Varaha Purana

असितालवनद्वारि ये तिष्ठन्ति महारथाः

At the entrance to the Asitālavanā, the great chariot-warriors stand.

भो भो पापसमाचारा धर्मसेतुविनाशकाः

"O you of wicked conduct, destroyers of the bridge of righteousness—"

भोगैश्च पीडिता नित्यं उत्पत्स्यथ सुदुर्गताः 199.

Afflicted constantly by torments, you will be born into great misery.

पक्षिणश्चायसैस्तुण्डैर्व्याघ्राश्चैव सुदारुणाः

There are birds with iron beaks and tigers exceedingly fierce.

खादंति रुषितास्तत्र बहवो हिंसका नरान्

Many enraged, violent beings there devour people.

असितालवने विप्रा बहुदुःखसमाकुले

In the Asitālavanā, O Brāhmaṇas, filled with much suffering—

असिपत्र सुभग्नाङ्गाः शूललग्नास्तथाऽपरे

Some, their limbs shattered by sword-leaves, others impaled upon spikes—

पुष्करिण्यश्च वाप्यश्च ह्रदा नद्यस्तथैव च

There are ponds, tanks, lakes, and also rivers—

पूतिमांसकृमीणां च अमेध्यस्य तथैव च

Full of putrid flesh, worms, and filth as well.

तत्र क्लिश्यन्ति ते पापास्तस्मिन्मध्ये सहस्रशः

There, thousands of sinners suffer in the midst of that.

अस्थिपाषाणवर्षाणि रुधिरस्य बलाहकाः

Showers of bones and stones, and clouds of blood—

धावतां प्लवतां चैव हा हतोऽस्मीति भाषिणाम्

Of those running and swimming, crying out, 'Alas, I am slain!'

क्रन्दतां करुणोन्मिश्रं दिशोऽपूर्यन्त सर्वशः 199.

The directions were filled everywhere with their wailing, mixed with lamentation.

क्वचित्स्थूलैस्तथा बद्धः उद्बद्धश्च क्वचित्तथा

Some were bound with thick cords, and others tied up in different ways.

अपश्यं पुनरन्यत्र यत्स्मृत्वा चोद्विजेन्नरः

Elsewhere I saw things which, if remembered, would terrify a man.

इति श्रीवराहपुराणे संसारचक्रे यातनास्वरूप वर्णनं नाम नवनवत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः

Thus, in the Śrī Varāha Purāṇa, the one hundred and ninety-ninth chapter named 'Description of the Forms of Torment in the Cycle of Existence.'

पुनः नरकयातनास्वरूपवर्णनम् तप्तं चैव महातप्तं महारौरवरौरवौ

Again, the description of the forms of torment in hell: the heated and the intensely heated, Mahāraurava and Raurava.

अन्धकारश्च नरको अन्धकारवरस्तथा

There is the hell called Andhakāra, and also one even darker than Andhakāra.

प्रथमे प्रथमं विद्याद्द्वितीये द्विगुणं तथा

In the first, know the darkness as single; in the second, it is said to be double.

पञ्चमे तु गुणाः पञ्च षष्ठे षङ्गुणमुच्यते

In the fifth, there are fivefold torments; in the sixth, it is said to be sixfold.

अहोरात्रेण चाध्वानं प्रेता गच्छन्ति तत्पुरम्

In a single day and night, the departed travel the path to that city.

दुःखमेवात्र न सुखं दुःखैर्दुःखं विवर्ध्यते

Here there is only suffering, no happiness; suffering is increased by further suffering.

मुच्यते च मृतस्तत्र मारकास्तत्र दुर्लभाः

There, the dead are released, but the agents of death are rare there.

न सुखं तत्र तस्यास्ति किञ्चिदेवात्र विद्यते

There is no happiness for him there; nothing at all exists here.

आयसैः कण्टकैस्तीक्ष्णैस्तप्तैस्तप्तावृता मही

The ground is covered with sharp, heated iron thorns.

अतीव च बुभुक्षात्र पिपासा चाप्यतीव हि 200.

Here, hunger is extreme, and thirst is also exceedingly great.

पातुकामश्च पानीयं राक्षसैर्नीयते सरः

When one desires to drink water, the demons lead him to a lake.

पातुकामश्च पानीयं सहसा तत्र धावति

Desiring to drink water, he suddenly runs there.

ततः पक्वानि मांसानि राक्षसैः परिणीयते

Then, cooked flesh is brought by the demons.