Description of the Hells: The Account of Ayoghana

Verse 1 (skanda.8.43.1)

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि नरकं पापनाशनम् । अयोघनमितिख्यातं सर्वप्राणिभयङ्करम्

ataḥ paraṁ pravakṣyāmi narakaṁ pāpanāśanam | ayoghanamitikhyātaṁ sarvaprāṇibhayaṅkaram

Now, after this, I shall tell of that sin-destroying hell known by the name Ayoghana, which strikes terror into all beings.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.43.2)

यत्र ते पुरुषा घोरा यमाभा यमकिङ्कराः । महाबला महासत्वाः सर्वेयोगेश्वरास्तथा

yatra te puruṣā ghorā yamābhā yamakiṅkarāḥ | mahābalā mahāsatvāḥ sarveyogeśvarāstathā

There are terrible men there, resembling Yama, servants of Yama, of great might, of great vigour, and all masters of yogic power.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.43.3)

अयस्कारा यथा पिण्डमयसोग्निप्रतापितम् । संदंशेनाभिसंगृह्य स्थापयित्वायसे घने

ayaskārā yathā piṇḍamayasognipratāpitam | saṁdaṁśenābhisaṁgṛhya sthāpayitvāyase ghane

Just as a blacksmith, seizing with tongs a lump of iron heated in the fire, sets it upon a great anvil of iron.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.43.4)

अभिघ्नन्ति घनैरन्यैस्तथा तत्रापि जन्तवः । हन्यन्ते राक्षसैर्घोरैस्तर्जयद्भिः सुदारुणम्

abhighnanti ghanairanyaistathā tatrāpi jantavaḥ | hanyante rākṣasairghoraistarjayadbhiḥ sudāruṇam

And beats it with other great hammers -- so too are the beings there; they are struck down by dreadful rakshasas who terrify them exceedingly.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.43.5)

वर्षकोटीस्तथा सप्त यातिताः स्वेन कर्मणा । उच्छ्रयेषु तथा घोरां यातनां प्राप्नुवन्ति ते

varṣakoṭīstathā sapta yātitāḥ svena karmaṇā | ucchrayeṣu tathā ghorāṁ yātanāṁ prāpnuvanti te

Thus they undergo torment for a full seventy million years by their own deed, and in the Ucchrayas too they attain torment just as terrible.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.43.6)

एतद् ये यान्ति पुरुषाः सोच्छ्रयं नरकं महत् । तानहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि अनिर्देश्यान् नराधमान्

etad ye yānti puruṣāḥ socchrayaṁ narakaṁ mahat | tānahaṁ saṁpravakṣyāmi anirdeśyān narādhamān

As for those men who go to this great hell with its Ucchrayas, I shall now tell you about those indescribable, basest of men.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.43.7)

पादेन हन्यात् पितरं मातरं पूज्यमेव वा । अन्यां काञ्चित् स्त्रियं वापि हस्तेनाथ कशादिभिः

pādena hanyāt pitaraṁ mātaraṁ pūjyameva vā | anyāṁ kāñcit striyaṁ vāpi hastenātha kaśādibhiḥ

One who strikes his father, mother, or any venerable person with his foot, or strikes some other woman with his hand, or with a whip and the like.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.43.8)

तथा प्रव्रजितं चैव अग्निं वाप्यथ लंघयेत् । बालमर्थकृते यश्च मृत्युना योजयेत्तथा

tathā pravrajitaṁ caiva agniṁ vāpyatha laṁghayet | bālamarthakṛte yaśca mṛtyunā yojayettathā

And one who steps over an ascetic, or over sacred fire, and one who, for his own gain, brings about the death of a child.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.43.9)

स्त्रियं वाथ पुमांसं वा क्लीबं वान्यन्नराधमः । भ्रातॄन् यश्चाभिसन्धत्ते द्रव्ये कस्मिंश्चिदेव हि

striyaṁ vātha pumāṁsaṁ vā klībaṁ vānyannarādhamaḥ | bhrātṝn yaścābhisandhatte dravye kasmiṁścideva hi

That base man who deceives a woman, a man, or an eunuch, or who defrauds his own brothers regarding some property.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.43.10)

पितरं वाथ दुर्बुद्धिर्मातरं भगिनीमपि । पतिर्यश्चैव भार्यां स्वां पुत्रांश्चैवाभिसंधयेत् । भार्या पतिं वा पुत्रान् वा तेषां सा गतिरुच्यते

pitaraṁ vātha durbuddhirmātaraṁ bhaginīmapi | patiryaścaiva bhāryāṁ svāṁ putrāṁścaivābhisaṁdhayet | bhāryā patiṁ vā putrān vā teṣāṁ sā gatirucyate

That foolish man who deceives his father, mother, or sister; or the husband who deceives his own wife and sons; or the wife who deceives her husband or sons -- for them the same fate is declared.

Verse 11 (skanda.8.43.11)

कीलयेद्यश्च देवार्चास्तीर्थानि च दुरात्मवान् । विद्याः शास्त्राणि दिव्यानि तेषां सा गतिरुच्यते

kīlayedyaśca devārcāstīrthāni ca durātmavān | vidyāḥ śāstrāṇi divyāni teṣāṁ sā gatirucyate

And that evil-souled one who defiles the images of the gods and the sacred fords, and destroys divine learning and the scriptures -- for them too the same fate is declared.

Verse 12 (skanda.8.43.12)

य इमं बहुपापयोगकारणं शृणुयान्नित्यमसौख्यसर्वदारणम् । प्रयतस्स न याति तं भयानकं नरकं दुर्गमयोधनावतानकम्

ya imaṁ bahupāpayogakāraṇaṁ śṛṇuyānnityamasaukhyasarvadāraṇam | prayatassa na yāti taṁ bhayānakaṁ narakaṁ durgamayodhanāvatānakam

That pure person who ever hears this account, the cause of many sins, ever devoid of happiness and wholly rending, never goes to that fearsome, well-nigh impassable hell, filled with the blows of Ayoghana.