According to the Hindu Puranas, there are fourteen worlds in the universe - the seven upper and the seven lower. The seven upper worlds are Bhuh, Bhavah, Swah, Mahah, Janah. Tapah, and Satyam; and the seven lower worlds are Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Rasatala, Talatala, Mahatala, and Patala. The region known as Bhuh is the earth where we live now while Swah is the celestial world to which people repair after death to enjoy the reward of their righteous actions on earth. Bhuvah is the region between the two. Janah, Tapah and Satyam constitute Brahmaloka or the highest heaven where fortunate souls repair after death and enjoy spiritual reunion with the God. From the viewpoint of Hinduism, heaven and hell are two different worlds which is bound by time, space and causality. According to Hinduism, desires are responsible for a person's embodiment. Some of these desires can best be fulfilled in a human body and some in an animal or a celestial body. Accordingly, a soul assumes a body determined by its unfulfilled desires and the results of its past actions. An animal or a celestial body is for reaping the results of past karma not for performing actions to acquire a new body. Performance of karma to effect any change of life is possible only in a human body because only human beings do good or evil consciously. Human birth is a great privilege, for in a human body alone can one attain the supreme goal of life.
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| Court of Yama |
Hindu scriptures describes heaven as 'Svargam' and hell as 'naragam'. The heaven is inhabited by the devas, sages and many great noble souls whom performed good deeds during their days in earth. It is believed that it is world which is full of unlimited pleasure without pain or death. Without the discomforts of earthly existance like aging, worry, hunger, disease and death, the soul will lead pleasant lives surrounded by music, celestial dancers, magical scenery and chanting of divine words and incredible joy. The ruler of heaven is Indra with Rati his wife using lightning as his weapon. As far as known from puranas, the seat of Indra in heaven is not permanent, thus, he is always concerned about protecting his throne from contenders and the demons of the other worlds. Whereas, the hell is a dark world, filled with evil doers and their cries of pain and agony, undergoing different kinds of torture and punishments for their bad deeds in their previous life. The hell is ruled by the god of highest virtue, Yama who is endowed with self-discipline and unmatched judging power. He is aided by his court minister Chitragupta who keeps in account of all the deeds done by people in earth. He administers justices and gives punishments to the souls (narans) arriving at the doors of hell.
Rituals after Death based on Garuda Purana
Garuda Purana 11;
A man dies of natural causes, death depends on one's karma. When a man is dead, his body should be kept on the ground after the purification rituals. Salagrama (sacred stone) should be placed near the body. Tulasi leaves (basil leaves) should be placed in both hands and neck of the body. Then, the body should be covered with two sheets of clothing. The body must be carried through the back door. The descendant of the man and his relatives will carry the body on their shoulders and place the body on the pyre. They must ensure the head faced to the north. His descendant must perform the necessary rituals facing the eastern side. Now the soul leaves the body, the messengers of Lord Yama and attendants of Lord Krishna will arrive at the scene to lead the soul to begin its destination according to its karma. A soul have to travel entire distance to reach the world of Yama. The path becomes rougher and rougher for the sinners and it is comfortable for the virtuous.The Hindus are used to offer pindas' for the dead.They offer six pindas' in total which believes will help the soul to reach moksha and reach a certain level of purity.
The funeral pyre must be lit from the eastern side. Once the body is completely burnt, the remains of body, the bones are collected and during this time the last piṇḍa is offered. The ashes are then immersed in sea or river. At the southern part of the house, a pit is made and for the next ten days, piṇḍa-s are offered here daily along with milk and water. The piṇḍa offered during the ten day period is divided into four parts. Two parts build up a new body for the dead. The third part goes to Yama’s servants and the fourth is consumed by the soul. The subtle body gets a proper shape in three days and three nights and on the tenth day, the subtle body develops hunger. Irrespective of other offerings made to the soul, it gets satisfied only by offering flesh (normally, a piece of banana is offered instead of flesh). During eleventh day and twelfth day ceremonies, the preta eats as much as possible. On the thirteenth day, the soul’s journey begins to the world of Yama dragged by the servants of Yama. During its journey to Yama's world, the soul regrets for every evil action it had done during the time in earth.
Depending upon one’s karma, the subtle body will feel all the sufferings and pains or happiness and pleasures. One’s karmic act is embedded in his subtle body. Apart from karmic embedment, subtle body also has the impressions of his subconscious mind. Karma affects both the subtle body and the dead body independently. Subtle body undergoes pains or pleasures in the hell or heaven and the dead body undergoes pains or pleasures in the earth. For single evil action, there are two types of sufferings, one for the subtle body and another for the dead body. When the dead body suffers, the subtle body within does not suffer. Based on these believes, it is said that thoughts are more powerful than actions. Impressions of thoughts get embedded in the subconscious mind, which always goes along with the subtle body and has the capacity to manifest in subsequent births.
28 Punishments of Hell based on Garuda Purana
1. Tāmisra - My dear King, a person who appropriates another's legitimate wife, children or money is arrested at the time of death by the fierce Yamadūtas, who bind him with the rope of time and forcibly throw him into the hellish planet known as Tāmisra. On this very dark planet, the sinful man is chastised by the Yamadūtas, who beat and rebuke him. He is starved, and he is given no water to drink. Thus the wrathful assistants of Yamarāja cause him severe suffering, and sometimes he faints from their chastisement. (SB 5.26.8, Translation) Men and women whose lives were built upon indulgence in illicit sex life are put into many kinds of miserable conditions in the hells known as Tāmisra, Andha-tāmisra and Raurava. In the Vedic civilization sex life is allowed only in a restricted way; it is for the married couple and only for begetting children. But when sex life is indulged in for sense gratification illegally and illicitly, both the man and the woman await severe punishment in this world or after death.
2. Andhatāmisra - The destination of a person who slyly cheats another man and enjoys his wife and children is the hell known as Andhatāmisra. There his condition is exactly like that of a tree being chopped at its roots. Even before reaching Andhatāmisra, the sinful living being is subjected to various extreme miseries. These afflictions are so severe that he loses his intelligence and sight. It is for this reason that learned sages call this hell Andhatāmisra, blinding darkness. After suffering there, when he who has had many types of hellish bodies, like those of dogs and hogs, is to come again to the human form, he is given the chance to take his birth in the same type of body from which he degraded himself to hell. Atheists who destroy the world by exploiting the earth natural resources are also put into the Hell known as Andha-tāmisra. Atheist think that after death everything is finished, so they need not account their sinful life. (SB 5.26.9, Translation)
3. Raurava - In this life, an envious person commits violent acts against many living entities. Therefore after his death, when he is taken to hell by Yamarāja, those living entities who were hurt by him appear as animals called rurus to inflict very severe pain upon him. Learned scholars call this hell Raurava. Not generally seen in this world, the ruru is more envious than a snake. The person in the second class, however, not only thinks his material body to be his self, but also commits all kinds of sinful activities to maintain his body. He cheats everyone to acquire money for his family and his self, and he becomes envious of others without reason. Such a person is thrown into the hell known as Raurava. If one simply considers his body to be his self, as do the animals, he is not very sinful. However, if one needlessly commits sins to maintain his body, he is put into the hell known as Raurava. This is the opinion of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. Although animals are certainly in the bodily concept of life, they do not commit any sins to maintain their bodies, mates or offspring. Therefore animals do not go to hell. However, when a human being acts enviously and cheats others to maintain his body, he is put into a hellish condition. (SB 5.26.10-11, Purport)
4. Mahāraurava - This Mahāraurava, or hell, is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as a place meant for persons who are engaged in killing animals, for it is stated there that butchers or animal eaters go to that hell. Punishment in the hell called Mahāraurava is compulsory for a person who maintains his own body by hurting others. In this hell, ruru animals known as kravyāda torment him and eat his flesh. The animalistic person who lives simply in the bodily concept of life is not excused. He is put into the hell known as Mahāraurava and attacked by ruru animals known as kravyādas. (SB 5.26.12, Translation and Purport)
5. Kumbhīpāka - Kumbhī means "pot," and pāka means "boiling." So if a person were put into a pot of oil and the pot were set to boiling, he would have some idea of the suffering in Kumbhīpāka hell. A person who cooks living birds and beasts to satisfy his tongue is brought before Yamarāja after death and punished in the Kumbhīpāka hell. Kumbhīpāka, a type of hellish condition, is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.26.13), wherein it is said that a person who cooks living birds and beasts to satisfy his tongue is brought before Yamarāja after death and punished in the Kumbhīpāka hell. There he is put into boiling oil called kumbhī-pāka, from which there is no deliverance. SB 5.26.13, Translation: For the maintenance of their bodies and the satisfaction of their tongues, cruel persons cook poor animals and birds alive. Such persons are condemned even by man-eaters. In their next lives they are carried by the Yamadūtas to the hell known as Kumbhīpāka, where they are cooked in boiling oil.
6. Kālasūtra - The killer of a brāhmaṇa is put into the hell known as Kālasūtra, which has a circumference of eighty thousand miles and which is made entirely of copper. Heated from below by fire and from above by the scorching sun, the copper surface of this planet is extremely hot. Thus the murderer of a brāhmaṇa suffers from being burned both internally and externally. Internally he is burning with hunger and thirst, and externally he is burning from the scorching heat of the sun and the fire beneath the copper surface. Therefore he sometimes lies down, sometimes sits, sometimes stands up and sometimes runs here and there. He must suffer in this way for as many thousands of years as there are hairs on the body of an animal. (SB 5.26.14, Translation)
7. Asi-patravana - If a person deviates from the path of the Vedas in the absence of an emergency, the servants of Yamarāja put him into the hell called Asi-patravana, where they beat him with whips. When he runs hither and thither, fleeing from the extreme pain, on all sides he runs into palm trees with leaves like sharpened swords. Thus injured all over his body and fainting at every step, he cries out, "Oh, what shall I do now! How shall I be saved!" This is how one suffers who deviates from the accepted religious principles. If one concocts his own religious path within his mind, or if one follows no religious principles at all, he is also punished in the hell known as Asi-patravana. In other words, a human being must follow some religious principles. (SB 5.26.15, Translation, Purport)
8. Sūkaramukha - In his next life, a sinful king or governmental representative who punishes an innocent person, or who inflicts corporal punishment upon a brāhmaṇa, is taken by the Yamadūtas to the hell named Sūkaramukha, where the most powerful assistants of Yamarāja crush him exactly as one crushes sugarcane to squeeze out the juice. The sinful living entity cries very pitiably and faints, just like an innocent man undergoing punishments. This is the result of punishing a faultless person. (SB 5.26.16, Translation)
9. Andhakūpa - By the arrangement of the Supreme Lord, low-grade living beings like bugs and mosquitoes suck the blood of human beings and other animals. Such insignificant creatures are unaware that their bites are painful to the human being. However, first-class human beings—brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas—are developed in consciousness, and therefore they know how painful it is to be killed. A human being endowed with knowledge certainly commits sin if he kills or torments insignificant creatures, who have no discrimination. The Supreme Lord punishes such a man by putting him into the hell known as Andhakūpa, where he is attacked by all the birds and beasts, reptiles, mosquitoes, lice, worms, flies, and any other creatures he tormented during his life. They attack him from all sides, robbing him of the pleasure of sleep. Unable to rest, he constantly wanders about in the darkness. Thus in Andhakūpa his suffering is just like that of a creature in the lower species. (SB 5.26.17, Translation)
10. Kṛmibhojana - Any person who does not receive or feed a guest properly but who personally enjoys eating is put into the hell known as Kṛmibhojana. There an unlimited number of worms and insects continuously bite him. A person is considered no better than a crow if after receiving some food, he does not divide it among guests, old men and children, but simply eats it himself, or if he eats it without performing the five kinds of sacrifice. After death he is put into the most abominable hell, known as Kṛmibhojana. In that hell is a lake 100,000 yojanas [800,000 miles] wide and filled with worms. He becomes a worm in that lake and feeds on the other worms there, who also feed on him. Unless he atones for his actions before his death, such a sinful man remains in the hellish lake of Kṛmibhojana for as many years as there are yojanas in the width of the lake. (SB 5.26.18, Translation)
11. Sandaṁśa - My dear King, a person who in the absence of an emergency robs a brāhmaṇa—or, indeed, anyone else—of his gems and gold is put into a hell known as Sandaṁśa. There his skin is torn and separated by red-hot iron balls and tongs. In this way, his entire body is cut to pieces. (SB 5.26.19, Translation)
12. Taptasūrmi - A man or woman who indulges in sexual intercourse with an unworthy member of the opposite sex is punished after death by the assistants of Yamarāja in the hell known as Taptasūrmi. There such men and women are beaten with whips. The man is forced to embrace a red-hot iron form of a woman, and the woman is forced to embrace a similar form of a man. Such is the punishment for illicit sex. (SB 5.26.20, Translation)
13. Vajrakaṇṭaka-śālmalī - A person who indulges in sex indiscriminately—even with animals—is taken after death to the hell known as Vajrakaṇṭaka-śālmalī. In this hell there is a silk-cotton tree full of thorns as strong as thunderbolts. The agents of Yamarāja hang the sinful man on that tree and pull him down forcibly so that the thorns very severely tear his body. The sexual urge is so strong that sometimes a man indulges in sexual relations with a cow, or a woman indulges in sexual relations with a dog. Such men and women are put into the hell known as Vajrakaṇṭaka-śālmalī. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement forbids illicit sex. From the description of these verses, we can understand what an extremely sinful act illicit sex is. Sometimes people disbelieve these descriptions of hell, but whether one believes or not, everything must be carried out by the laws of nature, which no one can avoid. (SB 5.26.21, Translation and Purport)
14. Vaitaraṇī - A person who is born into a responsible family—such as a kṣatriya, a member of royalty or a government servant—but who neglects to execute his prescribed duties according to religious principles, and who thus becomes degraded, falls down at the time of death into the river of hell known as Vaitaraṇī. This river, which is a moat surrounding hell, is full of ferocious aquatic animals. When a sinful man is thrown into the River Vaitaraṇī, the aquatic animals there immediately begin to eat him, but because of his extremely sinful life, he does not leave his body. He constantly remembers his sinful activities and suffers terribly in that river, which is full of stool, urine, pus, blood, hair, nails, bones, marrow, flesh and fat. (SB 5.26.22, Translation)
15. Pūyoda - One who lives like an animal is put into the hell called Pūyoda. The shameless husbands of lowborn śūdra women live exactly like animals, and therefore they have no good behavior, cleanliness or regulated life. After death, such persons are thrown into the hell called Pūyoda, where they are put into an ocean filled with pus, stool, urine, mucus, saliva and similar things. Śūdras who could not improve themselves fall into that ocean and are forced to eat those disgusting things. Thus there is always the chance that he may be put into the Pūyoda Naraka, the hell named Pūyoda, where one is forced to eat stool, urine, pus, mucus, saliva and other abominable things. It is significant that this verse is spoken especially about śūdras. If one is born a śūdra, he must continually return to the ocean of Pūyoda to eat horrible things. Thus even a born śūdra is expected to become a brāhmaṇa; that is the meaning of human life. Everyone should improve himself. (SB 5.26.23, Translation and Purport)
16. Prāṇarodha - A person who mercilessly kills animals in the forest without sanction is put into the hell called Prāṇarodha. If in this life a man of the higher classes [brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya] is very fond of taking his pet dogs, mules or asses into the forest to hunt and kill animals unnecessarily, he is placed after death into the hell known as Prāṇarodha. There the assistants of Yamarāja make him their targets and pierce him with arrows. (SB 5.26.24, Translation)
17. Viśasana - A person who kills animals in the name of religious sacrifice is put into the hell named Viśasana. A person who in this life is proud of his eminent position, and who heedlessly sacrifices animals simply for material prestige, is put into the hell called Viśasana after death. There the assistants of Yamarāja kill him after giving him unlimited pain. (SB 5.26.25, Translation)
18. Lālābhakṣa - If a foolish member of the twice-born classes [brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya] forces his wife to drink his semen out of a lusty desire to keep her under control, he is put after death into the hell known as Lālābhakṣa. There he is thrown into a flowing river of semen, which he is forced to drink. The practice of forcing one's wife to drink one's own semen is a black art practiced by extremely lusty persons. Those who practice this very abominable activity say that if a wife is forced to drink her husband's semen, she remains very faithful to him. Generally only low-class men engage in this black art, but if a man born in a higher class does so, after death he is put into the hell known as Lālābhakṣa. There he is immersed in the river known as Śukra-nadī and forced to drink semen. (SB 5.26.26, Translation and Purport)
19. Sārameyādana - One who sets a fire or administers poison to kill someone is put into the hell known as Sārameyādana. In this world, some persons are professional plunderers who set fire to others' houses or administer poison to them. Also, members of the royalty or government officials sometimes plunder mercantile men by forcing them to pay income tax and by other methods. After death such demons are put into the hell known as Sārameyādana. On that planet there are 720 dogs with teeth as strong as thunderbolts. Under the orders of the agents of Yamarāja, these dogs voraciously devour such sinful people. Also government members who will impose unnecessary heavy taxes, especially on the mercantile community are described as dasyu, thieves. Their main activity will be to plunder the wealth of the people. Whether a highway robber or a government thief, such a man will be punished in his next life by being thrown into the hell known as Sārameyādana, where he will suffer greatly from the bites of ferocious dogs. (SB 5.26.27, Translation and Purport)
20. Avīci - A man who earns his livelihood by bearing false witness is put into the hell known as Avīci. A person who in this life bears false witness or lies while transacting business or giving charity is severely punished after death by the agents of Yamarāja. Such a sinful man is taken to the top of a mountain eight hundred miles high and thrown headfirst into the hell known as Avīcimat. This hell has no shelter and is made of strong stone resembling the waves of water. There is no water there, however, and thus it is called Avīcimat (waterless). Although the sinful man is repeatedly thrown from the mountain and his body broken to tiny pieces, he still does not die but continuously suffers chastisement. (SB 5.26.28, Translation)
21. Ayaḥpāna - A person addicted to drinking wine is put into the hell named Ayaḥpāna. Any brāhmaṇa or brāhmaṇa's wife who drinks liquor is taken by the agents of Yamarāja to the hell known as Ayaḥpāna. This hell also awaits any kṣatriya, vaiśya, or person under a vow who in illusion drinks soma-rasa. In Ayaḥpāna the agents of Yamarāja stand on their chests and pour hot melted iron into their mouths. (SB 5.26.29, Translation)
22. Kṣārakardama - A lowborn and abominable person who in this life becomes falsely proud, thinking "I am great," and who thus fails to show proper respect to one more elevated than he by birth, austerity, education, behavior, caste or spiritual order, is like a dead man even in this lifetime, and after death he is thrown headfirst into the hell known as Kṣārakardama. There he must great suffer great tribulation at the hands of the agents of Yamarāja. One should not become falsely proud. One must be respectful toward a person more elevated than he by birth, education, behavior, caste or spiritual order. If one does not show respect to such highly elevated persons but indulges in false pride, he receives punishment in Kṣārakardama. (SB 5.26.30, Translation and Purport)
23. Rakṣogaṇa-bhojana - A person who sacrifices human beings to Bhairava is put into the hell called Rakṣogaṇa-bhojana. There are men and women in this world who sacrifice human beings to Bhairava or Bhadra Kālī and then eat their victims' flesh. Those who perform such sacrifices are taken after death to the abode of Yamarāja, where their victims, having taken the form of Rākṣasas, cut them to pieces with sharpened swords. Just as in this world the man-eaters drank their victims' blood, dancing and singing in jubilation, their victims now enjoy drinking the blood of the sacrificers and celebrating in the same way. (SB 5.26.31)
24. Śūlaprota - A person who kills pet animals is put into the hell called Śūlaprota. In this life some people give shelter to animals and birds that come to them for protection in the village or forest, and after making them believe that they will be protected, such people pierce them with lances or threads and play with them like toys, giving them great pain. After death such people are brought by the assistants of Yamarāja to the hell known as Śūlaprota, where their bodies are pierced with sharp, needlelike lances. They suffer from hunger and thirst, and sharp-beaked birds such as vultures and herons come at them from all sides to tear at their bodies. Tortured and suffering, they can then remember the sinful activities they committed in the past. (SB 5.26.32, Translation)
25. Dandaśūka - A person who gives trouble to others is put into the hell known as Dandaśūka. Those who in this life are like envious serpents, always angry and giving pain to other living entities, fall after death into the hell known as Dandaśūka. My dear King, in this hell there are serpents with five or seven hoods. These serpents eat such sinful persons just as snakes eat mice. (SB 5.26.33, Translation)
26. Avaṭa-nirodhana - One who imprisons a living entity within a cave is put into this hell. Those who in this life confine other living entities in dark wells, granaries or mountain caves are put after death into the hell known as Avaṭa-nirodhana. There they themselves are pushed into dark wells, where poisonous fumes and smoke suffocate them and they suffer very severely. (SB 5.26.34, Translation)
27. Paryāvartana - A person who shows unwarranted wrath toward a guest in his house is put into the hell called Paryāvartana. A householder who receives guests or visitors with cruel glances, as if to burn them to ashes, is put into the hell called Paryāvartana, where he is gazed at by hard-eyed vultures, herons, crows and similar birds, which suddenly swoop down and pluck out his eyes with great force. According to the Vedic etiquette, even an enemy who comes to a householder's home should be received in such a gentle way that he forgets that he has come to the home of an enemy. A guest who comes to one's home should be received very politely. If he is unwanted, the householder should not stare at him with blinking eyes, for one who does so will be put into the hell known as Paryāvartana after death, and there many ferocious birds like vultures, crows, and coknis will suddenly come upon him and pluck out his eyes. (SB 5.26.35, Translation and Purport)
28. Sūcīmukha - A person maddened by possessing riches and thus deeply absorbed in thinking of how to collect money is put into the hell known as Sūcīmukha. One who in this world or this life is very proud of his wealth always thinks, "I am so rich. Who can equal me?" His vision is twisted, and he is always afraid that someone will take his wealth. Indeed, he even suspects his superiors. His face and heart dry up at the thought of losing his wealth, and therefore he always looks like a wretched fiend. He is not in any way able to obtain actual happiness, and he does not know what it is to be free from anxiety. Because of the sinful things he does to earn money, augment his wealth and protect it, he is put into the hell called Sūcīmukha, where the officials of Yamarāja punish him by stitching thread through his entire body like weavers manufacturing cloth. (SB 5.26.36, Translation)
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