Naraka is the Hindu
counterpart of Christian Hell and Islamic Dozakh
This place acts as
a purgatory for the souls who have committed the most abominable
actions on the earthly plane. Unlike the Eternal Hell of
Western religions though, this place is temporary and once the soul has
learnt its lesson, it is free to move back into the regular dimension.
There are 28 different hells
described in the Vedic literature and these planets are:
Raurav, Sukar, Rodha, Tal, Vishsan, Mahajwal,
Taptakumbh, Lavan, Vilohit, Rudhiramabh, Vaitarni, Krimish, Krimibhojan,
Asipatravana, Krishna,
Lalabhaksha, Darun, Puyuvah, Pap, Vahnijwal, Adhahshira, Sandansh, Kalsutra,
Tamas, Avichi, Swabhojan, Apratishthit andAprachi.
The Bhagavata Purana describes Naraka as beneath the earth: between the seven
realms of the underworld (Patala) and the Garbhodaka Ocean,
which is the bottom of the universe.
It is located in the
South of the universe. Pitrloka, where the dead ancestors (Pitrs) headed by Agniṣvāttā reside, is also located in this
region.
Yama, (Surya Putra) the Lord of Naraka, resides in this realm
with his assistants.
The Devi
Bhagavata Purana mentions that Naraka is the
southern part of universe, below the earth but above Patala.
The Vishnu Purana mentions that it is located
below the cosmic waters at the bottom of the universe.
The Hindu epics too agree that Naraka is located
in the South, the direction which is governed by Yama and is often associated
with Death.
Pitrloka is considered as the capital of Yama,
from where Yama delivers his justice
The ancient sages have made
provisions of expiation for those sinners who feel guilty in their conscience
after committing their sins. Only those sinners who do not expiate for their
sins fall into these hells. Although life here seems to go on for an eternity,
in actual fact the duration of one's Karmic
sentence here may be only
seconds or moments. ]
The god of Death, Yama, employs
Yama-dutas (messengers of Yama) or Yama-purushas, who bring souls of all beings
to Yama for judgement. Generally,
all living beings, including humans and animals, go to Yama's abode upon death
where they are judged.
However, very virtuous beings are taken
directly to Svarga (heaven). People devoted to charity, especially donors of
food, and eternal truth speakers are spared the justice of Yama's court.
War-heroes who sacrifice their life and people dying in holy places likeKurukshetra are also described as avoiding Yama. Those who get moksha (salvation) also escape from the clutches
of yamadutas. Those who are
generous and ascetics are given preferential treatment when entering Naraka for
judgement. The way is lighted for those who donated lamps, while those who
underwent religious fasting are carried by peacocks and geese.
Yama, as Lord of Justice, is
called Dharma-raja. Yama sends the virtuous to Svarga to
enjoy the luxuries of paradise. He also assesses the vices of the dead and
accords judgement, assigning them to appropriate hells as punishment
commensurate with the severity and nature of their sins. A person is not freed of samsara (the cycle of birth-death-rebirth) and must
take birth again after his prescribed pleasure in Svarga or punishment in
Naraka is over.
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Yama is aided by his minister Chitragupta, who
maintains a record of all good and evil actions of every living being. Yama-dhutas are also assigned the job
of executing the punishments on sinners in the various hells.
Naraka, as a whole, is known by
many names conveying that it is the realm of Yama. Yamālaya, Yamaloka,
Yamasādana and Yamalokāya mean the abode of Yama. Yamakṣaya (the akṣaya of Yama) and its equivalents like
Vaivasvatakṣaya use pun for the word kṣaya,
which can be mean abode or destruction. It is also called Saṃyamanī,
"where only truth is spoken, and the weak torment the strong",
Mṛtyulokāya – the world of Death or of the dead and the "city of the king
of ghosts", Pretarājapura.
Some
texts mention 7 hells: Put ("childless", for the childless), Avichi
("waveless", for those waiting for reincarnation), Samhata
("abandoned", for evil beings), Tamisra ("darkness", where
darkness of hells begin), Rijisha ("expelled", where torments of hell
begin), Kudmala ("leprous", the worst hell for those who are going to
be reincarnated) and Kakola ("black poison", the bottomless pit, for
those who are eternally condemned to hell and have no chance of reincarnation).
The Manu
Smriti mentions
21 hells:
Tamisra, Andhatamisra,
Maharaurava, Raurava, Kalasutra, Mahanaraka, Samjivana, Mahavichi, Tapana,
Sampratapana, Samhata, Sakakola, Kudmala, Putimrittika, Lohasanku, Rijisha,
Pathana, Vaitarani, Salmali, Asipatravana and Lohadaraka.
The Yajnavalkya Smriti also lists twenty-one: Tamisra, Lohasanku,
Mahaniraya, Salamali, Raurava, Kudmala, Putimrittika, Kalasutraka, Sanghata,
Lohitoda, Savisha, Sampratapana, Mahanaraka, Kakola, Sanjivana, Mahapatha,
Avichi, Andhatamisra, Kumbhipaka, Asipatravana and Tapana.
The Bhagavata Purana, the Vishnu
Purana and the Devi Bhagavata Purana enlist and describe 28 hells; however, they
end the description by stating that there are hundreds and thousands of hells.
The Bhagavata Purana enumerates the following 28: Tamisra,
Andhatamisra, Raurava, Maharaurava, Kumbhipaka, Kalasutra, Asipatravana,
Sukaramukha, Andhakupa, Krimibhojana, Samdamsa, Taptasurmi,
Vajrakantaka-salmali, Vaitarani, Puyoda, Pranarodha, Visasana, Lalabhaksa,
Sarameyadana, Avichi, Ayahpana, Ksharakardama, Raksogana-bhojana, Sulaprota,
Dandasuka, Avata-nirodhana, Paryavartana and Suchimukha.
The Devi Bhagavata Purana agrees with theBhagavata
Purana in most
of names; however, a few names are slightly different. Taptasurmi, Ayahpana,
Raksogana-bhojana, Avata-nirodhana, Paryavartana are replaced by Taptamurti,
Apahpana, Raksogana-sambhoja, Avatarodha, Paryavartanataka respectively.
The Vishnu Purana mentions the 28 in the following
order: Raurava, Shukara, Rodha, Tala, Visasana, Mahajwala, Taptakumbha, Lavana,
Vimohana, Rudhirandha, Vaitaraní, Krimiśa, Krimibhojana, Asipatravana, Krishna,
Lalabhaksa, Dáruńa, Púyaváha, Pápa, Vahnijwála, Adhośiras, Sandansa, Kalasutra,
Tamas, Avichi, Śwabhojana, Apratisht́ha, and another Avichi.
The summary of twenty-eight
hells described in the Bhagavata
Purana and the Devi Bhagavata Purana are as follows:
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Tamisra (darkness):
It is intended for a person who grabs another's wealth, wife or
children. In this dark realm, he is bound with ropes and starved without food
or water. He is beaten and reproached by Yamadutas till he faints.
Andhatamisra (blind-darkness):
Here, a man – who deceives another man and enjoys his wife or
children – is tormented to the extent he loses his consciousness and sight. The
torture is described as cutting the tree at its roots.
Raurava (fearful
or hell of rurus):
As per the Bhagavata
Purana and the Devi Bhagavata Purana, it is
assigned for a person who cares about his own and his family's good, but harms
other living beings and is always envious of others. The living beings hurt by
such a man take the form of savage serpent-like beasts called rurus and torture this person. The Vishnu
Purana deems this hell fit
for a false witness or one who lies.
Maharaurava (great-fearful):
A person who indulges at
the expense of other beings is afflicted with pain by fierce rurus calledkravyadas,
who eat his flesh.
Kumbhipaka (cooked in a pot):
A person who cooks
animals and birds is cooked alive in boiling oil by Yamadutas here, for as many
years as there were hairs on the bodies of their animal victims.
Kalasutra (thread of Time/Death):
The Bhagavata
Purana assigns this hell to a
murderer of a brahmin (the Hindu priestly caste), while the Devi Bhagavata Purana allocates it for a person who
disrespects his parents, elders, ancestors or brahmins. This realm is made entirely of copper
and extremely hot, heated by fire from below and the red hot sun from above.
Here, the sinner burns from within by hunger and thirst and the smouldering
heat outside, whether he sleeps, sits, stands or runs.
Asipatravana/Asipatrakanana (forest of sword leaves):
The Bhagavata Purana and the Devi Bhagavata Purana reserve this hell for a person who
digresses from the religious teachings of the Vedas and indulges in heresy. The Vishnu
Purana states that wanton
tree-felling leads to this hell . Yamadutas
beat them with whips as they try to run away in the forest where palm trees
have swords as leaves. Afflicted with injury of whips and swords, they faint
and cry out for help in vain.
Shukaramukha (hog's mouth):
It houses kings or government officials who punish the innocent
or grant corporal punishment to a
Brahmin. Yamadutas crush him as sugar cane is crushed to extract juice. He will
yell and scream in agony, just as the guiltless suffered.
Andhakupa (well with its mouth hidden):
It is the hell where a person who harms others with the
intention of malice and harms insects is confined. He is attacked by birds,
animals, reptiles, mosquitoes, lice, worms, flies and others, who deprive him
of rest and compel him to run hither and thither.
Krimibhojana/Krimibhaksha (worm-food):
As per the Bhagavata Purana and the Devi Bhagavata Purana, it is
where a person who does not share his food with guests, elders, children or the
gods, and selfishly eats it alone, and he who eats without performing the five yajnas (panchayajna) is chastised. The Vishnu
Purana states that one who
loathes his father, Brahmins or the gods and who destroys jewels is punished
here. This hell is a 100,000 yojana lake filled with worms. The sinful person
is reduced to a worm, who feeds on other worms, which in turn devour his body
for 100,000 years.
Sandansa/Sandamsa (hell of pincers):
The Bhagavata Purana and the Devi Bhagavata Purana state that a person who robs a Brahmin
or steals jewels or gold from someone, when not in dire need, is confined to
this hell. However, the Vishnu Purana tells the violators of vows or rules
endure pain here. His body is
torn by red-hot iron balls and tongs.
Taptasurmi/Taptamurti (red-hot iron statue):
A man or woman who
indulges in illicit sexual relations with a woman or man is beaten by whips and
forced to embrace red-hot iron figurines of the opposite sex.
A person who has sexual
intercourse with animals or who
has excessive coitus is tied to the Vajrakantaka-salmali tree and pulled by
Yamadutas so that the thorns tear his body.
It is a river that is
believed to lie between Naraka and the earth. This river, which forms the
boundary of Naraka, is filled with excreta, urine, pus, blood, hair, nails,
bones, marrow, flesh and fat, where fierce aquatic beings eat the person's
flesh. As per the Bhagavata
Purana and the Devi Bhagavata Purana, a person
born in a respectable family – kshatriya (warrior-caste), royal family or government
official – who neglects his duty is thrown into this river of hell.The Vishnu Purana assigns it to the destroyer of a
bee-hive or a town.
Puyoda (water
of pus):
Shudras (workmen-caste) and husbands or sexual
partners of lowly women and prostitutes – who live like animals devoid of
cleanliness and good behaviour – fall in Puyoda, the ocean of pus, excreta,
urine, mucus, saliva and other repugnant things. Here, they are forced to eat
these disgusting things.
Pranarodha (obstruction to life):
Some Brahmins, Kshatriyas
and Vaishyas (merchant caste) indulge in the sport of
hunting with their dogs and donkeys in the forest, resulting in wanton killing
of animals. Yamadutas play archery sport with them as the targets in this hell.
Visashana (murderous):
The Bhagavata
Purana and the Devi Bhagavata Purana mention that Yamadutas whip a person,
who has pride of his rank and wealth and sacrifices animals as a status symbol,
and finally kill him. The Vishnu Puranaassociates it with
the maker of spears, swords, and other weapons.
Lalabhaksa (saliva as food):
As per the Bhagavata Purana and the Devi Bhagavata Purana, a
Brahmin, a Ksahtriya or a Vaishya husband, who forces his wife to drink his
semen out of lust and to enforce his control, is thrown in a river of semen,
which he is forced to drink. The Vishnu Purana disagrees stating that one who eats
before offering food to the gods, the ancestors or guests is brought to this
hell.
Sarameyadana (hell of the sons of Sarama):
Plunderers who burn houses and poison people for wealth, and
kings and other government officials, who grab money of merchants, mass murder
or ruin the nation, are cast into this hell. Seven hundred and twenty ferocious
dogs, the sons of Sarama, with
razor-sharp teeth, prey on them at the behest of Yamadutas.
Avici/Avicimat (waterless/wave less):
A person, who lies on
oath or in business, is repeatedly thrown head-first from a 100 yojana high
mountain whose sides are stone waves, but without water. His body is
continuously broken, but it is made sure that he does not die.
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Ayahpana (iron-drink):
Anybody else under oath or a Brahmin who drinks alcohol is
punished here. Yamadutas stand on their chests and force them to drink
molten-iron.
Ksarakardama (acidic/saline mud/filth):
One who in false pride,
does not honour a person higher than him by birth, austerity, knowledge,
behaviour, caste or spiritual order, is tortured in this hell. Yamadutas throw
him head-first and torment him.
Raksogana-bhojana (food of Rakshasas):
Those who practise human-sacrifice and cannibalism are condemned
to this hell. Their victims, in the form of Rakshasas, cut
them with sharp knives and swords. The Rakshasas feast on their blood and sing
and dance in joy, just as the sinners slaughtered their victims.
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Shulaprota (pierced by sharp pointed spear/dart):
Some people give shelter
to birds or animals pretending to be their saviours, but then harass them
poking with threads, needles or using them like lifeless toys. Also, some
people behave the same way to humans, winning their confidence and then killing
them with sharp tridents or lances. The bodies of such sinners, fatigued with
hunger and thirst, are pierced with sharp, needle-like spears. Ferocious
carnivorous birds like vultures and herons tear and gorge their flesh.
Dandasuka (snakes):
Filled with envy and
fury, some people harm others like snakes. These are destined to be devoured by
five or seven hooded serpents in this hell.
Avata-nirodhana (confined in a hole):
People who imprison
others in dark wells, crannies or mountain caves are pushed into this hell, a
dark well engulfed with poisonous fumes and smoke that suffocates them.
Paryavartana (returning):
A householder who
welcomes guests with cruel glances and abuses them is restrained in this hell.
Hard-eyed vultures, herons, crows and similar birds gaze on them and suddenly
fly and pluck his eyes.
.Sucimukha (needle-face):
An ever-suspicious man is always wary of people trying to grab
his wealth. Proud of his money, he sins to gain and to retain it. Yamadutas
stitch thread through his whole body in this hell.
The Sinners according to their sins are sent to various naraka's and for the time as per their sins.
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