General Description of the Course to Hell

Verse 1 (shiva.uma.9.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । एषु पापाः प्रपच्यन्ते शोष्यन्ते नरकाग्निषु । यातनाभिर्विचित्राभिरास्वकर्मक्षयाद् भृशम्

sanatkumāra uvāca eṣu pāpāḥ prapacyante śoṣyante narakāgniṣu yātanābhirvicitrābhirāsvakarmakṣayād bhṛśam

Sanatkumara said: In these hells the sinful are cooked and scorched in the fires of hell, tormented severely by manifold torments until the exhaustion of their own evil karma.

Verse 2 (shiva.uma.9.2)

स्वमलप्रक्षयाद्यद्वदग्नौ धास्यन्ति धातवः । तत्र पापक्षयात्पापा नराः कर्मानुरूपतः

svamalaprakṣayādyadvadagnau dhāsyanti dhātavaḥ tatra pāpakṣayātpāpā narāḥ karmānurūpataḥ

Just as metals, when placed in fire, are purified through the destruction of their own dross, so there sinful men are purified through the destruction of sin, each according to his deeds.

Verse 3 (shiva.uma.9.3)

सुगाढं हस्तयोर्बद्ध्वा ततः शृङ्खलया नराः । महावृक्षाग्रशाखासु लम्ब्यन्ते यमकिङ्करैः

sugāḍhaṁ hastayorbaddhvā tataḥ śṛṅkhalayā narāḥ mahāvṛkṣāgraśākhāsu lambyante yamakiṅkaraiḥ

Binding their hands tightly with a chain, Yama's servants hang those men from the topmost branches of great trees.

Verse 4 (shiva.uma.9.4)

ततस्ते सर्वयत्नेन क्षिप्ता दोलन्ति किङ्करैः । दोम्यन्तश्चातिवेगेन विसंज्ञा यान्ति योजनम्

tataste sarvayatnena kṣiptā dolanti kiṅkaraiḥ domyantaścātivegena visaṁjñā yānti yojanam

Then, swung with all their might by the servants, they sway back and forth; swinging with such violent speed, they lose consciousness and are flung a full league's distance.

Verse 5 (shiva.uma.9.5)

अन्तरिक्षस्थितानां च लोहभारशतं पुनः । पादयोर्बध्यते तेषां यमदूतैर्महाबलैः

antarikṣasthitānāṁ ca lohabhāraśataṁ punaḥ pādayorbadhyate teṣāṁ yamadūtairmahābalaiḥ

And to the feet of those hanging suspended in mid-air, the mighty messengers of Yama again bind a hundredfold weight of iron.

Verse 6 (shiva.uma.9.6)

तेन भारेण महता प्रभृशं ताडिता नराः । ध्यायन्ति स्वानि कर्माणि तूष्णीं तिष्ठन्ति निश्चलाः

tena bhāreṇa mahatā prabhṛśaṁ tāḍitā narāḥ dhyāyanti svāni karmāṇi tūṣṇīṁ tiṣṭhanti niścalāḥ

Battered grievously by that heavy burden, the men, reflecting upon their own deeds, remain silent and motionless.

Verse 7 (shiva.uma.9.7)

ततोऽङ्कुशैरग्निवर्णैर्लोहदण्डैश्च दारुणैः । हन्यन्ते किङ्करैघोरैः समन्तात्पापकर्मिणः

tato'ṅkuśairagnivarṇairlohadaṇḍaiśca dāruṇaiḥ hanyante kiṅkaraighoraiḥ samantātpāpakarmiṇaḥ

Then those dreadful servants strike the doers of evil deeds on every side with goads glowing like fire and with terrible iron rods.

Verse 8 (shiva.uma.9.8)

ततः क्षारेण दीप्तेन वह्नेरपि विशेषतः । समन्ततः प्रलिप्यन्ते तीव्रेण तु पुनः पुनः

tataḥ kṣāreṇa dīptena vahnerapi viśeṣataḥ samantataḥ pralipyante tīvreṇa tu punaḥ punaḥ

Then, again and again, they are smeared all over with burning caustic alkali more fiercely scorching than fire itself.

Verse 9 (shiva.uma.9.9)

द्रुतेनात्यन्तलिप्तेन कृत्ताङ्गा जर्जरीकृताः । पुनर्विदार्य चाङ्गानि शिरसः प्रभृति क्रमात्

drutenātyantaliptena kṛttāṅgā jarjarīkṛtāḥ punarvidārya cāṅgāni śirasaḥ prabhṛti kramāt

Drenched completely in that molten substance, their limbs are cut and shattered to pieces; then, once more, their limbs are torn open in sequence, starting from the head.

Verse 10 (shiva.uma.9.10)

वृन्ताकवत्प्रपच्यन्ते तप्तलोहकटाहकैः । विष्ठापूर्णे तथा कूपे कृमीणां निचये पुनः

vṛntākavatprapacyante taptalohakaṭāhakaiḥ viṣṭhāpūrṇe tathā kūpe kṛmīṇāṁ nicaye punaḥ

They are cooked like eggplants in red-hot iron cauldrons, and then again cast into a pit filled with excrement, into a heap of worms.

Verse 11 (shiva.uma.9.11)

मेदोऽसृक्पूयपूर्णायां वाप्यां क्षिप्यन्ति ते पुनः । भक्ष्यन्ते कृमिभिस्तीक्ष्णैर्लोहतुण्डैश्च वायसैः

medo'sṛkpūyapūrṇāyāṁ vāpyāṁ kṣipyanti te punaḥ bhakṣyante kṛmibhistīkṣṇairlohatuṇḍaiśca vāyasaiḥ

Again they are thrown into a reservoir brimming with fat, blood, and pus, where they are devoured by sharp-fanged worms and by crows with beaks of iron.

Verse 12 (shiva.uma.9.12)

श्वभिर्देंशैर्वृकैर्व्याघ्रै रौद्रैश्च विकृताननैः । पच्यन्ते मत्स्यवच्चापि प्रदीप्ताङ्गारराशिषु

śvabhirdeṁśairvṛkairvyāghrai raudraiśca vikṛtānanaiḥ pacyante matsyavaccāpi pradīptāṅgārarāśiṣu

They are torn by biting dogs, by wolves, by tigers, and by other dreadful, hideous-faced creatures, and they are also roasted like fish upon heaps of blazing embers.

Verse 13 (shiva.uma.9.13)

भिन्नाः शूलैः सुतीक्ष्णैश्च नराः पापेन कर्मणा । तैलयन्त्रेषु चाक्रम्य घोरैः कर्मभिरात्मनः

bhinnāḥ śūlaiḥ sutīkṣṇaiśca narāḥ pāpena karmaṇā tailayantreṣu cākramya ghoraiḥ karmabhirātmanaḥ

Pierced through with extremely sharp spikes because of their sinful deeds, those men, on account of their own terrible actions, are also crushed in oil-presses.

Verse 14 (shiva.uma.9.14)

तिला इव प्रपीड्यन्ते चक्राख्ये जनपिण्डकाः । भ्रज्यन्ते चातपे तप्तलोहभाण्डेष्वनेकधा

tilā iva prapīḍyante cakrākhye janapiṇḍakāḥ bhrajyante cātape taptalohabhāṇḍeṣvanekadhā

Massed together like clumps, they are crushed like sesame seeds in the device called the wheel, and in the scorching sun they are roasted in various ways within red-hot iron vessels.

Verse 15 (shiva.uma.9.15)

तैलपूर्णकटाहेषु सुतप्तेषु पुनःपुनः । बहुधा पच्यते जिह्वा प्रपीड्योरसि पादयोः

tailapūrṇakaṭāheṣu sutapteṣu punaḥpunaḥ bahudhā pacyate jihvā prapīḍyorasi pādayoḥ

Again and again, in cauldrons brimming with oil and heated to a fierce degree, the tongue is cooked in various ways, while chest and feet are crushed.

Verse 16 (shiva.uma.9.16)

यातनाश्च महत्योऽत्र शरीरस्याति सर्वतः । निःशेषनरकेष्वेवं क्रमन्ति क्रमशो नराः

yātanāśca mahatyo'tra śarīrasyāti sarvataḥ niḥśeṣanarakeṣvevaṁ kramanti kramaśo narāḥ

Here the whole body, on every side, undergoes immense torments; and thus, in due sequence, men pass through the entirety of the hells, one by one, without exception.

Verse 17 (shiva.uma.9.17)

नरकेषु च सर्वेषु विचित्रा यमयातनाः । याम्यैश्च दीयते व्यास सर्वाङ्गेषु सुकष्टदाः

narakeṣu ca sarveṣu vicitrā yamayātanāḥ yāmyaiśca dīyate vyāsa sarvāṅgeṣu sukaṣṭadāḥ

And in all the hells there are manifold torments of Yama, O Vyasa; the servants of Yama inflict these deeply agonizing torments upon every limb of the body.

Verse 18 (shiva.uma.9.18)

ज्वलदङ्गारमादाय मुखमापूर्य ताड्यते । ततः क्षारेण दीप्तेन ताम्रेण च पुनःपुनः

jvaladaṅgāramādāya mukhamāpūrya tāḍyate tataḥ kṣāreṇa dīptena tāmreṇa ca punaḥpunaḥ

Taking up blazing embers, they fill the sinner's mouth and strike him; then again and again with burning alkali and molten copper.

Verse 19 (shiva.uma.9.19)

घृतेनात्यन्ततप्तेन तदा तैलेन तन्मुखम् । इतस्ततः पीडयित्वा भृशमापूर्य हन्यते

ghṛtenātyantataptena tadā tailena tanmukham itastataḥ pīḍayitvā bhṛśamāpūrya hanyate

Then, with intensely heated ghee and oil, after tormenting him on every side, his mouth is filled completely, and he is beaten.

Verse 20 (shiva.uma.9.20)

विष्ठाभिः कृमिभिश्चापि पूर्यमाणाः क्वचित् क्वचित् । परिष्वजन्ति चात्युग्रां प्रदीप्तां लोहशाल्मलीम्

viṣṭhābhiḥ kṛmibhiścāpi pūryamāṇāḥ kvacit kvacit pariṣvajanti cātyugrāṁ pradīptāṁ lohaśālmalīm

And in various places, their mouths crammed with excrement and worms, they are also forced to embrace the fearsome, blazing iron Shalmali tree.

Verse 21 (shiva.uma.9.21)

हन्यन्ते पृष्ठदेशे च पुनर्दीप्तैर्महाघनैः । दन्तुरेणादिकुण्ठेन क्रकचेन बलीसया

hanyante pṛṣṭhadeśe ca punardīptairmahāghanaiḥ dantureṇādikuṇṭhena krakacena balīsayā

Again their backs are struck with huge blazing hammers, and they are sawn forcefully with a jagged, blunt-edged saw.

Verse 22 (shiva.uma.9.22)

शिरःप्रभृति पीड्यन्ते घोरैः कर्मभिरात्मजैः । खाद्यन्ते च स्वमांसानि पीयते शोणितं स्वकम्

śiraḥprabhṛti pīḍyante ghoraiḥ karmabhirātmajaiḥ khādyante ca svamāṁsāni pīyate śoṇitaṁ svakam

Beginning at the head, they are tormented through the terrible deeds born of their own actions; they are made to eat their own flesh and to drink their own blood.

Verse 23 (shiva.uma.9.23)

अन्नं पानं न दत्तं यैः सर्वदा स्वात्मपोषकैः । इक्षुवत्ते प्रपीड्यन्ते जर्जरीकृत्य मुद्गरैः

annaṁ pānaṁ na dattaṁ yaiḥ sarvadā svātmapoṣakaiḥ ikṣuvatte prapīḍyante jarjarīkṛtya mudgaraiḥ

Those who, feeding only themselves, never gave food or drink to anyone — they are crushed like sugarcane, pounded into pulp with clubs.

Verse 24 (shiva.uma.9.24)

असितालवने घोरे छिद्यन्ते खण्डशस्ततः । सूचीभिर्भिन्नसर्वाङ्गाः तप्तशूलाग्ररोपिताः

asitālavane ghore chidyante khaṇḍaśastataḥ sūcībhirbhinnasarvāṅgāḥ taptaśūlāgraropitāḥ

In the dreadful Asipatravana — the forest whose leaves are swords — they are cut to shreds; their entire bodies pierced through with needles, they are impaled upon the points of red-hot spikes.

Verse 25 (shiva.uma.9.25)

सञ्चाल्यमाना बहुशः क्लिश्यन्ते न म्रियन्ति च । तथा च तच्छरीराणि सुखदुःखसहानि च

sañcālyamānā bahuśaḥ kliśyante na mriyanti ca tathā ca taccharīrāṇi sukhaduḥkhasahāni ca

Being repeatedly shaken and jolted, they suffer greatly yet do not die, for their bodies there are made capable of enduring both pleasure and pain.

Verse 26 (shiva.uma.9.26)

देहादुत्पाट्य मांसानि भिद्यन्ते स्वैश्च मुद्गरैः । दन्तुराकृतिभिर्घोरैर्यमदूतैर्बलोत्कटैः

dehādutpāṭya māṁsāni bhidyante svaiśca mudgaraiḥ danturākṛtibhirghorairyamadūtairbalotkaṭaiḥ

The terrible, mighty servants of Yama, jagged and fanged in form, tear the flesh from their bodies and pierce it through with their own clubs.

Verse 27 (shiva.uma.9.27)

निरुच्छ्वासे निरुच्छ्वासास्तिष्ठन्ति नरके चिरम् । उत्ताड्यन्ते तथोच्छ्वासे वालुकासदने नराः

nirucchvāse nirucchvāsāstiṣṭhanti narake ciram uttāḍyante tathocchvāse vālukāsadane narāḥ

In the breathless hell called Nirucchvasa they remain long without breath; and in the hell of breathing, in the abode of sand, men are struck again and again.

Verse 28 (shiva.uma.9.28)

रौरवे रोदमानाश्च पीड्यन्ते विविधैर्वधैः । महारौरवपीडाभिर्महान्तोऽपि रुदन्ति च

raurave rodamānāśca pīḍyante vividhairvadhaiḥ mahārauravapīḍābhirmahānto'pi rudanti ca

Wailing, they are tormented in Raurava with manifold forms of slaughter; and even the mightiest sinners cry out from the torments of Maharaurava.

Verse 29 (shiva.uma.9.29)

पत्सु वक्त्रे गुदे मुण्डे नेत्रयोश्चैव मस्तके । निहन्यन्ते घनैस्तीक्ष्णैः सुतप्तैर्लोहशङ्कुभिः

patsu vaktre gude muṇḍe netrayoścaiva mastake nihanyante ghanaistīkṣṇaiḥ sutaptairlohaśaṅkubhiḥ

On the feet, the mouth, the anus, the head, the eyes, and the skull, they are struck with sharp, red-hot iron spikes and hammers.

Verse 30 (shiva.uma.9.30)

सुतप्तवालुकायां तु प्रयोज्यन्ते मुहुर्मुहुः । जन्तुपङ्के भृशं तप्ते क्षिप्ताः क्रन्दन्ति विस्वरम्

sutaptavālukāyāṁ tu prayojyante muhurmuhuḥ jantupaṅke bhṛśaṁ tapte kṣiptāḥ krandanti visvaram

Again and again they are cast upon scorching sand; hurled into an intensely heated mire swarming with creatures, they scream out in discordant cries.

Verse 31 (shiva.uma.9.31)

कुम्भीपाकेषु पच्यन्ते तप्ततैलेषु वै मुने । पापिनः क्रूरकर्माणोऽसह्येषु सर्वथा पुनः

kumbhīpākeṣu pacyante taptataileṣu vai mune pāpinaḥ krūrakarmāṇo'sahyeṣu sarvathā punaḥ

O sage, sinners of cruel deeds are cooked, over and over, in the Kumbhipaka hells amid boiling oil that is utterly unbearable.

Verse 32 (shiva.uma.9.32)

लालाभक्षेषु पापास्ते पात्यन्ते दुःखदेषु वै । नानास्थानेषु च तथा नरकेषु पुनःपुनः

lālābhakṣeṣu pāpāste pātyante duḥkhadeṣu vai nānāsthāneṣu ca tathā narakeṣu punaḥpunaḥ

Those sinners are cast into the anguish-causing hell called Lalabhaksha, and again and again into the hells of many other regions besides.

Verse 33 (shiva.uma.9.33)

सूचीमुखे महाक्लेशे नरके पात्यते नरः । पापी पुण्यविहीनश्च ताड्यते यमकिङ्करैः

sūcīmukhe mahākleśe narake pātyate naraḥ pāpī puṇyavihīnaśca tāḍyate yamakiṅkaraiḥ

The sinful man, bereft of merit, is thrown into the hell called Suchimukha, of great torment, and is struck there by Yama's servants.

Verse 34 (shiva.uma.9.34)

लोहकुम्भे विनिःक्षिप्ताः श्वसन्तश्च शनैः शनैः । महाग्निना प्रपच्यन्ते स्वपापैरेव मानवाः

lohakumbhe viniḥkṣiptāḥ śvasantaśca śanaiḥ śanaiḥ mahāgninā prapacyante svapāpaireva mānavāḥ

Cast into an iron cauldron, breathing ever more faintly, those men are cooked by a mighty fire, solely because of their own sins.

Verse 35 (shiva.uma.9.35)

दृढं रज्ज्वादिभिर्बद्ध्वा प्रपीड्यन्ते शिलासु च । क्षिप्यन्ते चान्धकूपेषु दश्यन्ते भ्रमरैर्भृशम्

dṛḍhaṁ rajjvādibhirbaddhvā prapīḍyante śilāsu ca kṣipyante cāndhakūpeṣu daśyante bhramarairbhṛśam

Bound fast with ropes, they are crushed upon rocks; and they are thrown into blind pits, where they are stung fiercely by swarms of hornets.

Verse 36 (shiva.uma.9.36)

कृमिभिर्भिन्नसर्वाङ्गाः शतशो जर्जरीकृताः । सुतीक्ष्णक्षारकूपेषु क्षिप्यन्ते तदनन्तरम्

kṛmibhirbhinnasarvāṅgāḥ śataśo jarjarīkṛtāḥ sutīkṣṇakṣārakūpeṣu kṣipyante tadanantaram

Their whole bodies pierced through by worms and shattered into a hundred fragments, they are then flung into wells of intensely caustic alkali.

Verse 37 (shiva.uma.9.37)

महाज्वालेऽत्र नरके पापाः क्रन्दन्ति दुःखिताः । इतश्चेतश्च धावन्ति दह्यमानास्तदर्चिषा

mahājvāle'tra narake pāpāḥ krandanti duḥkhitāḥ itaścetaśca dhāvanti dahyamānāstadarciṣā

In this hell called Mahajvala, sinners cry out in anguish; scorched by its flames, they run frantically from place to place.

Verse 38 (shiva.uma.9.38)

पृष्ठे चानीय तुण्डाभ्यां विन्यस्तस्कन्धयोजिते । तयोर्मध्येन वाकृष्य बाहुपृष्ठेन गाढतः

pṛṣṭhe cānīya tuṇḍābhyāṁ vinyastaskandhayojite tayormadhyena vākṛṣya bāhupṛṣṭhena gāḍhataḥ

Brought there, they are bound with both ends joined together at the shoulders, and drawn tight through the middle across the back of the arms;

Verse 39 (shiva.uma.9.39)

बद्धाः परस्परं सर्वे सुभृशं पाशरज्जुभिः । बद्धपिण्डास्तु दृश्यन्ते महाज्वाले तु यातनाः

baddhāḥ parasparaṁ sarve subhṛśaṁ pāśarajjubhiḥ baddhapiṇḍāstu dṛśyante mahājvāle tu yātanāḥ

thus all of them are tied fast to one another with nooses and cords. Bound together into a single mass, they are seen enduring torment there in the great blaze.

Verse 40 (shiva.uma.9.40)

रज्जुभिर्वेष्टिताश्चैव प्रलिप्ताः कर्दमेन च । करीषतुषवह्नौ च पच्यन्ते न म्रियन्ति च

rajjubhirveṣṭitāścaiva praliptāḥ kardamena ca karīṣatuṣavahnau ca pacyante na mriyanti ca

Wrapped round with ropes and plastered with mud, they are roasted in a fire of dried cow-dung and chaff, yet they do not die.

Verse 41 (shiva.uma.9.41)

सुतीक्ष्णचरितास्ते हि कर्कशासु शिलासु च । आस्फाल्य शतशः पापाः पच्यन्ते तृणवत्ततः

sutīkṣṇacaritāste hi karkaśāsu śilāsu ca āsphālya śataśaḥ pāpāḥ pacyante tṛṇavattataḥ

Those sinners of exceedingly harsh conduct are dashed a hundred times against jagged rocks, and then burned up like straw.

Verse 42 (shiva.uma.9.42)

शरीराभ्यन्तरगतैः प्रभूतैः कृमिभिर्नराः । भक्ष्यन्ते तीक्ष्णवदनैरात्मदेहक्षयाद् भृशम्

śarīrābhyantaragataiḥ prabhūtaiḥ kṛmibhirnarāḥ bhakṣyante tīkṣṇavadanairātmadehakṣayād bhṛśam

Men are devoured relentlessly, their own bodies wasting away, by countless sharp-mouthed worms that burrow inside them.

Verse 43 (shiva.uma.9.43)

कृमीणां निचये क्षिप्ताः पूयमांसास्थिराशिषु । तिष्ठन्त्युद्विग्नहृदयाः पर्वताभ्यां निपीडिताः

kṛmīṇāṁ nicaye kṣiptāḥ pūyamāṁsāsthirāśiṣu tiṣṭhantyudvignahṛdayāḥ parvatābhyāṁ nipīḍitāḥ

Cast into a heap of worms, into mounds of pus, flesh, and bone, they lie there with hearts in torment, crushed between two mountains.

Verse 44 (shiva.uma.9.44)

तप्तेन वज्रलेपेन शरीरमनुलिप्यते । अधोमुखोर्ध्वपादश्च तातप्यन्ते स्म वह्निना

taptena vajralepena śarīramanulipyate adhomukhordhvapādaśca tātapyante sma vahninā

The body is coated with heated, adamant-hard cement; and, head down and feet up, they are scorched by fire.

Verse 45 (shiva.uma.9.45)

वदनान्तःप्रविन्यस्तां सुप्रतप्तामयोगदाम् । ते खादन्ति पराधीनास्तैस्ताड्यन्ते च मुद्गरैः

vadanāntaḥpravinyastāṁ suprataptāmayogadām te khādanti parādhīnāstaistāḍyante ca mudgaraiḥ

Helpless and under others' control, they are forced to gnaw upon a red-hot iron mace thrust into their mouths, and are struck with those same maces.

Verse 46 (shiva.uma.9.46)

इत्थं व्यास कुकर्माणो नरकेषु पचन्ति हि । वर्णयामि विवर्णत्वं तेषां तत्त्वाय कर्मिणाम्

itthaṁ vyāsa kukarmāṇo narakeṣu pacanti hi varṇayāmi vivarṇatvaṁ teṣāṁ tattvāya karmiṇām

Thus, O Vyasa, do the doers of evil deeds suffer cooking in the hells. I describe the wretched, disfigured state of these doers of karma so that its truth may be understood.