The Hell Maharaurava

Verse 1 (skanda.8.47.1)

सुशर्मोवाच महारौरवमन्यच्च शृणु मे दुष्टयातनम् । यत्र धाराश्च तोयं च तडागानि च पुत्रक

suśarmovāca mahārauravamanyacca śṛṇu me duṣṭayātanam | yatra dhārāśca toyaṁ ca taḍāgāni ca putraka

Sushrama said: Hear from me, O son, of another hell, Maharaurava, the torment of the wicked, where there are streams, water, and pools...

Verse 2 (skanda.8.47.2)

कारीषी कनकाभाश्च कुल्याश्चाग्निप्रपूरिताः । आयसा बहवः स्तम्भा वृक्षाश्च बहुकण्टकाः

kārīṣī kanakābhāśca kulyāścāgniprapūritāḥ | āyasā bahavaḥ stambhā vṛkṣāśca bahukaṇṭakāḥ

...pools golden-hued like dung-fire, and channels filled with fire, many iron pillars, and trees covered with thorns.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.47.3)

राक्षसा विविधाकारास्तीक्ष्णशस्त्रास्त्रधारिणः । तत्र पापेन बहुना जन्तुः समभिपाशितः

rākṣasā vividhākārāstīkṣṇaśastrāstradhāriṇaḥ | tatra pāpena bahunā jantuḥ samabhipāśitaḥ

Rakshasas of many forms, bearing sharp weapons, dwell there; there the creature, bound fast by his great sin, suffers.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.47.4)

निपतेद्विकृताकारः क्रन्दमानो मुहुर्मुहुः । स तत्र पतितः क्षिप्रं राक्षसैर्भिन्नमस्तकः

nipatedvikṛtākāraḥ krandamāno muhurmuhuḥ | sa tatra patitaḥ kṣipraṁ rākṣasairbhinnamastakaḥ

He falls, his form distorted, wailing again and again; having fallen there, his head is swiftly split open by the rakshasas.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.47.5)

कारीष्यामग्निवर्णायां पच्यते भृशदारुणम् । ततस्स तेन दाहेन दुःखितः परमार्तिमान्

kārīṣyāmagnivarṇāyāṁ pacyate bhṛśadāruṇam | tatassa tena dāhena duḥkhitaḥ paramārtimān

He is roasted most terribly in the fire-colored dung-fire; then, tormented by that burning, he is in the extreme of agony.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.47.6)

दाहप्रशमनार्थाय तडागे विनिमज्जति

dāhapraśamanārthāya taḍāge vinimajjati

To soothe the burning, he plunges into a pool.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.47.7)

तत्र क्षारेण तप्तेन द्विगुणं वेदनार्दितः

tatra kṣāreṇa taptena dviguṇaṁ vedanārditaḥ

There, by the scalding caustic water, he is afflicted with twice the pain.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.47.8)

वेगेनोत्थाय वृक्षं वा स्तम्भं वाप्यधिरोहति

vegenotthāya vṛkṣaṁ vā stambhaṁ vāpyadhirohati

Rising up swiftly, he climbs upon a tree or a pillar.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.47.9)

तत्र तैः कण्टकैस्तीक्ष्णैरायसैश्चावतक्षितः

tatra taiḥ kaṇṭakaistīkṣṇairāyasaiścāvatakṣitaḥ

There he is torn by those sharp iron thorns.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.47.10)

पतते ह्यग्निकुल्यायां करुणं बहुधा नदन् । एवं स यात्यमानस्तु तृषार्त्तो विलपन् बहु

patate hyagnikulyāyāṁ karuṇaṁ bahudhā nadan | evaṁ sa yātyamānastu tṛṣārtto vilapan bahu

He falls into the fiery channel, crying out piteously in many ways; thus driven about, tormented by thirst, he laments greatly.

Verse 11 (skanda.8.47.11)

धारामाश्रयते पातुं सापि तस्यायसं तदा

dhārāmāśrayate pātuṁ sāpi tasyāyasaṁ tadā

He turns to a stream to drink, but it too then turns to iron for him.

Verse 12 (skanda.8.47.12)

अग्निवर्णं वहत्यम्भस्ततो मूर्च्छार्दितो म्रियेत्

agnivarṇaṁ vahatyambhastato mūrcchārdito mriyet

The water flows fire-colored; then, overcome by faintness, he all but dies.

Verse 13 (skanda.8.47.13)

संपूर्णयातनश्चापि मुक्तस्तस्मान्महाभयात् उच्छ्रयेषु तदा जन्तुर्यात्यते भृशदारुणम्

saṁpūrṇayātanaścāpi muktastasmānmahābhayāt ucchrayeṣu tadā janturyātyate bhṛśadāruṇam

Having thus fully undergone the torment, released from that great terror, the creature is then driven about most dreadfully through the Ucchraya realms.

Verse 14 (skanda.8.47.14)

तत्र गच्छति राजघ्नो राजभार्यावमानकः

tatra gacchati rājaghno rājabhāryāvamānakaḥ

There goes the slayer of a king, and one who insults a king's wife.

Verse 15 (skanda.8.47.15)

आशां दत्त्वा न दद्याद्यो यश्च तीर्थावदूषकः

āśāṁ dattvā na dadyādyo yaśca tīrthāvadūṣakaḥ

and one who, having given a promise, fails to keep it, and one who defiles a sacred bathing place...

Verse 16 (skanda.8.47.16)

मोषकः सूचकश्चैव स्त्रीभृतो यश्च पापकृत् । अग्नौ गवि च यो दानं ब्राह्मणे चापि वारयेत्

moṣakaḥ sūcakaścaiva strībhṛto yaśca pāpakṛt | agnau gavi ca yo dānaṁ brāhmaṇe cāpi vārayet

The thief, the informer, one who lives off a woman's earnings, and the sinner; and one who obstructs a gift meant for the sacred fire, a cow, or a brahmin...

Verse 17 (skanda.8.47.17)

विक्रीणीयात स्वभार्यां यो ह्यपत्यं वा नराधमः

vikrīṇīyāta svabhāryāṁ yo hyapatyaṁ vā narādhamaḥ

the vilest of men, who would sell his own wife or his own child...

Verse 18 (skanda.8.47.18)

हरते चाग्निभाण्डानि योगिनां चैव किञ्चन

harate cāgnibhāṇḍāni yogināṁ caiva kiñcana

and one who steals the vessels of the sacred fire, or anything belonging to ascetics...

Verse 19 (skanda.8.47.19)

चोरान् वा योनुगृह्णाति मनुष्यास्तस्य ये च ह । ब्राह्मणाधिकृतश्चैव धर्माधिकृत एव च

corān vā yonugṛhṇāti manuṣyāstasya ye ca ha | brāhmaṇādhikṛtaścaiva dharmādhikṛta eva ca

and one who shelters thieves, along with the men who are his accomplices; also one appointed as overseer of brahmins, and one appointed as guardian of dharma who fails his charge...

Verse 20 (skanda.8.47.20)

कपिला यस्य गौः स्याच्च अनग्नेर्ब्राह्मणस्य ह

kapilā yasya gauḥ syācca anagnerbrāhmaṇasya ha

and one who harms the tawny cow of a brahmin who maintains no sacred fire...

Verse 21 (skanda.8.47.21)

मिथ्याग्निहोत्री यश्चैव नैत्यके परिवेषकः

mithyāgnihotrī yaścaiva naityake pariveṣakaḥ

and the false performer of the fire-sacrifice, and one who deceitfully serves food at a regular rite...

Verse 22 (skanda.8.47.22)

राजपुत्रवधं चैव दुभिक्षं यच्च चिन्तयेत्

rājaputravadhaṁ caiva dubhikṣaṁ yacca cintayet

and one who plots the murder of a prince, or who contrives to bring about a famine...

Verse 23 (skanda.8.47.23)

राष्ट्रलोपं दारलोपं धनलोपं च यो नरः

rāṣṭralopaṁ dāralopaṁ dhanalopaṁ ca yo naraḥ

the man who brings about the ruin of a kingdom, of a household, or of wealth...

Verse 24 (skanda.8.47.24)

देशविद्रावणं चैव यः कुर्य्याड्डामराणि वा

deśavidrāvaṇaṁ caiva yaḥ kuryyāḍḍāmarāṇi vā

and who causes a country to be laid waste, or who stirs up uprisings...

Verse 25 (skanda.8.47.25)

सर्वे ते नरकं यान्ति महारौरवसंज्ञकम्

sarve te narakaṁ yānti mahārauravasaṁjñakam

all these go to the hell called Maharaurava.

Verse 26 (skanda.8.47.26)

य इमं शृणुयादभीक्ष्णशो नियतं धर्ममतिश्च तिष्ठति । न स गच्छति तं भयावहं नरकं रौरवमुग्ररौरवम्

ya imaṁ śṛṇuyādabhīkṣṇaśo niyataṁ dharmamatiśca tiṣṭhati | na sa gacchati taṁ bhayāvahaṁ narakaṁ rauravamugrarauravam

Whoever hears this again and again and remains ever steadfast in mind toward dharma does not go to that terrifying hell, the fierce Raurava (Maharaurava).