Listen, then, to the tale of the soul’s journey as described in the Varaha Purana, where the consequences of sinful deeds are vividly revealed. There is one who, bound by the weight of his misdeeds, is born suspended from a tree branch, his head hanging downward. For a full hundred years he endures this painful state, only to be released and subjected to the same torment again and again. In the course of his transmigrations, he once became a boar, and then, through the inexorable force of karma, was reborn as a mongoose. This unfortunate being is shunned by all, known for giving false testimony and being deeply devoted to lies. Not only is he a wicked liar, but he is also a usurper of land, committing acts that bring him infamy and contempt. For each and every misdeed, he must remain and suffer the consequences, returning again and again to endure the results of his actions. Eventually, the memories of his countless previous births arise within him, and, bereft of all noble desires and filled with every conceivable fault, he seeks refuge in the wombs of animals. Sometimes he is born mute, sometimes with only one eye, and often afflicted by disease. The cycle continues for thousands, tens of thousands, and even crores of births, as his soul wanders through various forms. The lowest among men, especially the one who steals land, suffers intense inner pain. Bound for an exceedingly long time, he is taken to the world of Yama, the Lord of Justice. There, he is tormented by severe hunger, shackled and restrained in captivity. After enduring sevenfold and solitary births, he is cooked in the fires of retribution. When this period ends, the wicked soul is reborn as a cock, forced to feed on excrement. After a thousand such births and the accumulation of corresponding deeds, he at last attains a human birth. Yet, even then, he must wander for a thousand years, experiencing the consequences of his past actions. Only after this long journey is he released from that region and reborn as a boar. Whatever form he takes, in that very form he becomes food for others, suffering the fate of the hunted. Should he obtain a human birth again, he is destined to become a hunter, repeating the cycle of violence and death. Those who give away leftover food, who act sinfully and unrighteously, face their own punishments. A woman of bad conduct, who breaks her character and deceives her husband, is reborn as a female dog, and after that, as a female pig. Such a soul does not attain happiness, but instead suffers great misery. In these births, food and drink are denied to them, and they are left to endure their wretched state. Therefore, let one act rightly for their own welfare. But if an evil-minded one is near, he should be destroyed, for he performs all manner of wicked actions. Afterwards, he is cast into the birth of a robber, filled with evil intent, and then, as a result of his accumulated sins, becomes a doer of all evils. In his further wanderings, he may be born as an elephant, a horse, a jackal, a boar, or even a crane. Only after ten thousand years does he once again attain human birth. Yet, before he reaches adulthood, he dies, his life cut short when the residue of his karma is exhausted. In the destruction and rebirth of beings, both sin and merit play their roles. From the very beginning, the ripening of karma unfolds just as it was ordained by the Self-born, the Supreme Lord. Thus ends the chapter describing the results of punishments for hellish deeds in the endless cycle of worldly existence, as told in the glorious Varaha Purana. Now, the enumeration of groups of sins is given, as Citragupta, the divine recorder, describes further transgressions. Those who lack virtue and self-control, who follow the path of darkness, are condemned. Likewise, those who hate the king or their teacher are also condemned. Those who delight in violence, who are cruel, who slander others, and who corrupt undertakings—all are to be reproached. So too are those who set fire to forests, and those who are butchers, for their actions bring suffering both to themselves and to the world.