥ uvāca — the great saint (Śukadeva Gosvāmī) said; tri-guṇatvāt — because of the three modes of material nature; kartuḥ — of the worker; śraddhayā — because of the attitudes; karma-gatayaḥ — destinations resulting from activity; pṛthak — different; vidhāḥ — varieties; sarvāḥ — all; eva — thus; sarvasya — of all of them; tāratamyena — in different degrees; bhavanti — become possible.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, in this material world there are three kinds of activities — those in the mode of goodness, the mode of passion and the mode of ignorance. Because all people are influenced by the three modes of material nature, the results of their activities are also divided into three. One who acts in the mode of goodness is religious and happy, one who acts in passion achieves mixed misery and happiness, and one who acts under the influence of ignorance is always unhappy and lives like an animal. Because of the varying degrees to which the living entities are influenced by the different modes of nature, their destinations are also of different varieties.
VERSE 5.26.3
athedānīṁ pratiṣiddha-lakṣaṇasyādharmasya tathaiva kartuḥ śraddhāyā vaisādṛśyāt karma-phalaṁ visadṛśaṁ bhavati yā hy anādy-avidyayā kṛta-kāmānāṁ tat-pariṇāma-lakṣaṇāḥ sṛtayaḥ sahasraśaḥ pravṛttās tāsāṁ prācuryeṇānuvarṇayiṣyāmaḥ.
SYNONYMS
atha — thus; idānīm — now; pratiṣiddha — by what is forbidden; lakṣaṇasya — symptomized; adharmasya — of impious activities; tathā — so also; eva — certainly; kartuḥ — of the performer; śraddhāyāḥ — of faith; vaisādṛśyāt — by the difference; karma-phalam — the reaction of fruitive activities; visadṛśam — different; bhavati — is; yā — which; hi — indeed; anādi — from time immemorial; avidyayā — by ignorance; kṛta — performed; kāmānām — of persons possessing many lusty desires; tat-pariṇāma-lakṣaṇāḥ — the symptoms of the results of such impious desires; sṛtayaḥ — hellish conditions of life; sahasraśaḥ — by thousands upon thousands; pravṛttāḥ — resulted; tāsām — them; prācuryeṇa — very widely; anuvarṇayiṣyāmaḥ — I shall explain.
TRANSLATION
Just as by executing various pious activities one achieves different positions in heavenly life, by acting impiously one achieves different positions in hellish life. Those who are activated by the material mode of ignorance engage in impious activities, and according to the extent of their ignorance, they are placed in different grades of hellish life. If one acts in the mode of ignorance because of madness, his resulting misery is the least severe. One who acts impiously but knows the distinction between pious and impious activities is placed in a hell of intermediate severity. And for one who acts impiously and ignorantly because of atheism, the resultant hellish life is the worst. Because of ignorance, every living entity has been carried by various desires into thousands of different hellish planets since time immemorial. I shall try to describe them as far as possible.
VERSE 5.26.4
rājovāca
narakā nāma bhagavan kiṁ deśa-viśeṣā athavā bahis tri-lokyā āhosvid antarāla iti.
SYNONYMS
rājā uvāca — the King said; narakāḥ — the hellish regions; nāma — named; bhagavan — O my Lord; kim — whether; deśa-viśeṣāḥ — a particular country; athavā — or; bahiḥ — outside; tri-lokyāḥ — the three worlds (the universe); āhosvit — or; antarāle — in the intermediate spaces within the universe; iti — thus.
TRANSLATION
King Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī: My dear lord, are the hellish regions outside the universe, within the covering of the universe, or in different places on this planet?
VERSE 5.26.5
ṛṣir uvāca
antarāla eva tri-jagatyās tu diśi dakṣiṇasyām adhastād bhūmer upariṣṭāc ca jalād yasyām agniṣvāttādayaḥ pitṛ-gaṇā diśi svānāṁ gotrāṇāṁ parameṇa samādhinā satyā evāśiṣa āśāsānā nivasanti.
SYNONYMS
ṛṣiḥ uvāca — the great sage replied; antarāle — in the intermediate space; eva — certainly; tri-jagatyāḥ — of the three worlds; tu — but; diśi — in the direction; dakṣiṇasyām — southern; adhastāt — beneath; bhūmeḥ — on the earth; upariṣṭāt — a little above; ca — and; jalāt — the Garbhodaka Ocean; yasyām — in which; agniṣvāttā-ādayaḥ — headed by Agniṣvāttā; pitṛ-gaṇāḥ — the persons known as pitās; diśi — direction; svānām — their own; gotrāṇām — of the families; parameṇa — with great; samādhinā — absorption in thoughts of the Lord; satyāḥ — in truth; eva — certainly; āśiṣaḥ — blessings; āśāsānāḥ — desiring; nivasanti — they live.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Śukadeva Gosvāmī answered: All the hellish planets are situated in the intermediate space between the three worlds and the Garbhodaka Ocean. They lie on the southern side of the universe, beneath Bhū-maṇḍala, and slightly above the water of the Garbhodaka Ocean. Pitṛloka is also located in this region between the Garbhodaka Ocean and the lower planetary systems. All the residents of Pitṛloka, headed by Agniṣvāttā, meditate in great samādhi on the Supreme Personality of Godhead and always wish their families well.
VERSE 5.26.6
yatra ha vāva bhagavān pitṛ-rājo vaivasvataḥ sva-viṣayaṁ prāpiteṣu sva-puruṣair jantuṣu sampareteṣu yathā-karmāvadyaṁ doṣam evānullaṅghita-bhagavac-chāsanaḥ sagaṇo damaṁ dhārayati.
SYNONYMS
yatra — where; ha vāva — indeed; bhagavān — the most powerful; pitṛ-rājaḥ — Yamarāja, the king of the pitās; vaivasvataḥ — the son of the sun-god; sva-viṣayam — his own kingdom; prāpiteṣu — when caused to reach; sva-puruṣaiḥ — by his own messengers; jantuṣu — the human beings; sampareteṣu — dead; yathā-karma-avadyam — according to how much they have violated the rules and regulations of conditional life; doṣam — the fault; eva — certainly; anullaṅghita-bhagavat-śāsanaḥ — who never oversteps the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s order; sagaṇaḥ — along with his followers; damam — punishment; dhārayati — executes.
TRANSLATION
The King of the pitās is Yamarāja, the very powerful son of the sun-god. He resides in Pitṛloka with his personal assistants and, while abiding by the rules and regulations set down by the Supreme Lord, has his agents, the Yamadūtas, bring all the sinful men to him immediately upon their death. After bringing them within his jurisdiction, he properly judges them according to their specific sinful activities and sends them to one of the many hellish planets for suitable punishments.
VERSE 5.26.7
tatra haike narakān eka-viṁśatiṁ gaṇayanti atha tāṁs te rājan nāma-rūpa-lakṣaṇato ’nukramiṣyāmas tāmisro ’ndhatāmisro rauravo mahārauravaḥ kumbhīpākaḥ kālasūtram asipatravanaṁ sūkaramukham andhakūpaḥ kṛmibhojanaḥ sandaṁśas taptasūrmir vajrakaṇṭaka-śālmalī vaitaraṇī pūyodaḥ prāṇarodho viśasanaṁ lālābhakṣaḥ sārameyādanam avīcir ayaḥpānam iti; kiñca kṣārakardamo rakṣogaṇa-bhojanaḥ śūlaproto dandaśūko ’vaṭa-nirodhanaḥ paryāvartanaḥ sūcīmukham ity aṣṭā-viṁśatir narakā vividha-yātanā-bhūmayaḥ.
SYNONYMS
tatra — there; ha — certainly; eke — some; narakān — the hellish planets; eka-viṁśatim — twenty-one; gaṇayanti — count; atha — therefore; tān — them; te — unto you; rājan — O King; nāma-rūpa-lakṣaṇataḥ — according to their names, forms and symptoms; anukramiṣyāmaḥ — we shall outline one after another; tāmisraḥ — Tāmisra; andha-tāmisraḥ — Andhatāmisra; rauravaḥ — Raurava; mahā-rauravaḥ — Mahāraurava; kumbhī-pākaḥ — Kumbhīpāka; kāla-sūtram — Kālasūtra; asi-patravanam — Asi-patravana; sūkara-mukham — Sūkaramukha; andha-kūpaḥ — Andhakūpa; kṛmi-bhojanaḥ — Kṛmibhojana; sandaṁśaḥ — Sandaṁśa; tapta-sūrmiḥ — Taptasūrmi; vajra-kaṇṭaka-śālmalī — Vajrakaṇṭaka-śālmalī; vaitaraṇī — Vaitaraṇī; pūyodaḥ — Pūyoda; prāṇa-rodhaḥ — Prāṇarodha; viśasanam — Viśasana; lālā-bhakṣaḥ — Lālābhakṣa; sārameyādanam — Sārameyādana; avīciḥ — Avīci; ayaḥ-pānam — Ayaḥpāna; iti — thus; kiñca — some more; kṣāra-kardamaḥ — Kṣārakardama; rakṣaḥ-gaṇa-bhojanaḥ — Rakṣogaṇa-bhojana; śūla-protaḥ — Śūlaprota; danda-śūkaḥ — Dandaśūka; avaṭa-nirodhanaḥ — Avaṭa-nirodhana; paryāvartanaḥ — Paryāvartana; sūcī-mukham — Sūcīmukha; iti — in this way; aṣṭā-viṁśatiḥ — twenty-eight; narakāḥ — hellish planets; vividha — various; yātanā-bhūmayaḥ — lands of suffering in hellish conditions.
TRANSLATION
Some authorities say that there is a total of twenty-one hellish planets, and some say twenty-eight. My dear King, I shall outline all of them according to their names, forms and symptoms. The names of the different hells are as follows: Tāmisra, Andhatāmisra, Raurava, Mahāraurava, Kumbhīpāka, Kālasūtra, Asipatravana, Sūkaramukha, Andhakūpa, Kṛmibhojana, Sandaṁśa, Taptasūrmi, Vajrakaṇṭaka-śālmalī, Vaitaraṇī, Pūyoda, Prāṇarodha, Viśasana, Lālābhakṣa, Sārameyādana, Avīci, Ayaḥpāna, Kṣārakardama, Rakṣogaṇa-bhojana, Śūlaprota, Dandaśūka, Avaṭa-nirodhana, Paryāvartana and Sūcīmukha. All these planets are meant for punishing the living entities.
VERSE 5.26.8
tatra yas tu para-vittāpatya-kalatrāṇy apaharati sa hi kāla-pāśa-baddho yama-puruṣair ati-bhayānakais tāmisre narake balān nipātyate anaśanānudapāna-daṇḍa-tāḍana-santarjanādibhir yātanābhir yātyamāno jantur yatra kaśmalam āsādita ekadaiva mūrcchām upayāti tāmisra-prāye.
SYNONYMS
tatra — in those hellish planets; yaḥ — a person who; tu — but; para-vitta-apatya-kalatrāṇi — the money, wife and children of another; apaharati — takes away; saḥ — that person; hi — certainly; kāla-pāśa-baddhaḥ — being bound by the ropes of time or Yamarāja; yama-puruṣaiḥ — by the assistants of Yamarāja; ati-bhayānakaiḥ — who are very fearful; tāmisre narake — into the hell known as Tāmisra; balāt — by force; nipātyate — is thrown; anaśana — starvation; anudapāna — without water; daṇḍa-tāḍana — beaten with rods; santarjana-ādibhiḥ — by scolding and so on; yātanābhiḥ — by severe punishments; yātyamānaḥ — being punished; jantuḥ — the living entity; yatra — where; kaśmalam — misery; āsāditaḥ — obtained; ekadā — sometimes; eva — certainly; mūrcchām — fainting; upayāti — obtains; tāmisra-prāye — in that condition, which is almost entirely dark.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, a person who appropriates another’s legitimate wife, children or money is arrested at the time of death by the fierce Yamadūtas, who bind him with the rope of time and forcibly throw him into the hellish planet known as Tāmisra. On this very dark planet, the sinful man is chastised by the Yamadūtas, who beat and rebuke him. He is starved, and he is given no water to drink. Thus the wrathful assistants of Yamarāja cause him severe suffering, and sometimes he faints from their chastisement.
VERSE 5.26.9
evam evāndhatāmisre yas tu vañcayitvā puruṣaṁ dārādīn upayuṅkte yatra śarīrī nipātyamāno yātanā-stho vedanayā naṣṭa-matir naṣṭa-dṛṣṭiś ca bhavati yathā vanaspatir vṛścyamāna-mūlas tasmād andhatāmisraṁ tam upadiśanti.
SYNONYMS
evam — in this way; eva — certainly; andhatāmisre — in the hellish planet known as Andhatāmisra; yaḥ — the person who; tu — but; vañcayitvā — cheating; puruṣam — another person; dāra-ādīn — the wife and children; upayuṅkte — enjoys; yatra — where; śarīrī — the embodied person; nipātyamānaḥ — being forcibly thrown; yātanā-sthaḥ — always situated in extremely miserable conditions; vedanayā — by such suffering; naṣṭa — lost; matiḥ — whose consciousness; naṣṭa — lost; dṛṣṭiḥ — whose sight; ca — also; bhavati — becomes; yathā — as much as; vanaspatiḥ — the trees; vṛścyamāna — being cut; mūlaḥ — whose root; tasmāt — because of this; andhatāmisram — Andhatāmisra; tam — that; upadiśanti — they call.
TRANSLATION
The destination of a person who slyly cheats another man and enjoys his wife and children is the hell known as Andhatāmisra. There his condition is exactly like that of a tree being chopped at its roots. Even before reaching Andhatāmisra, the sinful living being is subjected to various extreme miseries. These afflictions are so severe that he loses his intelligence and sight. It is for this reason that learned sages call this hell Andhatāmisra.
VERSE 5.26.10
yas tv iha vā etad aham iti mamedam iti bhūta-droheṇa kevalaṁ sva-kuṭumbam evānudinaṁ prapuṣṇāti sa tad iha vihāya svayam eva tad-aśubhena raurave nipatati.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — one who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vā — or; etat — this body; aham — I; iti — thus; mama — mine; idam — this; iti — thus; bhūta-droheṇa — by envy of other living entities; kevalam — alone; sva-kuṭumbam — his family members; eva — only; anudinam — day to day; prapuṣṇāti — supports; saḥ — such a person; tat — that; iha — here; vihāya — giving up; svayam — personally; eva — certainly; tat — of that; aśubhena — by the sin; raurave — in Raurava; nipatati — he falls down.
TRANSLATION
A person who accepts his body as his self works very hard day and night for money to maintain his own body and the bodies of his wife and children. While working to maintain himself and his family, he may commit violence against other living entities. Such a person is forced to give up his body and his family at the time of death, when he suffers the reaction for his envy of other creatures by being thrown into the hell called Raurava.
VERSE 5.26.11
ye tv iha yathaivāmunā vihiṁsitā jantavaḥ paratra yama-yātanām upagataṁ ta eva ruravo bhūtvā tathā tam eva vihiṁsanti tasmād rauravam ity āhū rurur iti sarpād ati-krūra-sattvasyāpadeśaḥ.
SYNONYMS
ye — those who; tu — but; iha — in this life; yathā — as much as; eva — certainly; amunā — by him; vihiṁsitāḥ — who were hurt; jantavaḥ — the living entities; paratra — in the next life; yama-yātanām upagatam — being subjected to miserable conditions by Yamarāja; te — those living entities; eva — indeed; ruravaḥ — rurus (a kind of envious animal); bhūtvā — becoming; tathā — that much; tam — him; eva — certainly; vihiṁsanti — they hurt; tasmāt — because of this; rauravam — Raurava; iti — thus; āhuḥ — learned scholars say; ruruḥ — the animal known as ruru; iti — thus; sarpāt — than the snake; ati-krūra — much more cruel and envious; sattvasya — of the entity; apadeśaḥ — the name.
TRANSLATION
In this life, an envious person commits violent acts against many living entities. Therefore after his death, when he is taken to hell by Yamarāja, those living entities who were hurt by him appear as animals called rurus to inflict very severe pain upon him. Learned scholars call this hell Raurava. Not generally seen in this world, the ruru is more envious than a snake.
VERSE 5.26.12
evam eva mahārauravo yatra nipatitaṁ puruṣaṁ kravyādā nāma ruravas taṁ kravyeṇa ghātayanti yaḥ kevalaṁ dehambharaḥ.
SYNONYMS
evam — thus; eva — certainly; mahā-rauravaḥ — the hell known as Mahāraurava; yatra — where; nipatitam — being thrown; puruṣam — a person; kravyādāḥ nāma — named kravyāda; ruravaḥ — the ruru animals; tam — him (the condemned person); kravyeṇa — for eating his flesh; ghātayanti — kill; yaḥ — who; kevalam — only; dehambharaḥ — intent upon maintaining his own body.
TRANSLATION
Punishment in the hell called Mahāraurava is compulsory for a person who maintains his own body by hurting others. In this hell, ruru animals known as kravyāda torment him and eat his flesh.
VERSE 5.26.13
yas tv iha vā ugraḥ paśūn pakṣiṇo vā prāṇata uparandhayati tam apakaruṇaṁ puruṣādair api vigarhitam amutra yamānucarāḥ kumbhīpāke tapta-taile uparandhayanti.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — a person who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vā — or; ugraḥ — very cruel; paśūn — animals; pakṣiṇaḥ — birds; vā — or; prāṇataḥ — in a live condition; uparandhayati — cooks; tam — him; apakaruṇam — very cruel-hearted; puruṣa-ādaiḥ — by those who eat human flesh; api — even; vigarhitam — condemned; amutra — in the next life; yama-anucarāḥ — the servants of Yamarāja; kumbhīpāke — in the hell known as Kumbhīpāka; tapta-taile — in boiling oil; uparandhayanti — cook.
TRANSLATION
For the maintenance of their bodies and the satisfaction of their tongues, cruel persons cook poor animals and birds alive. Such persons are condemned even by man-eaters. In their next lives they are carried by the Yamadūtas to the hell known as Kumbhīpāka, where they are cooked in boiling oil.
VERSE 5.26.14
yas tv iha brahma-dhruk sa kālasūtra-saṁjñake narake ayuta-yojana-parimaṇḍale tāmramaye tapta-khale upary-adhastād agny-arkābhyām ati-tapyamāne ’bhiniveśitaḥ kṣut-pipāsābhyāṁ ca dahyamānāntar-bahiḥ-śarīra āste śete ceṣṭate ’vatiṣṭhati paridhāvati ca yāvanti paśu-romāṇi tāvad varṣa-sahasrāṇi.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — anyone who; tu — but; iha — in this life; brahma-dhruk — the killer of a brāhmaṇa; saḥ — such a person; kālasūtra-saṁjñake — named Kālasūtra; narake — in the hell; ayuta-yojana-parimaṇḍale — having a circumference of eighty thousand miles; tāmra-maye — made of copper; tapta — heated; khale — in a level place; upari-adhastāt — above and beneath; agni — by fire; arkābhyām — and by the sun; ati-tapyamāne — which is being heated; abhiniveśitaḥ — being made to enter; kṣut-pipāsābhyām — by hunger and thirst; ca — and; dahyamāna — being burned; antaḥ — internally; bahiḥ — externally; śarīraḥ — whose body; āste — remains; śete — sometimes lies; ceṣṭate — sometimes moves his limbs; avatiṣṭhati — sometimes stands; paridhāvati — sometimes runs here and there; ca — also; yāvanti — as many; paśu-romāṇi — hairs on the body of an animal; tāvat — that long; varṣa-sahasrāṇi — thousands of years.
TRANSLATION
The killer of a brāhmaṇa is put into the hell known as Kālasūtra, which has a circumference of eighty thousand miles and which is made entirely of copper. Heated from below by fire and from above by the scorching sun, the copper surface of this planet is extremely hot. Thus the murderer of a brāhmaṇa suffers from being burned both internally and externally. Internally he is burning with hunger and thirst, and externally he is burning from the scorching heat of the sun and the fire beneath the copper surface. Therefore he sometimes lies down, sometimes sits, sometimes stands up and sometimes runs here and there. He must suffer in this way for as many thousands of years as there are hairs on the body of an animal.
VERSE 5.26.15
yas tv iha vai nija-veda-pathād anāpady apagataḥ pākhaṇḍaṁ copagatas tam asi-patravanaṁ praveśya kaśayā praharanti tatra hāsāv itas tato dhāvamāna ubhayato dhārais tāla-vanāsi-patraiś chidyamāna-sarvāṅgo hā hato ’smīti paramayā vedanayā mūrcchitaḥ pade pade nipatati sva-dharmahā pākhaṇḍānugataṁ phalaṁ bhuṅkte.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — anyone who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; nija-veda-pathāt — from his own path, recommended by the Vedas; anāpadi — even without an emergency; apagataḥ — deviated; pākhaṇḍam — a concocted, atheistic system; ca — and; upagataḥ — gone to; tam — him; asi-patravanam — the hell known as Asi-patravana; praveśya — making enter; kaśayā — with a whip; praharanti — they beat; tatra — there; ha — certainly; asau — that; itaḥ tataḥ — here and there; dhāvamānaḥ — running; ubhayataḥ — on both sides; dhāraiḥ — by the edges; tāla-vana-asi-patraiḥ — by the swordlike leaves of palm trees; chidyamāna — being cut; sarva-aṅgaḥ — whose entire body; hā — alas; hataḥ — killed; asmi — I am; iti — thus; paramayā — with severe; vedanayā — pain; mūrcchitaḥ — fainted; pade pade — at every step; nipatati — falls down; sva-dharma-hā — the killer of his own principles of religion; pākhaṇḍa-anugatam phalam — the result of accepting an atheistic path; bhuṅkte — he suffers.
TRANSLATION
If a person deviates from the path of the Vedas in the absence of an emergency, the servants of Yamarāja put him into the hell called Asi-patravana, where they beat him with whips. When he runs hither and thither, fleeing from the extreme pain, on all sides he runs into palm trees with leaves like sharpened swords. Thus injured all over his body and fainting at every step, he cries out, “Oh, what shall I do now! How shall I be saved!” This is how one suffers who deviates from the accepted religious principles.
VERSE 5.26.16
yas tv iha vai rājā rāja-puruṣo vā adaṇḍye daṇḍaṁ praṇayati brāhmaṇe vā śarīra-daṇḍaṁ sa pāpīyān narake ’mutra sūkaramukhe nipatati tatrātibalair viniṣpiṣyamāṇāvayavo yathaivehekṣukhaṇḍa ārta-svareṇa svanayan kvacin mūrcchitaḥ kaśmalam upagato yathaivehā-dṛṣṭa-doṣā uparuddhāḥ.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — anyone who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; rājā — a king; rāja-puruṣaḥ — a king’s man; vā — or; adaṇḍye — unto one not punishable; daṇḍam — punishment; praṇayati — inflicts; brāhmaṇe — unto a brāhmaṇa; vā — or; śarīra-daṇḍam — corporal punishment; saḥ — that person, king or government officer; pāpīyān — the most sinful; narake — in the hell; amutra — in the next life; sūkaramukhe — named Sūkaramukha; nipatati — falls down; tatra — there; ati-balaiḥ — by very strong assistants of Yamarāja; viniṣpiṣyamāṇa — being crushed; avayavaḥ — the different parts of whose body; yathā — like; eva — certainly; iha — here; ikṣu-khaṇḍaḥ — sugarcane; ārta-svareṇa — with a pitiable sound; svanayan — crying; kvacit — sometimes; mūrcchitaḥ — fainted; kaśmalam upagataḥ — becoming illusioned; yathā — just like; eva — indeed; iha — here; adṛṣṭa-doṣāḥ — who is not at fault; uparuddhāḥ — arrested for punishment.
TRANSLATION
In his next life, a sinful king or governmental representative who punishes an innocent person, or who inflicts corporal punishment upon a brāhmaṇa, is taken by the Yamadūtas to the hell named Sūkaramukha, where the most powerful assistants of Yamarāja crush him exactly as one crushes sugarcane to squeeze out the juice. The sinful living entity cries very pitiably and faints, just like an innocent man undergoing punishments. This is the result of punishing a faultless person.
VERSE 5.26.17
yas tv iha vai bhūtānām īśvaropakalpita-vṛttīnām avivikta-para-vyathānāṁ svayaṁ puruṣopakalpita-vṛttir vivikta-para-vyatho vyathām ācarati sa paratrāndhakūpe tad-abhidroheṇa nipatati tatra hāsau tair jantubhiḥ paśu-mṛga-pakṣi-sarīsṛpair maśaka-yūkā-matkuṇa-makṣikādibhir ye ke cābhidrugdhās taiḥ sarvato ’bhidruhyamāṇas tamasi vihata-nidrā-nirvṛtir alabdhāvasthānaḥ parikrāmati yathā kuśarīre jīvaḥ.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — any person who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; bhūtānām — to some living entities; īśvara — by the supreme controller; upakalpita — designed; vṛttīnām — whose means of livelihood; avivikta — not understanding; para-vyathānām — the pain of others; svayam — himself; puruṣa-upakalpita — designed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vṛttiḥ — whose livelihood; vivikta — understanding; para-vyathaḥ — the painful conditions of others; vyathām ācarati — but still causes pain; saḥ — such a person; paratra — in his next life; andhakūpe — to the hell named Andhakūpa; tat — to them; abhidroheṇa — by the sin of malice; nipatati — falls down; tatra — there; ha — indeed; asau — that person; taiḥ jantubhiḥ — by those respective living entities; paśu — animals; mṛga — wild beasts; pakṣi — birds; sarīsṛpaiḥ — snakes; maśaka — mosquitoes; yūkā — lice; matkuṇa — worms; makṣika-ādibhiḥ — flies and so on; ye ke — whoever else; ca — and; abhidrugdhāḥ — persecuted; taiḥ — by them; sarvataḥ — everywhere; abhidruhyamāṇaḥ — being injured; tamasi — in the darkness; vihata — disturbed; nidrā-nirvṛtiḥ — whose resting place; alabdha — not being able to obtain; avasthānaḥ — a resting place; parikrāmati — wanders; yathā — just as; ku-śarīre — in a low-grade body; jīvaḥ — a living entity.
TRANSLATION
By the arrangement of the Supreme Lord, low-grade living beings like bugs and mosquitoes suck the blood of human beings and other animals. Such insignificant creatures are unaware that their bites are painful to the human being. However, first-class human beings — brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas — are developed in consciousness, and therefore they know how painful it is to be killed. A human being endowed with knowledge certainly commits sin if he kills or torments insignificant creatures, who have no discrimination. The Supreme Lord punishes such a man by putting him into the hell known as Andhakūpa, where he is attacked by all the birds and beasts, reptiles, mosquitoes, lice, worms, flies, and any other creatures he tormented during his life. They attack him from all sides, robbing him of the pleasure of sleep. Unable to rest, he constantly wanders about in the darkness. Thus in Andhakūpa his suffering is just like that of a creature in the lower species.
VERSE 5.26.18
yas tv iha vā asaṁvibhajyāśnāti yat kiñcanopanatam anirmita-pañca-yajño vāyasa-saṁstutaḥ sa paratra kṛmibhojane narakādhame nipatati tatra śata-sahasra-yojane kṛmi-kuṇḍe kṛmi-bhūtaḥ svayaṁ kṛmibhir eva bhakṣyamāṇaḥ kṛmi-bhojano yāvat tad aprattāprahūtādo ’nirveśam ātmānaṁ yātayate.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — any person who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vā — or; asaṁ-vibhajya — without dividing; aśnāti — eats; yat kiñcana — whatever; upanatam — obtained by Kṛṣṇa’s grace; anirmita — not performing; pañca-yajñaḥ — the five kinds of sacrifice; vāyasa — with the crows; saṁstutaḥ — who is described as equal; saḥ — such a person; paratra — in the next life; kṛmibhojane — named Kṛmibhojana; naraka-adhame — into the most abominable of all hells; nipatati — falls down; tatra — there; śata-sahasra-yojane — measuring 100,000 yojanas (800,000 miles); kṛmi-kuṇḍe — in a lake of worms; kṛmi-bhūtaḥ — becoming one of the worms; svayam — he himself; kṛmibhiḥ — by the other worms; eva — certainly; bhakṣyamāṇaḥ — being eaten; kṛmi-bhojanaḥ — eating worms; yāvat — as long as; tat — that lake is wide; apratta-aprahūta — unshared and unoffered food; adaḥ — one who eats; anirveśam — who has not performed atonement; ātmānam — to himself; yātayate — gives pain.
TRANSLATION
A person is considered no better than a crow if after receiving some food, he does not divide it among guests, old men and children, but simply eats it himself, or if he eats it without performing the five kinds of sacrifice. After death he is put into the most abominable hell, known as Kṛmibhojana. In that hell is a lake 100,000 yojanas [800,000 miles] wide and filled with worms. He becomes a worm in that lake and feeds on the other worms there, who also feed on him. Unless he atones for his actions before his death, such a sinful man remains in the hellish lake of Kṛmibhojana for as many years as there are yojanas in the width of the lake.
VERSE 5.26.19
yas tv iha vai steyena balād vā hiraṇya-ratnādīni brāhmaṇasya vāpaharaty anyasya vānāpadi puruṣas tam amutra rājan yama-puruṣā ayasmayair agni-piṇḍaiḥ sandaṁśais tvaci niṣkuṣanti.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — any person who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; steyena — by thievery; balāt — by force; vā — or; hiraṇya — gold; ratna — gems; ādīni — and so on; brāhmaṇasya — of a brāhmaṇa; vā — or; apaharati — steals; anyasya — of others; vā — or; anāpadi — not in a calamity; puruṣaḥ — a person; tam — him; amutra — in the next life; rājan — O King; yama-puruṣāḥ — the agents of Yamarāja; ayaḥ-mayaiḥ — made of iron; agni-piṇḍaiḥ — balls heated in fire; sandaṁśaiḥ — with tongs; tvaci — on the skin; niṣkuṣanti — tear to pieces.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, a person who in the absence of an emergency robs a brāhmaṇa — or, indeed, anyone else — of his gems and gold is put into a hell known as Sandaṁśa. There his skin is torn and separated by red-hot iron balls and tongs. In this way, his entire body is cut to pieces.
VERSE 5.26.20
yas tv iha vā agamyāṁ striyam agamyaṁ vā puruṣaṁ yoṣid abhigacchati tāv amutra kaśayā tāḍayantas tigmayā sūrmyā lohamayyā puruṣam āliṅgayanti striyaṁ ca puruṣa-rūpayā sūrmyā.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — any person who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vā — or; agamyām — unsuitable; striyam — a woman; agamyam — unsuitable; vā — or; puruṣam — a man; yoṣit — a woman; abhigacchati — approaches for sexual intercourse; tau — both of them; amutra — in the next life; kaśayā — by whips; tāḍayantaḥ — beating; tigmayā — very hot; sūrmyā — by an image; loha-mayyā — made of iron; puruṣam — the man; āliṅgayanti — they embrace; striyam — the woman; ca — also; puruṣa-rūpayā — in the form of a man; sūrmyā — by an image.
TRANSLATION
A man or woman who indulges in sexual intercourse with an unworthy member of the opposite sex is punished after death by the assistants of Yamarāja in the hell known as Taptasūrmi. There such men and women are beaten with whips. The man is forced to embrace a red-hot iron form of a woman, and the woman is forced to embrace a similar form of a man. Such is the punishment for illicit sex.
VERSE 5.26.21
yas tv iha vai sarvābhigamas tam amutra niraye vartamānaṁ vajrakaṇṭaka-śālmalīm āropya niṣkarṣanti.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — anyone who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; sarva-abhigamaḥ — indulges in sex life indiscriminately, with both men and animals; tam — him; amutra — in the next life; niraye — in the hell; vartamānam — existing; vajrakaṇṭaka-śālmalīm — a silk-cotton tree with thorns like thunderbolts; āropya — mounting him on; niṣkarṣanti — they pull him out.
TRANSLATION
A person who indulges in sex indiscriminately — even with animals — is taken after death to the hell known as Vajrakaṇṭaka-śālmalī. In this hell there is a silk-cotton tree full of thorns as strong as thunderbolts. The agents of Yamarāja hang the sinful man on that tree and pull him down forcibly so that the thorns very severely tear his body.
VERSE 5.26.22
ye tv iha vai rājanyā rāja-puruṣā vā apākhaṇḍā dharma-setūn bhindanti te samparetya vaitaraṇyāṁ nipatanti bhinna-maryādās tasyāṁ niraya-parikhā-bhūtāyāṁ nadyāṁ yādo-gaṇair itas tato bhakṣyamāṇā ātmanā na viyujyamānāś cāsubhir uhyamānāḥ svāghena karma-pākam anusmaranto viṇ-mūtra-pūya-śoṇita-keśa-nakhāsthi-medo-māṁsa-vasā-vāhinyām upatapyante.
SYNONYMS
ye — persons who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; rājanyāḥ — members of the royal family, or kṣatriyas; rāja-puruṣāḥ — government servants; vā — or; apākhaṇḍāḥ — although born in responsible families; dharma-setūn — the bounds of prescribed religious principles; bhindanti — transgress; te — they; samparetya — after dying; vaitaraṇyām — named Vaitaraṇī; nipatanti — fall down; bhinna-maryādāḥ — who have broken the regulative principles; tasyām — in that; niraya-parikhā-bhūtāyām — the moat surrounding hell; nadyām — in the river; yādaḥ-gaṇaiḥ — by ferocious aquatic animals; itaḥ tataḥ — here and there; bhakṣyamāṇāḥ — being eaten; ātmanā — with the body; na — not; viyujyamānāḥ — being separated; ca — and; asubhiḥ — the life airs; uhyamānāḥ — being carried; sva-aghena — by his own sinful activities; karma-pākam — the result of his impious activities; anusmarantaḥ — remembering; viṭ — of stool; mūtra — urine; pūya — pus; śoṇita — blood; keśa — hair; nakha — nails; asthi — bones; medaḥ — marrow; māṁsa — flesh; vasā — fat; vāhinyām — in the river; upatapyante — are afflicted with pain.
TRANSLATION
A person who is born into a responsible family — such as a kṣatriya, a member of royalty or a government servant — but who neglects to execute his prescribed duties according to religious principles, and who thus becomes degraded, falls down at the time of death into the river of hell known as Vaitaraṇī. This river, which is a moat surrounding hell, is full of ferocious aquatic animals. When a sinful man is thrown into the river Vaitaraṇī, the aquatic animals there immediately begin to eat him, but because of his extremely sinful life, he does not leave his body. He constantly remembers his sinful activities and suffers terribly in that river, which is full of stool, urine, pus, blood, hair, nails, bones, marrow, flesh and fat.
VERSE 5.26.23
ye tv iha vai vṛṣalī-patayo naṣṭa-śaucācāra-niyamās tyakta-lajjāḥ paśu-caryāṁ caranti te cāpi pretya pūya-viṇ-mūtra-śleṣma-malā-pūrṇārṇave nipatanti tad evātibībhatsitam aśnanti.
SYNONYMS
ye — persons who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; vṛṣalī-patayaḥ — the husbands of the śūdra women; naṣṭa — lost; śauca-ācāra-niyamāḥ — whose cleanliness, good behavior and regulated life; tyakta-lajjāḥ — without shame; paśu-caryām — the behavior of animals; caranti — they execute; te — they; ca — also; api — indeed; pretya — dying; pūya — of pus; viṭ — stool; mūtra — urine; śleṣma — mucus; malā — saliva; pūrṇa — full; arṇave — in an ocean; nipatanti — fall; tat — that; eva — only; atibībhatsitam — extremely disgusting; aśnanti — they eat.
TRANSLATION
The shameless husbands of lowborn śūdra women live exactly like animals, and therefore they have no good behavior, cleanliness or regulated life. After death, such persons are thrown into the hell called Pūyoda, where they are put into an ocean filled with pus, stool, urine, mucus, saliva and similar things. Śūdras who could not improve themselves fall into that ocean and are forced to eat those disgusting things.
VERSE 5.26.24
ye tv iha vai śva-gardabha-patayo brāhmaṇādayo mṛgayā vihārā atīrthe ca mṛgān nighnanti tān api samparetāḻ lakṣya-bhūtān yama-puruṣā iṣubhir vidhyanti.
SYNONYMS
ye — those who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — or; śva — of dogs; gardabha — and asses; patayaḥ — maintainers; brāhmaṇa-ādayaḥ — brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas; mṛgayā vihārāḥ — taking pleasure in hunting animals in the forest; atīrthe — other than prescribed; ca — also; mṛgān — animals; nighnanti — kill; tān — them; api — indeed; samparetān — having died; lakṣya-bhūtān — becoming the targets; yama-puruṣāḥ — the assistants of Yamarāja; iṣubhiḥ — by arrows; vidhyanti — pierce.
TRANSLATION
If in this life a man of the higher classes [brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya] is very fond of taking his pet dogs, mules or asses into the forest to hunt and kill animals unnecessarily, he is placed after death into the hell known as Prāṇarodha. There the assistants of Yamarāja make him their targets and pierce him with arrows.
VERSE 5.26.25
ye tv iha vai dāmbhikā dambha-yajñeṣu paśūn viśasanti tān amuṣmiḻ loke vaiśase narake patitān niraya-patayo yātayitvā viśasanti.
SYNONYMS
ye — persons who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; dāmbhikāḥ — very proud of wealth and a prestigious position; dambha-yajñeṣu — in a sacrifice performed to increase prestige; paśūn — animals; viśasanti — kill; tān — them; amuṣmin loke — in the next world; vaiśase — Vaiśasa or Viśasana; narake — into the hell; patitān — fallen; niraya-patayaḥ — assistants of Yamarāja; yātayitvā — causing sufficient pain; viśasanti — kill.
TRANSLATION
A person who in this life is proud of his eminent position, and who heedlessly sacrifices animals simply for material prestige, is put into the hell called Viśasana after death. There the assistants of Yamarāja kill him after giving him unlimited pain.
VERSE 5.26.26
yas tv iha vai savarṇāṁ bhāryāṁ dvijo retaḥ pāyayati kāma-mohitas taṁ pāpa-kṛtam amutra retaḥ-kulyāyāṁ pātayitvā retaḥ sampāyayanti.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — any person who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; savarṇām — of the same caste; bhāryām — his wife; dvijaḥ — a person of a higher caste (such as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya); retaḥ — the semen; pāyayati — causes to drink; kāma-mohitaḥ — being deluded by lusty desires; tam — him; pāpa-kṛtam — performing sin; amutra — in the next life; retaḥ-kulyāyām — in a river of semen; pātayitvā — throwing; retaḥ — semen; sampāyayanti — force to drink.
TRANSLATION
If a foolish member of the twice-born classes [brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya] forces his wife to drink his semen out of a lusty desire to keep her under control, he is put after death into the hell known as Lālābhakṣa. There he is thrown into a flowing river of semen, which he is forced to drink.
VERSE 5.26.27
ye tv iha vai dasyavo ’gnidā garadā grāmān sārthān vā vilumpanti rājāno rāja-bhaṭā vā tāṁś cāpi hi paretya yamadūtā vajra-daṁṣṭrāḥ śvānaḥ sapta-śatāni viṁśatiś ca sarabhasaṁ khādanti.
SYNONYMS
ye — persons who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; dasyavaḥ — thieves and plunderers; agni-dāḥ — who set fire; garadāḥ — who administer poison; grāmān — villages; sārthān — the mercantile class of men; vā — or; vilumpanti — plunder; rājānaḥ — kings; rāja-bhaṭāḥ — government officials; vā — or; tān — them; ca — also; api — indeed; hi — certainly; paretya — having died; yamadūtāḥ — the assistants of Yamarāja; vajra-daṁṣṭrāḥ — having mighty teeth; śvānaḥ — dogs; sapta-śatāni — seven hundred; viṁśatiḥ — twenty; ca — and; sarabhasam — voraciously; khādanti — devour.
TRANSLATION
In this world, some persons are professional plunderers who set fire to others’ houses or administer poison to them. Also, members of the royalty or government officials sometimes plunder mercantile men by forcing them to pay income tax and by other methods. After death such demons are put into the hell known as Sārameyādana. On that planet there are 720 dogs with teeth as strong as thunderbolts. Under the orders of the agents of Yamarāja, these dogs voraciously devour such sinful people.
VERSE 5.26.28
yas tv iha vā anṛtaṁ vadati sākṣye dravya-vinimaye dāne vā kathañcit sa vai pretya narake ’vīcimaty adhaḥ-śirā niravakāśe yojana-śatocchrāyād giri-mūrdhnaḥ sampātyate yatra jalam iva sthalam aśma-pṛṣṭham avabhāsate tad avīcimat tilaśo viśīryamāṇa-śarīro na mriyamāṇaḥ punar āropito nipatati.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — anyone who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vā — or; anṛtam — a lie; vadati — speaks; sākṣye — giving witness; dravya-vinimaye — in exchange for goods; dāne — in giving charity; vā — or; kathañcit — somehow; saḥ — that person; vai — indeed; pretya — after dying; narake — in the hell; avīcimati — named Avīcimat (having no water); adhaḥ-śirāḥ — with his head downward; niravakāśe — without support; yojana-śata — of eight hundred miles; ucchrāyāt — having a height; giri — of a mountain; mūrdhnaḥ — from the top; sampātyate — is thrown; yatra — where; jalam iva — like water; sthalam — land; aśma-pṛṣṭham — having a surface of stone; avabhāsate — appears; tat — that; avīcimat — having no water or waves; tilaśaḥ — in pieces as small as seeds; viśīryamāṇa — being broken; śarīraḥ — the body; na mriyamāṇaḥ — not dying; punaḥ — again; āropitaḥ — raised to the top; nipatati — falls down.
TRANSLATION
A person who in this life bears false witness or lies while transacting business or giving charity is severely punished after death by the agents of Yamarāja. Such a sinful man is taken to the top of a mountain eight hundred miles high and thrown headfirst into the hell known as Avīcimat. This hell has no shelter and is made of strong stone resembling the waves of water. There is no water there, however, and thus it is called Avīcimat [waterless]. Although the sinful man is repeatedly thrown from the mountain and his body broken to tiny pieces, he still does not die but continuously suffers chastisement.
VERSE 5.26.29
yas tv iha vai vipro rājanyo vaiśyo vā soma-pīthas tat-kalatraṁ vā surāṁ vrata-stho ’pi vā pibati pramādatas teṣāṁ nirayaṁ nītānām urasi padākramyāsye vahninā dravamāṇaṁ kārṣṇāyasaṁ niṣiñcanti.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — anyone who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; vipraḥ — a learned brāhmaṇa; rājanyaḥ — a kṣatriya; vaiśyaḥ — a vaiśya; vā — or; soma-pīthaḥ — drink soma-rasa; tat — his; kalatram — wife; vā — or; surām — liquor; vrata-sthaḥ — being situated in a vow; api — certainly; vā — or; pibati — drinks; pramādataḥ — out of illusion; teṣām — of all of them; nirayam — to hell; nītānām — being brought; urasi — on the chest; padā — with the foot; ākramya — stepping; asye — in the mouth; vahninā — by fire; dravamāṇam — melted; kārṣṇāyasam — iron; niṣiñcanti — they pour into.
TRANSLATION
Any brāhmaṇa or brāhmaṇa’s wife who drinks liquor is taken by the agents of Yamarāja to the hell known as Ayaḥpāna. This hell also awaits any kṣatriya, vaiśya, or person under a vow who in illusion drinks soma-rasa. In Ayaḥpāna the agents of Yamarāja stand on their chests and pour hot melted iron into their mouths.
VERSE 5.26.30
atha ca yas tv iha vā ātma-sambhāvanena svayam adhamo janma-tapo-vidyācāra-varṇāśramavato varīyaso na bahu manyeta sa mṛtaka eva mṛtvā kṣārakardame niraye ’vāk-śirā nipātito durantā yātanā hy aśnute.
SYNONYMS
atha — furthermore; ca — also; yaḥ — anyone who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vā — or; ātma-sambhāvanena — by false prestige; svayam — himself; adhamaḥ — very degraded; janma — good birth; tapaḥ — austerities; vidyā — knowledge; ācāra — good behavior; varṇa-āśrama-vataḥ — in terms of strictly following the principles of varṇāśrama; varīyasaḥ — of one who is more honorable; na — not; bahu — much; manyeta — respects; saḥ — he; mṛtakaḥ — a dead body; eva — only; mṛtvā — after dying; kṣārakardame — named Kṣārakardama; niraye — in the hell; avāk-śirā — with his head downward; nipātitaḥ — thrown; durantāḥ yātanāḥ — severe painful conditions; hi — indeed; aśnute — suffers.
TRANSLATION
A lowborn and abominable person who in this life becomes falsely proud, thinking “I am great,” and who thus fails to show proper respect to one more elevated than he by birth, austerity, education, behavior, caste or spiritual order, is like a dead man even in this lifetime, and after death he is thrown headfirst into the hell known as Kṣārakardama. There he must suffer great tribulation at the hands of the agents of Yamarāja.
VERSE 5.26.31
ye tv iha vai puruṣāḥ puruṣa-medhena yajante yāś ca striyo nṛ-paśūn khādanti tāṁś ca te paśava iva nihatā yama-sadane yātayanto rakṣo-gaṇāḥ saunikā iva svadhitināvadāyāsṛk pibanti nṛtyanti ca gāyanti ca hṛṣyamāṇā yatheha puruṣādāḥ.
SYNONYMS
ye — persons who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; puruṣāḥ — men; puruṣa-medhena — by sacrifice of a man; yajante — worship (the goddess Kālī or Bhadra Kālī); yāḥ — those who; ca — and; striyaḥ — women; nṛ-paśūn — the men used as sacrifice; khādanti — eat; tān — them; ca — and; te — they; paśavaḥ iva — like the animals; nihatāḥ — being slain; yama-sadane — in the abode of Yamarāja; yātayantaḥ — punishing; rakṣaḥ-gaṇāḥ — being Rākṣasas; saunikāḥ — the killers; iva — like; svadhitinā — by a sword; avadāya — cutting to pieces; asṛk — the blood; pibanti — drink; nṛtyanti — dance; ca — and; gāyanti — sing; ca — also; hṛṣyamāṇāḥ — being delighted; yathā — just like; iha — in this world; puruṣa-adāḥ — the man-eaters.
TRANSLATION
There are men and women in this world who sacrifice human beings to Bhairava or Bhadra Kālī and then eat their victims’ flesh. Those who perform such sacrifices are taken after death to the abode of Yamarāja, where their victims, having taken the form of Rākṣasas, cut them to pieces with sharpened swords. Just as in this world the man-eaters drank their victims’ blood, dancing and singing in jubilation, their victims now enjoy drinking the blood of the sacrificers and celebrating in the same way.
VERSE 5.26.32
ye tv iha vā anāgaso ’raṇye grāme vā vaiśrambhakair upasṛtān upaviśrambhayya jijīviṣūn śūla-sūtrādiṣūpaprotān krīḍanakatayā yātayanti te ’pi ca pretya yama-yātanāsu śūlādiṣu protātmānaḥ kṣut-tṛḍbhyāṁ cābhihatāḥ kaṅka-vaṭādibhiś cetas tatas tigma-tuṇḍair āhanyamānā ātma-śamalaṁ smaranti.
SYNONYMS
ye — persons who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vā — or; anāgasaḥ — who are faultless; araṇye — in the forest; grāme — in the village; vā — or; vaiśrambhakaiḥ — by means of good faith; upasṛtān — brought near; upaviśrambhayya — inspiring with confidence; jijīviṣūn — who want to be protected; śūla-sūtra-ādiṣu — on a lance, thread, and so on; upaprotān — fixed; krīḍanakatayā — like a plaything; yātayanti — cause pain; te — those persons; api — certainly; ca — and; pretya — after dying; yama-yātanāsu — the persecutions of Yamarāja; śūla-ādiṣu — on lances and so on; prota-ātmānaḥ — whose bodies are fixed; kṣut-tṛḍbhyām — by hunger and thirst; ca — also; abhihatāḥ — overwhelmed; kaṅka-vaṭa-ādibhiḥ — by birds such as herons and vultures; ca — and; itaḥ tataḥ — here and there; tigma-tuṇḍaiḥ — having pointed beaks; āhanyamānāḥ — being tortured; ātma-śamalam — own sinful activities; smaranti — they remember.
TRANSLATION
In this life some people give shelter to animals and birds that come to them for protection in the village or forest, and after making them believe that they will be protected, such people pierce them with lances or threads and play with them like toys, giving them great pain. After death such people are brought by the assistants of Yamarāja to the hell known as Śūlaprota, where their bodies are pierced with sharp, needlelike lances. They suffer from hunger and thirst, and sharp-beaked birds such as vultures and herons come at them from all sides to tear at their bodies. Tortured and suffering, they can then remember the sinful activities they committed in the past.
VERSE 5.26.33
ye tv iha vai bhūtāny udvejayanti narā ulbaṇa-svabhāvā yathā dandaśūkās te ’pi pretya narake dandaśūkākhye nipatanti yatra nṛpa dandaśūkāḥ pañca-mukhāḥ sapta-mukhā upasṛtya grasanti yathā bileśayān.
SYNONYMS
ye — persons who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vai — indeed; bhūtāni — to living entities; udvejayanti — cause unnecessary pain; narāḥ — men; ulbaṇa-svabhāvāḥ — angry by nature; yathā — just like; dandaśūkāḥ — snakes; te — they; api — also; pretya — after dying; narake — in the hell; dandaśūka-ākhye — named Dandaśūka; nipatanti — fall down; yatra — where; nṛpa — O King; dandaśūkāḥ — serpents; pañca-mukhāḥ — having five hoods; sapta-mukhāḥ — having seven hoods; upasṛtya — reaching up; grasanti — eat; yathā — just like; bileśayān — mice.
TRANSLATION
Those who in this life are like envious serpents, always angry and giving pain to other living entities, fall after death into the hell known as Dandaśūka. My dear King, in this hell there are serpents with five or seven hoods. These serpents eat such sinful persons just as snakes eat mice.
VERSE 5.26.34
ye tv iha vā andhāvaṭa-kusūla-guhādiṣu bhūtāni nirundhanti tathāmutra teṣv evopaveśya sagareṇa vahninā dhūmena nirundhanti.
SYNONYMS
ye — persons who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vā — or; andha-avaṭa — a blind well; kusūla — granaries; guha-ādiṣu — and in caves; bhūtāni — the living entities; nirundhanti — confine; tathā — similarly; amutra — in the next life; teṣu — in those same places; eva — certainly; upaveśya — causing to enter; sagareṇa — with poisonous fumes; vahninā — with fire; dhūmena — with smoke; nirundhanti — confine.
TRANSLATION
Those who in this life confine other living entities in dark wells, granaries or mountain caves are put after death into the hell known as Avaṭa-nirodhana. There they themselves are pushed into dark wells, where poisonous fumes and smoke suffocate them and they suffer very severely.
VERSE 5.26.35
yas tv iha vā atithīn abhyāgatān vā gṛha-patir asakṛd upagata-manyur didhakṣur iva pāpena cakṣuṣā nirīkṣate tasya cāpi niraye pāpa-dṛṣṭer akṣiṇī vajra-tuṇḍā gṛdhrāḥ kaṅka-kāka-vaṭādayaḥ prasahyoru-balād utpāṭayanti.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — a person who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vā — or; atithīn — guests; abhyāgatān — visitors; vā — or; gṛha-patiḥ — a householder; asakṛt — many times; upagata — obtaining; manyuḥ — anger; didhakṣuḥ — one desiring to burn; iva — like; pāpena — sinful; cakṣuṣā — with eyes; nirīkṣate — looks at; tasya — of him; ca — and; api — certainly; niraye — in hell; pāpa-dṛṣṭeḥ — of he whose vision has become sinful; akṣiṇī — the eyes; vajra-tuṇḍāḥ — those who have powerful beaks; gṛdhrāḥ — vultures; kaṅka — herons; kāka — crows; vaṭa-ādayaḥ — and other birds; prasahya — violently; uru-balāt — with great force; utpāṭayanti — pluck out.
TRANSLATION
A householder who receives guests or visitors with cruel glances, as if to burn them to ashes, is put into the hell called Paryāvartana, where he is gazed at by hard-eyed vultures, herons, crows and similar birds, which suddenly swoop down and pluck out his eyes with great force.
VERSE 5.26.36
yas tv iha vā āḍhyābhimatir ahaṅkṛtis tiryak-prekṣaṇaḥ sarvato ’bhiviśaṅkī artha-vyaya-nāśa-cintayā pariśuṣyamāṇa-hṛdaya-vadano nirvṛtim anavagato graha ivārtham abhirakṣati sa cāpi pretya tad-utpādanotkarṣaṇa-saṁrakṣaṇa-śamala-grahaḥ sūcīmukhe narake nipatati yatra ha vitta-grahaṁ pāpa-puruṣaṁ dharmarāja-puruṣā vāyakā iva sarvato ’ṅgeṣu sūtraiḥ parivayanti.
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — any person who; tu — but; iha — in this world; vā — or; āḍhya-abhimatiḥ — proud because of wealth; ahaṅkṛtiḥ — egotistic; tiryak-prekṣaṇaḥ — whose vision is crooked; sarvataḥ abhiviśaṅkī — always fearful of being cheated by others, even by superiors; artha-vyaya-nāśa-cintayā — by the thought of expenditure and loss; pariśuṣyamāṇa — dried up; hṛdaya-vadanaḥ — his heart and face; nirvṛtim — happiness; anavagataḥ — not obtaining; grahaḥ — a ghost; iva — like; artham — wealth; abhirakṣati — protects; saḥ — he; ca — also; api — indeed; pretya — after dying; tat — of those riches; utpādana — of the earning; utkarṣaṇa — increasing; saṁrakṣaṇa — protecting; śamala-grahaḥ — accepting the sinful activities; sūcīmukhe — named Sūcīmukha; narake — in the hell; nipatati — falls down; yatra — where; ha — indeed; vitta-graham — as a money-grabbing ghost; pāpa-puruṣam — very sinful man; dharmarāja-puruṣāḥ — the commanding men of Yamarāja; vāyakāḥ iva — like expert weavers; sarvataḥ — all over; aṅgeṣu — on the limbs of the body; sūtraiḥ — by threads; parivayanti — stitch.
TRANSLATION
One who in this world or this life is very proud of his wealth always thinks, “I am so rich. Who can equal me?” His vision is twisted, and he is always afraid that someone will take his wealth. Indeed, he even suspects his superiors. His face and heart dry up at the thought of losing his wealth, and therefore he always looks like a wretched fiend. He is not in any way able to obtain actual happiness, and he does not know what it is to be free from anxiety. Because of the sinful things he does to earn money, augment his wealth and protect it, he is put into the hell called Sūcīmukha, where the officials of Yamarāja punish him by stitching thread through his entire body like weavers manufacturing cloth.
VERSE 5.26.37
evaṁ-vidhā narakā yamālaye santi śataśaḥ sahasraśas teṣu sarveṣu ca sarva evādharma-vartino ye kecid ihoditā anuditāś cāvani-pate paryāyeṇa viśanti tathaiva dharmānuvartina itaratra iha tu punar-bhave ta ubhaya-śeṣābhyāṁ niviśanti.
SYNONYMS
evam-vidhāḥ — of this sort; narakāḥ — the many hells; yama-ālaye — in the province of Yamarāja; santi — are; śataśaḥ — hundreds; sahasraśaḥ — thousands; teṣu — in those hellish planets; sarveṣu — all; ca — also; sarve — all; eva — indeed; adharma-vartinaḥ — persons not following the Vedic principles or regulative principles; ye kecit — whosoever; iha — here; uditāḥ — mentioned; anuditāḥ — not mentioned; ca — and; avani-pate — O King; paryāyeṇa — according to the degree of different kinds of sinful activity; viśanti — they enter; tathā eva — similarly; dharma-anuvartinaḥ — those who are pious and act according to the regulative principles or Vedic injunctions; itaratra — elsewhere; iha — on this planet; tu — but; punaḥ-bhave — into another birth; te — all of them; ubhaya-śeṣābhyām — by the remainder of the results of piety or vice; niviśanti — they enter.
TRANSLATION
My dear King Parīkṣit, in the province of Yamarāja there are hundreds and thousands of hellish planets. The impious people I have mentioned — and also those I have not mentioned — must all enter these various planets according to the degree of their impiety. Those who are pious, however, enter other planetary systems, namely the planets of the demigods. Nevertheless, both the pious and impious are again brought to earth after the results of their pious or impious acts are exhausted.
VERSE 5.26.38
nivṛtti-lakṣaṇa-mārga ādāv eva vyākhyātaḥ; etāvān evāṇḍa-kośo yaś caturdaśadhā purāṇeṣu vikalpita upagīyate yat tad bhagavato nārāyaṇasya sākṣān mahā-puruṣasya sthaviṣṭhaṁ rūpam ātmamāyā-guṇamayam anuvarṇitam ādṛtaḥ paṭhati śṛṇoti śrāvayati sa upageyaṁ bhagavataḥ paramātmano ’grāhyam api śraddhā-bhakti-viśuddha-buddhir veda.
SYNONYMS
nivṛtti-lakṣaṇa-mārgaḥ — the path symptomized by renunciation, or the path of liberation; ādau — in the beginning (the second and third cantos); eva — indeed; vyākhyātaḥ — described; etāvān — this much; eva — certainly; aṇḍa-kośaḥ — the universe, which resembles a big egg; yaḥ — which; caturdaśa-dhā — in fourteen parts; purāṇeṣu — in the Purāṇas; vikalpitaḥ — divided; upagīyate — is described; yat — which; tat — that; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nārāyaṇasya — of Lord Nārāyaṇa; sākṣāt — directly; mahā-puruṣasya — of the Supreme Person; sthaviṣṭham — the gross; rūpam — form; ātma-māyā — of His own energy; guṇa — of the qualities; mayam — consisting; anuvarṇitam — described; ādṛtaḥ — venerating; paṭhati — one reads; śṛṇoti — or hears; śrāvayati — or explains; saḥ — that person; upageyam — song; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; paramātmanaḥ — of the Supersoul; agrāhyam — difficult to understand; api — although; śraddhā — by faith; bhakti — and devotion; viśuddha — purified; buddhiḥ — whose intelligence; veda — understands.
TRANSLATION
In the beginning [the second and third cantos of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam] I have already described how one can progress on the path of liberation. In the Purāṇas the vast universal existence, which is like an egg divided into fourteen parts, is described. This vast form is considered the external body of the Lord, created by His energy and qualities. It is generally called the virāṭ-rūpa. If one reads the description of this external form of the Lord with great faith, or if one hears about it or explains it to others to propagate bhāgavata-dharma, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his faith and devotion in spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, will gradually increase. Although developing this consciousness is very difficult, by this process one can purify himself and gradually come to an awareness of the Supreme Absolute Truth.
VERSE 5.26.39
śrutvā sthūlaṁ tathā sūkṣmaṁ
rūpaṁ bhagavato yatiḥ
sthūle nirjitam ātmānaṁ
śanaiḥ sūkṣmaṁ dhiyā nayed iti
SYNONYMS
śrutvā — after hearing of (from the disciplic succession); sthūlam — gross; tathā — as well as; sūkṣmam — subtle; rūpam — form; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yatiḥ — a sannyāsī or devotee; sthūle — the gross form; nirjitam — conquered; ātmānam — the mind; śanaiḥ — gradually; sūkṣmam — the subtle, spiritual form of the Lord; dhiyā — by intelligence; nayet — one should lead it to; iti — thus.
TRANSLATION
One who is interested in liberation, who accepts the path of liberation and is not attracted to the path of conditional life, is called yati, or a devotee. Such a person should first control his mind by thinking of the virāṭ-rūpa, the gigantic universal form of the Lord, and then gradually think of the spiritual form of Kṛṣṇa [sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha] after hearing of both forms. Thus one’s mind is fixed in samādhi. By devotional service one can then realize the spiritual form of the Lord, which is the destination of devotees. Thus his life becomes successful.
VERSE 5.26.40
bhū-dvīpa-varṣa-sarid-adri-nabhaḥ-samudra-
pātāla-diṅ-naraka-bhāgaṇa-loka-saṁsthā
gītā mayā tava nṛpādbhutam īśvarasya
sthūlaṁ vapuḥ sakala-jīva-nikāya-dhāma
SYNONYMS
bhū — of this planet earth; dvīpa — and other different planetary systems; varṣa — of tracts of land; sarit — rivers; adri — mountains; nabhaḥ — the sky; samudra — oceans; pātāla — lower planets; dik — directions; naraka — the hellish planets; bhāgaṇa-loka — the luminaries and higher planets; saṁsthā — the situation; gītā — described; mayā — by me; tava — for you; nṛpa — O King; adbhutam — wonderful; īśvarasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sthūlam — gross; vapuḥ — body; sakala-jīva-nikāya — of all the masses of living entities; dhāma — which is the place of repose.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, I have now described for you this planet earth, other planetary systems, and their lands [varṣas], rivers and mountains. I have also described the sky, the oceans, the lower planetary systems, the directions, the hellish planetary systems and the stars. These constitute the virāṭ-rūpa, the gigantic material form of the Lord, on which all living entities repose. Thus I have explained the wonderful expanse of the external body of the Lord.