Let me tell you the tale as revealed in the sacred verses: There exist dreadful pits, the messengers of Yama, Yama himself, and his many servants, all presiding over the fates of souls. Yet, among householders who remain engaged in their worldly duties but observe the vow of Hari, a different destiny unfolds. These devoted ones bow to Hari every day and worship his image, honoring him with reverence. The twice-born, purified at the three junctions of the day and endowed with pure conduct, along with others who enjoy heavenly pleasures and the pure divine attendants, all recognize that true liberation is sought only through service to Krishna. Among them are those who faithfully adhere to their own duties, and even those who do not. The serpents—like Garuda and his kind—flee in terror before Krishna's devotees. Everywhere, except in the hermitages of Hari's devotees, the servants of Yama are forced to depart. Citragupta, the celestial record-keeper, trembles in fear and folds his hands in reverence before these devotees. The virtuous, bypassing even the exalted realm of Brahmaloka, proceed directly to Goloka, Krishna's supreme abode. Just as wood and grass are consumed in a blazing fire, so too are desires, greed, and anger drawn to those who harbor them. Time, deeds both good and bad, joy, and enjoyment follow the embodied soul. Now, listen as the dissolution of the body is explained, as taught in scripture. The seed of the body for all embodied beings is supreme in the act of creation by the Creator. Yet, this body is artificial and perishable, destined to become ashes. The soul bears a subtle body of that form for the sake of enjoyment. If the body is destroyed by water, by a prolonged blow, or in heated liquid, iron, or stone, the soul is neither burned nor broken—only suffering is experienced. Now, let me describe the characteristics of the pits, as spoken by Yama himself: These pits are extremely deep, embedded with fragments of stone, imperishable and not subject to dissolution, constructed by the will of the Lord. They take the form of blazing embers, adorned with hundreds of flames, and are filled with sinners making loud, plaintive noises, their cries echoing through the darkness. Some pits are filled with scalding water and violent creatures; others are surrounded by crocodiles and filled with water from chopping, the damned uttering cries of "Save us!" as they are struck by Yama's messengers. Tormented by starvation and other agonies, they suffer endlessly. Certain pits are filled with hot urine, crowded with urine-worms. Some measure a cow's length, covered in darkness, constantly filled with the noise of restless beings. Others are filled with phlegm, a krosha in length, always surrounded by those who cannot find peace. There are pits half a krosha in size, filled with poison and accompanied by poison-eaters; some are filled with filth from the eyes and joined with insects. There are pits filled with marrow and fat, four kroshas in length, extremely unbearable, and others filled with semen, consumed by semen-worms. Some are deep reservoirs filled with foul-smelling blood, others with the tears from men's eyes, half a reservoir, accompanied by sinners. There are pits filled with the filth from men's bodies, accompanied by sinners who consume it. Such are the dreadful pits and the torments therein, but those who serve Hari, who devote themselves to Krishna, are spared these horrors, their souls ascending to Goloka, the highest realm.