Garuda Purana

एवं तस्मान्नरैर्मोक्षस्त्वतिक्रान्तैरवाप्यते । वर्षायुतायुतैः पापं यैः कृतं दुष्टबुद्धिभिः ॥ २,३.

In this way, release from that hell is obtained by men whose evil deeds, committed with wicked minds, have been exhausted over tens of thousands of years.

तथान्यस्तु ततो नाम सोऽतिशीतः स्वभावतः । महारौरववद्दीर्घस्तथान्धतमसा वृतः ॥ २,३.

Next, there is another hell by name, which is extremely cold by nature, long like Mahāraurava, and enveloped in utter darkness.

शीतार्तास्तत्र बध्यन्ते नरास्तमसि दारुणे । परस्परं समासाद्य परिरभ्याश्रयन्ति ते ॥ २,३.

There, men tormented by cold are bound in that dreadful darkness; coming together, they embrace each other for support.

दन्तास्तेषां च भज्यन्ते शीतार्तिपरिकम्पिताः । क्षुतृषातिबलाः पक्षिन्नथ तत्राप्युपदवाः ॥ २,३.

Their teeth, chattering from the pain of cold, are broken; suffering greatly from hunger and thirst, O bird, there too are further torments.

हिमखण्डवहो वायुभिनत्त्यस्थीनि दारुणः । मज्जासृगस्थिगलितमश्रन्त्यत्र क्षुधान्विताः ॥ २,३.

A cruel wind carrying pieces of ice shatters their bones; there, exhausted and afflicted by hunger, their marrow, blood, and flesh ooze out.

आलिङ्ग्यमाना भ्राम्यन्ते परस्परसमागमे । एवं तत्रापि सुमहान्क्लेशस्तमसि मानवैः ॥ २,३.

Clinging to each other, they wander about in that darkness; thus, even there, great suffering is experienced by men.

प्राप्यते शकुनिश्रेष्ठ यो बहूकृतसञ्चयः । निकृन्तन इति ख्यातस्ततोऽन्यो नरकोत्तमः ॥ २,३.

That is attained, O best of birds, by one who has accumulated many evil deeds; next, listen to the hell called Nikṛntana, renowned as supreme.

कुलालचक्राणि तत्र भ्राम्यन्त्यविरतं खग । तेष्वापाष्ये निकृष्यन्ते कालसूत्रेण मानवाः ॥ २,३.

There, potter's wheels spin ceaselessly, O bird; on them, men are cut by the thread of time.

यमानुमाङ्गुलिस्थेन आपादतलमस्तकम् । न चैषां जीवितभ्रंशो जायते पक्षिसत्तम ॥ २,३.

By the servants of Yama, with a thread at their fingers, from foot to head, yet, O best of birds, their life does not depart.

छिन्नानि तेषां शतशः खण्डान्यैक्यं व्रजन्ति हि । एवं वर्षसहस्राणि भ्राम्यन्ते पापकर्मिणः ॥ २,३.

Their bodies are cut into hundreds of pieces, yet the fragments rejoin; thus, for thousands of years, sinners are whirled about.

तावद्यावदशेषं च तत्पापं संक्षयं गतम् । अप्रातष्ठं च नरकं शृणुष्व गदतो मम ॥ २,३.

So long, until all that sin is completely destroyed; now, listen as I describe the hell called Aprātaṣṭha.

तत्रस्थैर्नारकैर्दुः खमसह्यमनुभूयते । तान्येव तत्र चक्राणि घटीयन्त्राणि चान्यतः ॥ २,३.

There, the torments endured by the hell-dwellers are unbearable; those very wheels and crushing machines are present there in other forms as well.

दुः खस्य हेतुभूतानि पापकर्मकृतां नृणाम् । चक्रेष्वारोपिताः केचिद्भाम्यन्ते तत्र मानवाः ॥ २,३.

These are the causes of suffering for people who have committed evil deeds; some are mounted upon wheels and are ground there.

यावद्वर्षसहस्राणि न तेषां स्थितिरन्तरा । घटीयन्त्रेषु बद्वा ये बद्धा तोयवटी यथा ॥ २,३.

For thousands of years, there is no respite for those bound in the crushing machines, just as water jars are tightly fastened.

भ्राम्यन्ते मानवा रक्तमुद्गिरन्तः पुनः पुनः । अन्त्रैर्मुखविनिष्क्रान्तैर्नेत्रैरन्त्रावलम्बिभैः ॥ २,३.

Humans are whirled about, repeatedly vomiting blood, with their entrails emerging from their mouths and their eyes dangling with intestines.

दुः खानि प्राप्नुवन्तीह यान्यसह्यानि जन्तुभिः । असिपत्रवनं नाम नरकं शृणु चापरम् ॥ २,३.

Here, they experience torments that are unbearable even for other creatures; now listen about another hell called the Forest of Sword-leaves.

योजनानां सहस्रं यो ज्वलत्यग्न्याशृतावनिः । सप्ततीव्रकराश्चैण्डर्यत्र तीव्र सुदारुणे ॥ २,३.

There is a land, a thousand yojanas wide, blazing with fire on all sides, where seventy fierce guardians dwell in this extremely terrible place.

प्रतपन्ति सदा तत्र प्राणिनो नरकौकसः । तन्मध्ये चरणं शीतस्निग्धपत्रं विभाष्यते ॥ २,३.

There, the inhabitants of hell are always scorched; in the midst of that, a path appears covered with cool, moist leaves.

पत्राणि यत्र खण्डानि फलानां पक्षिसत्तम । श्वानश्च तत्र सुबलाश्चरन्त्यामिषभोजनाः ॥ २,३.

In that place, the leaves are sharp-edged, O best of birds, like the wings of fruit; and there, strong dogs roam, feeding on flesh.

महावक्त्रा महादंष्ट्रा व्याघ्रा इव महाबलाः । ततश्च वनमालोक्य शिशिरच्छायमग्रतः ॥ २,३.

With huge jaws and great fangs, powerful as tigers, they behold the forest ahead, appearing to offer cool shade.

प्रयान्ति प्राणिनस्तत्र क्षुत्तापपरिपीडिताः । मातर्भ्रातस्तात इति क्रन्दमानाः सुदुः खिताः ॥ २,३.

Tormented by hunger and thirst, the beings proceed there, crying out in great distress, 'Mother! Brother! Father!'

दह्यमानाङ्घ्रियुगला धरणिस्थेन वह्निना । तेषां गतानां तत्रापि अति शीतिः समीरणः ॥ २,३.

Their pairs of feet are burned by the fire on the ground; when they reach that place, an extremely cold wind blows upon them.

प्रवाति तेन पात्यन्ते तेषां खड्गास्तथोपरि । छिन्नाः पतन्ति ते भूमौ ज्वलत्पावकसंचये ॥ २,३.

Blown by that wind, swords fall upon them from above; cut to pieces, they fall to the ground amidst blazing heaps of fire.

लेलिह्यमाने चान्यत्र तप्ताशेषमहीतले । सारमेयाश्च ते शीघ्रं शातयन्ति शरीरतः ॥ २,३.

Elsewhere, as the ground is licked by flames, swift hounds quickly tear their bodies apart.

तेषां खण्डान्यनेकानि रुदतामतिभीषणे । असिपत्रवनं तात मयैतत्परिकीर्तितम् ॥ २,३.

Their many body parts, dreadful and weeping, are scattered; O dear one, thus have I described the Forest of Sword-leaves.

अतः परं भीमतरं तप्तकुंभं निबोध मे । समन्ततस्तप्तकुम्भा वह्निज्वालासमन्विताः ॥ २,३.

Now hear from me about an even more terrifying hell called the Heated Cauldrons, which are surrounded on all sides by blazing pots filled with flames.

ज्वलदग्निचयास्तप्ततैलायश्चूर्णपूरिताः । एषु दुष्कृतकर्माणो याम्यैः क्षिप्ता ह्यधोमुखाः ॥ २,३.

Filled with burning fires and boiling oil mixed with metal filings, the wicked are thrown headfirst into these by the servants of Yama.

क्वाथ्यन्ते विस्फुटद्गात्रा गलन्मज्जाजलान्विताः । स्फुटत्कपालेनत्रास्थिच्छिद्यमाना विभीषणैः ॥ २,३.

There, their bodies burst apart, their marrow and fluids melting away, and their skulls and bones are shattered by dreadful blows.

गृध्रैरुत्पाट्य मुच्यन्ते पुनस्तेष्वेव वेगितैः । पुनश्चिमचिमायन्ते तैलनैक्यं व्रजन्ति च ॥ २,३.

Torn out by vultures, they are released, but again are swiftly thrown back into the cauldrons, repeatedly boiled and merged with the oil.