Agni Purana

शरीरमुपरुध्याऽथ कृत्‌स्नान्दोषान्रुणद्धि वै । छिनत्ति प्राणस्थानानि पुनर्मर्माणि चैव हि ।। ३७१.

It obstructs the body and blocks all the channels of impurity; it severs the seats of life and also the vital points.

शैत्यात् प्रकुपितो वायुश्छिद्रमन्विष्यते ततः । द्वे नेत्रे द्वौ तथा कर्णौ द्वौ तु नासापुटौ तथा ।। ३७१.

Due to cold, the wind is disturbed and seeks out an opening; thus, the two eyes, the two ears, and likewise the two nostrils—

ऊद्‌ध्वन्तु सप्त च्छिद्राणि अष्टमं वदनं तथा । एतैः प्राणो विनिर्याति प्रायशः शुभकर्मणं ।। ३७१.

Above, there are seven openings, and the eighth is the mouth; through these, the life-force generally departs in those of virtuous deeds.

अधः पायुरुपस्थञ्च अनेनाशुभकारिणां । मूर्द्धानं योगिनो भित्त्वा जीवो यात्यथ चेच्छया ।। ३७१.

Below, the anus and the genitals—through these, it departs in those who have done evil; breaking through the crown of the head, the yogi's soul departs at will.

अन्तकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते प्राणेऽपानमुपस्थिते । तमसा संवृते ज्ञाने संवृतेषु च मर्म्मसु ।। ३७१.

At the final moment, when the outgoing breath is present, when knowledge is covered by darkness and the vital points are closed—

स जीवो नाभ्यधिष्ठानश्चाल्यते मातरिश्वना । बाध्यमाणश्चानयते अष्टाङ्गाः प्राणवृत्तिकाः ।। ३७१.

Then the soul, unsettled at the navel, is agitated by the wind; being afflicted, it draws along the eight forms of vital functions.

च्यवन्तं जायमानं वा प्रविशन्तञ्च योनिषु । प्रपश्यन्ति च तं सिद्धा देवा दिव्येन चक्षुषा ।। ३७१.

The perfected beings and gods, with divine sight, behold that soul as it falls, is born, or enters into wombs.

गृह्णाति तत्क्षणाद् योगे शरीरञ्चातिवाहिकम् । आकाशवायुतेजांसि विग्रहादूद्‌र्ध्वगामिनः ।। ३७१.

At that moment, by yogic power, it takes up the subtle body, composed of ether, air, and fire, which rises up from the gross form.

जलं मही च पञ्चत्वमापन्नः पुरुषः स्मृतः । आतिवाहिकदेहन्तु यमदूता नयन्ति तं ।। ३७१.

When a person has reached the state where water and earth have dissolved, he is said to be dead; then the messengers of Yama lead him in his subtle body.

याम्यं मार्गं महाघोरं षड़शीतिसहस्रकम् । अन्नोदकं नीयमानो बान्धवैर्दत्तमश्नुते ।। ३७१.

He travels the terrible path of Yama, eighty-six thousand leagues long; along the way, he partakes of food and water given by relatives.

यमं दृष्ट्वा यमोक्तेन चित्रगुप्तेन चेरितान् । प्राप्नोति नरकान्रौद्रान्धर्मी शुभपथैर्दिवम् ।। ३७१.

Seeing Yama and the deeds recorded by Citragupta as declared by Yama, he attains the dreadful hells, or, by righteous paths, heaven.

भुज्यन्ते पापिभिर्वक्ष्ये नरकांस्ताश्च यातनाः । अष्टाविंशतिरेवाधः क्षितेर्नरककोटयः ।। ३७१.

I will describe the hells and their torments, which are endured by sinners; there are exactly twenty-eight crores of hells beneath the earth.

सप्तमस्य तलस्यान्ते घोरे तमसि संस्थिताः । घोराख्या प्रथमा कोटिः सुघोरा तदधः स्थिता ।। ३७१.

At the end of the seventh layer, situated in dreadful darkness, is the first crore called 'Terrible'; beneath that is 'Very Terrible.'

अतिघोरा महाघोरा घोररूपा च पञ्चमी । षष्ठी तरलताराख्या सप्तमी च भयानका ।। ३७१.

'Exceedingly Terrible,' 'Greatly Terrible,' and 'Terrifying in Form' are the next three; the sixth is called 'Quivering Star,' and the seventh is 'Frightful.'

भयोत्कटा कालरात्री महाचण्डा च चण्डया । कोलाहला प्रचण्डाख्या पद्मा नरकनायिका ।। ३७१.

'Intensely Fearful,' 'Night of Death,' 'Greatly Fierce,' and 'Fierce' follow; 'Tumultuous,' 'Extremely Fierce,' and 'Padma,' the mistress of hells, are next.

पद्मावती भीषणा च भीमा चैव करालिका । विकराला महावज्रा त्रिकोणा पञ्चकोणिका ।। ३७१.

'Padmavati,' 'Terrifying,' 'Formidable,' and 'Fanged'; 'Horrific,' 'Great Thunderbolt,' 'Triangular,' and 'Pentagonal' follow.

सुदीर्खघा वर्तुला सप्तभूमा चैव सुभूमिका । दीप्तमायाऽष्टाविंशतयः कोटयः पापिदुःशदाः ।। ३७१.

'Very Long,' 'Circular,' 'Seven-leveled,' and 'Well-grounded'; these, shining with illusion, are the twenty-eight crores of dreadful hells for evil-doers.

अष्टाविंशतिकोटीनां पञ्च पञ्च च नायकाः । रौरवाद्याः शतञ्चैकं चत्वारिंशच्चतुष्टयं ।। ३७१.

Of these twenty-eight crores, each has five lords; beginning with Raurava, there are one hundred and forty-four such.

तामिश्रमन्घतामिश्रं महारौरवरौरवौ । असिपत्रं वनञ्चैव लोहभारं तथैव च ।। ३७१.

Tāmiśra, Andhatāmiśra, Mahāraurava, Raurava, Asipatra forest, and Lohabhāra are among them.

नरकं कालसूत्रञ्च महानरकमेव च । सञ्जीवनं महावीचि तपनं सम्प्रतापनं ।। ३७१.

There are also Kālasūtra, Mahānaraka, Sañjīvana, Mahāvīci, Tapana, and Sampratāpana hells.

सङ्घातञ्च सकाकोलं कुद्मलं पूतिमृत्तिकं । लोहशङ्कुमृजीषञ्च प्रधानं शाल्मलीं नदीम् ।। ३७१.

Saṅghāta, Sakākola, Kudmala, Pūtimṛttika, Lohaśaṅku, Mṛjīṣa, the principal Śālmalī, and the river are also among the hells.

नरकान् विद्धि कोटीशनागान्वै घोरदर्शनान् । पात्यन्ते पापकर्म्माण एकैकस्मिन्बहुष्वपि ।। ३७१.

Know that these hells are countless crores, terrifying to behold; sinners are cast into many of them, sometimes into several at once.

मार्जारोलूकगोमायुगृध्रादिवदनाश्च ते । तैलद्रोण्यां नरं क्षिप्त्वा ज्वालयन्ति हुताशनं ।। ३७१.

With faces like cats, owls, jackals, and vultures, they throw a man into a cauldron of oil and ignite the fire beneath.

अम्बरीषेषु चैवान्यांस्ताम्रपात्रेषु चापरान् । अयःपात्रेषु चैवान्यान् बकहुवह्निकणेषु च ।। ३७१.

Some are placed in cauldrons of copper, others in vessels of iron, and yet others in pots of brass or in burning embers.

शूलाग्रारोपिताश्चान्ये छिद्यन्ते नरकेऽपरे । ताड्यन्ते च कशाभिस्तु भोज्यन्ते चाप्ययोगुड़ान् ।। ३७१.

Some are impaled on the tips of spears, others are cut apart in hell; some are beaten with whips, and others are devoured by iron-beaked beings.

यमदूतैर्नराः पांशून्विष्ठारक्तकफादिकान् । तप्तं मद्यं पाययन्ति पाटयन्ति पाटयन्ति पुनर्नरान् ।। ३७१.

The messengers of Yama make men drink sand, excrement, blood, phlegm, and hot liquor; they tear them apart again and again.

यन्त्रेषु पीडयन्ति स्म भक्ष्यन्ते वायसादिभिः । तैलेनोष्णेन सिच्यन्ते छिद्यन्ते नैकधा शिरः ।। ३७१.

They are tormented in machines, devoured by crows and others; they are drenched with hot oil, and their heads are severed in many ways.

हा तातेति क्रन्दमानाः स्वकन्नन्दन्ति कर्म्म ते । महापातकजान्घोरान्नरकान्प्राप्य गर्हितान् ।। ३७१.

Crying out, 'Alas, father!' they wail, but their own actions mock them; having reached these terrible, condemned hells born of great sins.

कर्म्मक्षयात्प्रजायन्ते महापातकिनस्त्विह । मृगश्वशूकरोष्ट्राणां ब्रह्महा योनिमृच्छति ।। ३७१.

When their karma is exhausted, the great sinners are reborn here; the killer of a Brahmin attains the womb of a deer, horse, pig, or camel.