Vayu Purana

ताराग्रहाणां सर्व्वेषामधस्ताच्चरते बुधः। तस्योर्द्ध्वञ्चरते शुक्रस्तस्मादूर्द्ध्वं च लोहितः ।। ३९.

Among all the stars and planets, Mercury moves below; above him moves Venus, and above him is Mars.

ततो बृहस्पतिश्चोर्द्ध्वं तस्मादूर्द्ध्वं शनैश्चरः। ऊर्द्ध्वं शतसहस्रन्तु योजनानां शनैश्चरात् ।। ३९.

Then above is Jupiter, and above him is Saturn; from Saturn, a hundred thousand yojanas above, is said to be the region of the Seven Sages.

सप्तर्षिमण्डलं कृत्स्नमुपरिष्टात्प्रकाशते। ऋषिभिस्तु सहस्राणां शतादूर्द्ध्वं विभाव्यते ।। ३९.

The complete circle of the Seven Sages shines forth above; by the sages, it is perceived as a hundred thousand yojanas higher.

योऽसौ तारामये दिव्ये विमाने ह्रस्वरूपके। उत्तानपादपुत्रोऽसौ मेढिभूतो ध्रुवो दिवि ।। ३९.

He who is in that celestial, shining, starry chariot of small form, the son of Uttānapāda, is Dhruva, the fixed one in the sky.

त्रैलोक्यस्यैष उत्सेधो व्याख्यातो योजनैर्मया। मन्वन्तरेषु देवानामिज्या यत्रैव लौकिकी ।। ३९.

Thus have I described the height of the three worlds in yojanas; in each Manvantara, the worship of the gods takes place there in the worldly manner.

वर्णाश्रमेभ्य इज्या तु लोकेऽस्मिन्या प्रवर्त्तते। सर्वेषां देवयोनीनां स्थितिहेतुः सवै स्मृतः ।। ३९.

In this world, worship is performed according to the classes and stages of life; he is remembered as the cause of the existence of all divine beings.

त्रैलोक्यमेतद्वयाख्यातमत ऊर्द्ध्वं निबोधत। ध्रुवा दूर्द्ध्वं महर्लोको यस्मिस्ते कल्पवासिनः। एकयोजनकोटी सा इत्येवं निश्चयं गतम् ।। ३९.

Thus the three worlds have been explained; now listen further: above Dhruva is Maharloka, where the dwellers of the aeon reside, at a distance of ten million yojanas.

द्वे कोट्यौ तु महर्लोकाद्यस्मिंस्ते कल्पवासिनः। यत्र ते ब्रह्मणः पुत्रा दक्षाद्याः साधकाः स्मृताः ।। ३९.

From Maharloka, two crores further, is the world where the dwellers of the aeon reside; there are remembered the sons of Brahmā, such as Dakṣa, who are accomplished.

चतुर्गुणोत्तरादूर्द्ध्वं जनलोकात्तपः स्मृतम्। वैराजा यत्र ते देवा भूतदाहविवर्जिताः ।। ३९.

Four times higher than that is Tapoloka, above Janaloka; there dwell the Virājas, those gods free from the burning of rebirth.

षड्गुणन्तु तपोलोकात्सत्यलोकान्तरं स्मृतम्। अपुनर्मारकामानां ब्रह्मलोकः स उच्यते ।। ३९.

It is remembered that the distance from Tapoloka to Satyaloka is six times as great; that is called Brahmaloka, the world from which those who have transcended desire do not return.

यस्मान्न च्यवते भूयो ब्रह्माणं स उपासते । एककोटिर्योजनानां पञ्चाशन्नियुतानि तु ।। ३९.

Because one does not fall again from there, those who worship Brahma attain it; its extent is fifty million yojanas, multiplied by ten million.

ऊर्द्ध्वं भागस्ततोऽण्डस्य ब्रह्मलोकात्परः स्मृतः। चतुरश्चैव कोट्यस्तु नियुताः पञ्चषष्टि च ।। ३९.

Above that, the upper part of the cosmic egg is said to be beyond Brahmaloka; its extent is four hundred million and sixty-five million yojanas.

एषोऽर्द्धंशप्रचारोऽस्य गत्यन्तश्चापरः स्मृतः। ध्रवाग्रमेतद्वयाख्यातं योजनाग्राद्यथाश्रुतम् ।। ३९.

This is described as the region of the half-portion, and the other is considered the limit of movement; the two ends, Dhruva and Agra, are thus explained, with the measure of yojanas as heard.

अधोगतीनां वक्ष्यामि भूतानां स्थानकल्पनाम्। गच्छन्ति घोरकर्म्माणः प्राणिनो यत्र कर्म्मभिः ।। ३९.

Now I will describe the arrangement of the abodes for beings who go downward, where those with terrible actions proceed according to their deeds.

नरको रौरवो रोधः सूकरस्ताल एव च। तप्तकुम्भो महाज्वालः शबलोऽथ विमोचनः ।। ३९.

The hells are Raurava, Rodha, Sūkara, Tāla, Taptakumbha, Mahājvāla, Śabala, and Vimocana.

कृमी च कृमिभक्षश्च लालाभक्षो विशंसनः । अधःशिराः पूयवहो रुधिरान्धस्तथैव च ।। ३९.

Also Kṛmi, Kṛmibhakṣa, Lālābhakṣa, Viśaṃsana, Adhaḥśirā, Pūyavaha, and Rudhirāndha.

तथा वैतरणं कृष्णमसिपत्रवनं तथा। अग्निज्वालो महाघोरः संदंशोऽथ श्वभोजनः ।।३९.

Likewise, Vaitaraṇī, Kṛṣṇa, Asipatravana, Agnijvāla, Mahāghora, Saṃdaṃśa, and Śvabhojana.

तमश्च कृष्णसूत्रश्च लोहश्चाप्यसिजस्तथा। अप्रतिष्ठोऽथ वीच्यश्वनरका ह्येवमादयः ।। ३९.

Also Tama, Kṛṣṇasūtra, Loha, Asija, Apratiṣṭha, Vīcya, and other such hells.

तामसा नरकाः सर्वे यमस्य विषये स्थिताः। येषु दुष्कृतकर्माणः पतन्तीह पृथक्पृथक् ।। ३९.१५० भूमेरधस्तात्ते सर्वे रौरवाद्याः प्रकीर्त्तिताः। रौरवे कूटसाक्षी तु मिथ्या यश्चाभिशंसति। क्रूरग्रहे पक्षवादी ह्यसत्यः पतते नरः ।। ३९.

All these hells, pervaded by darkness, are situated in the domain of Yama, where those who perform evil deeds fall, each to a separate place.

रोधे गोघ्नो ब्रूणहा च ह्यग्निदाता पुरस्य च। सूकरे ब्रह्महा मज्जेत्सुरापः स्वर्णतस्करः ।। ३९.

Below the earth are all these, beginning with Raurava; in Raurava falls the false witness and one who falsely accuses; in Krūragraha, one who advocates for the guilty and the untruthful man falls.

ताले पतेत्क्षत्रियहा हत्वा वैश्यञ्च दुर्गतिम्। ब्रहमहत्याञ्च यः कुर्याद्यश्च स्याद्गुरुतल्पगः ।। ३९.

In Rodha falls the killer of a cow, the slayer of an embryo, the arsonist, and the destroyer of a city; in Sūkara, the killer of a Brahmin, the drinker of liquor, and the thief of gold sink.

तप्तकुम्भी स्वसागामी तथा राजभटश्च यः। तप्तलोहे चाश्ववणिक्तथा बन्धनरक्षिता ।। ३९.

In Tāla falls the killer of a Kṣatriya, and one who kills a Vaiśya meets a miserable fate; one who commits Brahmin-murder or violates the teacher's wife also falls there.

साध्वीविक्रयकर्त्ता च यस्तु भक्तं परित्यजेत्। महाज्वाले दुहितरं स्नुषां गच्छति यस्तु वै ।। ३९.

In Taptakumbha falls one who approaches his own sister, and also the king's officer; in Taptaloha, the horse merchant and the prison guard.

वेदो विक्रीयते येन वेदं दूषयते च यः। गुरूंश्चैवावमन्यन्ते वाक्क्रोशैस्ताडयन्ति च ।। ३९.

One who sells a virtuous woman, or who abandons his devotee, falls into Mahājvāla; one who approaches his daughter or daughter-in-law also goes there.

अगम्यगामीच नरो नरकं शबलं व्रजेत्। विमोहे पतिते चौरे मर्यादां यो भिनत्ति वै ।। ३९.

He who sells the Veda, or corrupts the Veda, or who disrespects teachers, or abuses them with words or strikes them, falls into Śabala hell.

दुरध्वं कुरुते यस्तु कीटलोहं प्रपद्यते। देवब्राह्मणविद्वेष्टा गुरूणाञ्चाप्यपूजकः। रत्नं दूषयते यस्तु कृमिभक्ष्यं प्रपद्यते ।। ३९.

A man who goes to a forbidden woman enters Śabala hell; a thief who betrays trust, or one who breaks boundaries, falls into Vimochana.

पर्य्यश्नाति य एकोऽन्यो ब्राह्मणीं सुहृदः सुताम्। लालाभक्षे स पतति दुर्गन्धे नरके गतः ।। ३९.

He who commits a wicked act goes to Kīṭaloha; one who hates gods or Brahmins, or who does not honor teachers, or who corrupts a jewel, falls into Kṛmibhakṣa.

काण्डकर्त्ता कुलालश्च निष्कहर्त्ता चिकित्सकः। आरा मेष्वग्निदाता यः पतते स विशंसने ।। ३९.

He who, alone or with another, violates a Brahmin woman, a friend, or a daughter, falls into Lālābhakṣa, entering a foul-smelling hell.

असत्प्रतिग्रही यश्च तथैवायाज्ययाजकः। नक्षत्रैर्जीवितो यश्च नरो गच्छत्यधोमुखम् ।। ३९.

He who accepts improper gifts, and likewise the priest who performs sacrifices for the unworthy, and the man who lives by astrology—such a person goes headlong downward.