Description of the Hells: The Account of Padma

Verse 1 (skanda.8.44.1)

सुशर्मोवाच । अतः परं पद्ममहं प्रवक्ष्यामि सुदुर्गमम् । सुकृतीनामलभ्यं च दुष्कृतीनां भयावहम्

suśarmovāca | ataḥ paraṁ padmamahaṁ pravakṣyāmi sudurgamam | sukṛtīnāmalabhyaṁ ca duṣkṛtīnāṁ bhayāvaham

Sushrama said: Now, after this, I shall tell of the most impassable hell named Padma, unattainable by the virtuous, and terrifying to the sinful.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.44.2)

तत्राग्निस्तापनो नाम धम्यमान इव ज्वलन् । जन्तवस्तत्र ताप्यन्ते वह्निवर्णा भवन्ति च

tatrāgnistāpano nāma dhamyamāna iva jvalan | jantavastatra tāpyante vahnivarṇā bhavanti ca

There is a fire there called Tapana, blazing as though fanned by a bellows. There beings are scorched and take on the very colour of fire.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.44.3)

पद्मपत्रनिभास्सर्वे धाम्यमानास्ततस्ततः । तस्य मध्ये महास्तम्भो लौहः समवतिष्ठते

padmapatranibhāssarve dhāmyamānāstatastataḥ | tasya madhye mahāstambho lauhaḥ samavatiṣṭhate

All of them, like lotus-petals, blaze on every side. In the middle of it stands a mighty pillar of iron.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.44.4)

तं ते गत्वा प्रगूहन्ति सोप्यग्निरतिदारुणः । एवं तत्रानिशं घोरं यातितास्तूच्छ्रयेष्वपि

taṁ te gatvā pragūhanti sopyagniratidāruṇaḥ | evaṁ tatrāniśaṁ ghoraṁ yātitāstūcchrayeṣvapi

Going to it, they embrace it, and it too is most terrible, being fire itself. Thus they undergo dreadful torment there unceasingly, and in the Ucchrayas as well.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.44.5)

नरास्तं यान्ति निःसङ्गं ये तान्मे त्वं निशामय । गुरुभार्या च यो गच्छेद् गुरुस्वं वा हरेत यः

narāstaṁ yānti niḥsaṅgaṁ ye tānme tvaṁ niśāmaya | gurubhāryā ca yo gacched gurusvaṁ vā hareta yaḥ

Now hear from me about those men who go to that desolate hell. One who has union with his teacher's wife, or one who steals his teacher's property.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.44.6)

देवद्रव्यं भक्षयेद्यो नाशयेद्वाप्यभीक्ष्णशः । ब्राह्मणस्वं हरेद्यश्च बलाद्धारयतेपि वा

devadravyaṁ bhakṣayedyo nāśayedvāpyabhīkṣṇaśaḥ | brāhmaṇasvaṁ haredyaśca balāddhārayatepi vā

One who consumes or repeatedly destroys the property of the gods, and one who steals a Brahmin's property, or forcibly withholds it.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.44.7)

बालद्रव्यापहारी च हर्ता वा स्त्रीधनस्य च । क्लीबाँश्च त्यजते यश्च यो हन्याच्छरणागतम्

bāladravyāpahārī ca hartā vā strīdhanasya ca | klībāṁśca tyajate yaśca yo hanyāccharaṇāgatam

One who steals the property of children, one who steals a woman's own wealth, one who abandons eunuchs, and one who slays a person who has sought refuge.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.44.8)

धनं चास्याभिमन्येत देवद्रव्यहरश्च यः । सर्वभक्ष यः स्याद् वै यश्च पानीयविक्रयी

dhanaṁ cāsyābhimanyeta devadravyaharaśca yaḥ | sarvabhakṣa yaḥ syād vai yaśca pānīyavikrayī

And seizes his wealth, one who steals the property of the gods, one who eats indiscriminately, and one who sells water.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.44.9)

सोमविक्रयिकश्चैव अग्नयुत्सादक एव च । अग्निप्रहरणो यश्च विषप्रहरणश्च यः

somavikrayikaścaiva agnayutsādaka eva ca | agnipraharaṇo yaśca viṣapraharaṇaśca yaḥ

One who sells soma, one who extinguishes the sacred fire, one who strikes with fire, and one who strikes with poison.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.44.10)

अशस्त्रं यश्च संग्रामे हन्याच्छस्त्रेण मानवः । याचमानं तथा चैव उपविष्टमथापि वा

aśastraṁ yaśca saṁgrāme hanyācchastreṇa mānavaḥ | yācamānaṁ tathā caiva upaviṣṭamathāpi vā

That man who slays an unarmed person in battle with a weapon, and one who slays a person who is begging or one who is seated peacefully.

Verse 11 (skanda.8.44.11)

पराङमुखं च संसक्तमन्येन सह वादिनम् । एते सर्वे नरास्तत्र गच्छन्त्यकृतबुद्धयः

parāṅamukhaṁ ca saṁsaktamanyena saha vādinam | ete sarve narāstatra gacchantyakṛtabuddhayaḥ

One who slays a person whose back is turned, or one absorbed in conversation with another -- all these men of undeveloped understanding go there.

Verse 12 (skanda.8.44.12)

य इदं शृणुयात् कृतान्तसद्म प्रयतो नित्यमनेकदुःखसद्म । स न याति तमुग्रशोकपद्मं नरकं मृत्युमिवाति कालसद्म

ya idaṁ śṛṇuyāt kṛtāntasadma prayato nityamanekaduḥkhasadma | sa na yāti tamugraśokapadmaṁ narakaṁ mṛtyumivāti kālasadma

That pure person who ever hears of this abode of Death, this ever-standing dwelling of manifold sorrows, never goes to that hell of fierce grief called Padma, that dwelling of extreme time, resembling death itself.