Garuda Purana

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.

द्रवीभूतैः शिरोगात्रैः स्नायुमांसत्वगास्थिभिः । ततो याम्यैर्नरैराशु दर्व्याघट्टनघट्टिताः ॥ २,३.

With their heads and bodies liquefied, along with sinews, flesh, skin, and bones, they are then struck swiftly by Yama's men with ladles, causing repeated agitation.

कृतावर्ते महातैले क्वाथ्यन्ते पापकर्मिणः । एष ते विस्तरेणोक्तस्तप्तकुम्भो मया खग ॥ २,३.

The evil-doers are boiled in a great cauldron of oil, turned over and over; this, O Bird, is the heated vessel, described to you in detail.

आदिमो रौरवः प्रोक्तो महारौरवकोऽपरः । अतिशीतस्तृतीयस्तु चतुर्थो हि निकृन्तनः ॥ २,३.

The first is called Raurava, the second is Mahāraurava, the third is Atiśīta, and the fourth is Nikṛntana.

अप्रतिष्ठः पञ्चमः स्यादसिपत्रवनोऽपरः । सप्तमस्तप्तकुम्भस्तु सप्तैते नरका मताः ॥ २,३.

The fifth is Apratiṣṭha, the sixth is Asipatravana, and the seventh is Taptakumbha; these seven are considered the hells.

श्रूयन्तेन्यान्यपि तथा नरकाणि नराधमाः । कर्मणां तारतम्येन तेषुतेषु पतन्ति हि ॥ २,३.

Other hells are also heard of, O lowest of men; according to the gradation of their deeds, they fall into these various hells.

तथा हि नरको रोधः शूकरस्ताल एव च । तप्तकुम्भो महाज्वालः शबलोऽथ विमोहनः ॥ २,३.

Thus, the hells are Rodha, Śūkara, Tāla, Taptakumbha, Mahājvāla, Śabala, and Vimohana.

क्रिमिश्च क्रिमभक्षश्च लालाभक्षो विषञ्जनः । अधः शिराः पूयवहो रुधिरान्धश्च विड्रभुजः ॥ २,३.

Also, there are Krimi, Krimibhakṣa, Lālābhakṣa, Viṣañjana, Adhaḥśirā, Pūyavaha, Rudhirāndha, and Viḍrabhuja.

तथा वैतरणी सू (मू) मसिपत्रवनं तथा । अग्निज्वालो महाघोरः सन्दंशो वाप्यभोजनः ॥ २,३.

Likewise, there are Vaitaraṇī, Sūmū (or Mūmasipatravana), Agnijvāla, Mahāghora, Sandaṃśa, and Vāpyabhojana.

तमश्च कालसूत्रं च लोहश्चाप्यभिदस्तथा । अप्रतिष्ठोऽप्यवीचिश्च नरका एवमादयः ॥ २,३.

There are also Tamaḥ, Kālasūtra, Loha, Abhida, Apratiṣṭha, and Avīci; these are the principal hells.

तामसा नरकाः सर्वे यमस्य विषये स्थिताः । येषु दुष्कृतकर्माणः पतन्ति हि पृथक्पृथक् ॥ २,३.

All these hells, filled with darkness, are situated in Yama's domain, into which those who commit evil deeds fall, each according to their actions.