Varaha Purana

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.

तत्र चैव ह्रदे नैका मत्स्याः खादन्ति सर्वशः

And there, in that lake, many fish devour everything.

किञ्चिदन्तरमागम्य वेदनार्थाः पतन्ति हि

Coming a little closer, they fall for the sake of experiencing pain.

शिरस्येवोपविष्टस्य प्रस्थितस्य प्रधावतः

Whether sitting, setting out, or running, it is as if upon their very heads.

करीषगर्त्तस्तत्रैव कुम्भीपाकः सुदारुणः

There is also the pit of excrement, and the dreadful Kumbhīpāka hell.

पाटयन्ति सुमार्गेण राक्षसाः करपत्रिकाः

The demons, with their sharp claws, tear apart by a cruel path.

असिपत्रवनं चात्र शृङ्गाटकवनं तथा

Here is also the forest of sword-leaves, and likewise the forest of pointed spikes.

दह्यते छिद्यते चैव विध्यते भिद्यते पथा 200.

He is burned, cut, pierced, and broken along the path.

श्यामाश्च शबलाश्चैव श्वानस्तेऽत्र दुरासदाः

There are black and spotted dogs here, fierce and hard to approach.

कण्टकैः प्रतिकूलैश्च तत्रान्या कूट शाल्मलिः

There also stands the silk-cotton tree, full of thorns and hostile.

यद्दुःखं तस्य दुर्बुद्धेः प्रतिकूलं च तस्य यत्

Whatever suffering and adversity belongs to that wicked-minded one.

शीतकामस्य वै चोष्णमुष्णकामस्य शीतलम्

For one desiring cold, there is heat; for one desiring heat, there is cold.

छिन्नाश्च शतधाप्येवं ह्यनिशं तैः सहस्रशः

They are cut into hundreds of pieces, constantly, by thousands.

सलिलं च नदीं घोरां व्यालाकीर्णां भयानकाम्

There is a dreadful river, filled with water and terrifying serpents.

करम्भवालुका नाम शतयोजनमायता

It is called Karambha-sand, stretching for a hundred yojanas.

ततो वैतरणी नाम क्षारोदा तु महानदी

Then comes the great river named Vaitarani, with salty water.

अगाधपङ्का वै तत्र चर्ममांसास्थिभेदना

There, the mud is deep, breaking skin, flesh, and bones.

उलूकाश्च धनुर्मात्रा वज्रजिह्वास्थिभेदनाः 200.

Owls, measuring a bow in length, with diamond-like tongues, break bones.

समुत्तीर्य तु कृच्छ्रेण तस्माद्योजनकर्दमात्

Having crossed with difficulty that yojana-long mire,

यत्र वै मूषिकगणा भक्षयन्ति ह्यनेकशः

There, groups of mice devour him in countless ways.

प्रभाते वायुना स्पृष्टः पुनर्मांसं स विन्दति

Touched by the wind in the morning, he regains his flesh again.