बिभर्ति सूक्ष्मं देहं तं तद्रूपं भोगहेतवे । स देहो न भवेद्भस्म ज्वलदग्नौ ममालये
He bears a subtle body, of that same form, for the sake of experience; that body does not become ashes in my blazing abode.
जलेन नष्टो देही वा प्रहारे सुचिरं कृते । न शस्त्रेण न वास्त्रेण सुतीक्ष्णकण्टके तथा
The embodied one is not destroyed by water, nor by a long-lasting blow; not by a weapon, nor by cloth, nor by a sharp thorn.
तप्तद्रवे तप्तलोहे तप्तपाषाण एव च । प्रतप्तप्रतिमाश्लेषे यत्पूर्वपतनेऽपि च
Not in molten liquid, not in heated iron, not in heated stone, nor in the embrace of a heated image, nor even in a previous fall.
न दग्धो न च भग्नः स भुङ्क्ते सन्तापमेव च । कथितो देहवृत्तान्तः कारणं च यथागमम् । कुण्डानां लक्षणं सर्वं बोधाय कथयामि ते
He is not burned nor broken, but only experiences torment; thus the account of the body and its cause has been told according to scripture. Now I will explain to you all the characteristics of the pits for your understanding.
इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां नवमस्कन्धे नारायणनारदसंवादे देवपूजनात् सर्वारिष्टनिवृत्तिवर्णनं नाम षट्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the thirty-sixth chapter, entitled 'The Removal of All Inauspiciousness through Worship of the Gods,' in the dialogue between Nārāyaṇa and Nārada, in the ninth book of the glorious Devī Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa of eighteen thousand verses.
नानानरककुण्डवर्णनम् सावित्र्युवाच धर्मराज उवाच पूर्णेन्दुमण्डलाकारं सर्वं कुण्डं च वर्तुलम् । निम्नं पाषाणभेदैश्च पाचितं बहुभिः सति
Description of the various pits of hell. Sāvitrī said— Dharma-rāja said: The entire pit is circular, shaped like a full moon, deep, and filled with many broken stones.
न नश्वरं चाप्रलयं निर्मितं चेश्वरेच्छया । क्लेशदं पातकानां च नानारूपं तदालयम्
It is not perishable nor subject to dissolution, constructed by the will of the Lord; it is the abode of various forms, giving suffering to sinners.
ज्वलदङ्गाररूपं च शतहस्तशिखान्वितम् । परितः क्रोशमानं च वह्निकुण्डं प्रकीर्तितम्
It is filled with blazing coals, with flames a hundred hands high, and all around, for a krośa, is known as the fire-pit.
महाशब्दं प्रकुर्वद्भिः पापिभिः परिपूरितम् । रक्षितं मम दूतैश्च ताडितैश्चापि सन्ततम्
It is filled with a great noise made by sinners, and is constantly guarded and beaten by my messengers.
प्रतप्तोदकपूर्णं च हिंस्रजन्तुसमन्वितम् । महाघोरं काकुशब्दं प्रहारेण दृढेन च
It is filled with boiling water and violent creatures, extremely terrifying with dreadful cries and harsh blows.
क्रोशार्धमानं तद्दूतैस्ताडितैर्मम पार्षदैः । तप्तक्षारोदकैः पूर्णं पुनः काकैश्च सङ्कुलम्
Half a krośa in size, beaten by my attendants, filled again with hot brine, and crowded with crows.
सङ्कुलं पापिभिश्चैव क्रोशमानं भयानकम् । त्राहीति शब्दं कुर्वद्भिर्मम दूतैश्च ताडितैः
Crowded with sinners, making fearful cries, and beaten by my messengers, they utter the sound 'Save us!'
प्रचलद्भिरनाहारैः शुष्ककण्ठोष्ठतालुकैः । विड्भिरेव कृतं पूर्णं क्रोशमानं च कुत्सितम्
With trembling, famished bodies, their throats, lips, and palates parched, filled entirely with excrement, they cry out in a wretched manner.
अतिदुर्गन्धिसंसक्तं व्याप्तं पापिभिरन्वहम् । ताडितैर्मम दूतैश्च तदाहारैः सुदारुणैः
Clinging to an overpowering stench, pervaded daily by sinners, struck by my messengers and tormented by those dreadful foods.
रक्षेति शब्दं कुर्वद्भिस्तत्कीटैरेव भक्षितैः । तप्तमूत्रद्रवैः पूर्णं मूत्रकीटैश्च सङ्कुलम्
Uttering cries of 'protect me', devoured by those insects, filled with the fluid of scalding urine, swarming with urine-dwelling worms.
युक्तं महापातकिभिस्तत्कीटैर्भक्षितैः सदा । गव्यूतिमानं ध्वान्ताक्तं शब्दकृद्भिश्च सन्ततम्
Always inhabited by great sinners, devoured by those insects, measuring a yojana, shrouded in darkness, constantly resounding with cries.
मद्दूतैस्ताडितैर्घोरैः शुष्ककण्ठोष्ठतालुकैः । श्लेष्मपूर्णं प्रशमितं तत्कीटैः पूरितं सदा
Struck by my fierce messengers, with parched throats, lips, and palates, filled with phlegm, subdued, and always packed with those insects.
तद्भोजिभिः पापिभिश्च वेष्टितं वेष्टितैः सदा । क्रोशार्धं गरकुण्डं च गरभोजिभिरन्वितम्
Surrounded by those wicked eaters, always enveloped by them, a pit half a yojana in size, accompanied by poison-eaters.
गरकीटैर्भक्षितैश्च पापिभिः पूर्णमेव च । ताडितैर्मम दूतैश्च शब्दकृद्भिश्च कम्पितैः
Filled entirely with poison-consuming insects and sinners, struck by my messengers, shaken by those who make dreadful sounds.
सर्पाकारेर्वज्रदंष्ट्रै शुष्ककण्ठैः सुदारुणैः । नेत्रयोर्मलपूर्णं च क्रोशार्धं कीटसंयुतम्
Serpent-like beings with adamantine fangs, parched throats, exceedingly fierce, a pit half a yojana in size, filled with filth between the eyes, swarming with insects.
पापिभिः सङ्कुलं शश्वद्भ्रमद्भिः कीटभक्षितैः । वसारसेन सम्पूर्णं क्रोशतुर्यं सुदुःसहम्
Constantly crowded with sinners, wandering and devoured by insects, filled with marrow and fat, a quarter-yojana pit, exceedingly unbearable.
तद्भोजिभिः पातकिभिर्मम दूतैश्च ताडितैः । शुक्रकुण्डं क्रोशमितं शुक्रकीटैश्च संयुतम्
Those who consume it are sinners, struck by my messengers, a pit measuring a yojana, joined with semen-consuming insects.
पापिभिः सङ्कुलं शश्वद् द्रवद्भिः कीटभक्षितैः । दुर्गन्धिरक्तपूर्णं च वापीमानं गभीरकम्
Always crowded with sinners, flowing and devoured by insects, filled with foul-smelling blood, a deep pit of considerable size.
तद्भोजिभिः पापिभिश्च सङ्कुलं कीटभक्षितम् । पूर्णं नेत्राश्रुभिस्तप्तं बहुपापिभिरन्वितम्
Crowded with those wicked eaters and sinners, devoured by insects, filled with burning tears from the eyes, accompanied by many sinners.
वापीतुर्यप्रमाणं च रुदद्भिः कीटभक्षितैः । नृणां गात्रमलैर्युक्तं तद्भक्षैः पापिभिर्युतम्
A pit of a quarter-yojana in size, with those who weep and are devoured by insects, mixed with the filth of human bodies, consumed by sinners.
ताडितैर्मम दूतैश्च व्यग्रैश्च कीटभक्षितैः । कर्णविट्परिपूर्णं च तद्भक्षैः पापिभिर्वृतम्
Struck by my messengers and agitated, devoured by insects, filled entirely with ear-excrement, surrounded by those who consume it, the sinners.
वापीतुर्यप्रमाणं च ब्रुवद्भिः कीटभक्षितैः । मज्जापूर्णं नराणां च महादुर्गन्धिसंयुतम्
A pit of a quarter-yojana in size, with those who speak and are devoured by insects, filled with the marrow of humans, joined with a terrible stench.
महापातकिभिर्युक्तं वापीतुर्यप्रमाणकम् । परिपूर्णं सिग्धमांसैर्मम दूतैश्च ताडितैः
Inhabited by great sinners, a pit of a quarter-yojana in size, completely filled with greasy flesh, struck by my messengers.
पापिभिः सङ्कुलं चैव वापीमानं भयानकम् । कन्याविक्रयिभिश्चैव तद्भक्ष्यैः कीटभक्षितैः
Crowded with sinners, a pit of terrifying size, with those who sell maidens, consumed by those who eat it and by insects.
पाहीति शब्दं कुर्वद्भिस्त्रासितैश्च भयानकैः । वापीतुर्यप्रमाणं च नखादिकचतुष्टयम्
Uttering cries of 'protect me', frightened and dreadful, a pit of a quarter-yojana in size, containing the four types of nails and similar substances.