Vayu Purana

पुत्रैरध्यापिता ये च पुत्रैराज्ञापिताश्च ये। तेसर्वे नरकं यान्ति नियतन्तु श्वभोजने ।। ३९.

Those who are taught by their sons, or who are commanded by their sons—all of them certainly go to hell, where they are eaten by dogs.

वर्णाश्रमविरूद्धानि क्रोधहर्षसमन्विताः। कर्माणि ये तु कुर्वन्ति सर्वे निरयगामिनः ।। ३९.

Those who perform actions contrary to their caste and stage of life, driven by anger or delight—all of them go to hell.

उपरिष्टात्सितो घोर उष्णात्मा रौरवो महान्। सुदारुणस्तु शीतात्मा तस्याधस्तात्तपः स्मृतः ।। ३९.

Above is the dreadful, cold, great hell called Raurava, whose nature is heat; below it is the extremely terrible, cold hell called Tapaḥ.

एवमादि क्रमेणैव वर्ण्यमानान्निबोधत। भूमेरधस्तात्सप्तैव नरकाः परिकीर्तिताः ।। ३९.

Thus, in order, listen as they are described: beneath the earth, seven hells are declared.

अधर्मसूनवस्ते स्युरन्धतामिस्रकादयः। रौरवः प्रथमस्तेषां महा रौरव एव च ।। ३९.

The sons of Adharma are those called Andhatāmisra and others; among them, Raurava is the first, and Mahāraurava as well.

अस्याधः पुनरप्यन्यः शीतस्तप इति स्मृतः। तृतीयः कालसूत्रः स्यान्महाहविविधिः स्मृतः ।। ३९.

Below this, another is known as 'cold heat'; the third is called Kālasūtra, and is remembered as the great battlefield.

अप्रतिष्ठ श्चतुर्थः स्यादवीची पञ्चमः स्मृतः। लोहपृष्ठस्तमस्तेषामविधेयस्तु सप्तमः ।। ३९.

The fourth is Apratiṣṭha; Avīcī is remembered as the fifth. Lohapṛṣṭha is the sixth among them, and the seventh is called Avidheya.

घोरत्वाद्रौरवः प्रोक्तः साम्भको दहनः स्मृतः। सुदारुणस्तु शीतात्मा तस्याधस्तात्तपोऽधमः ।। ३९.

Because of its terrifying nature, it is called Raurava; Sāmbhaka is remembered as the burning one. Sudāruṇa is extremely cold, and below that is the lowest heat.

सर्पो निकृन्तनः प्रोक्तः कालसूत्रेति दारुणः। अप्रतिष्ठे स्थितिर्नास्ति भ्रमस्तस्मिन्सुदारुणः ।। ३९.

A serpent called Nikṛntana is spoken of as Kālasūtra, fierce in nature. In Apratiṣṭha, there is no stability; wandering there is exceedingly harsh.

अवीचिर्दारुणः प्रोक्तो यन्त्रसंपीडनाच्च सः। तस्मात्सुदारुणो लोहः कर्म्मणां क्षयणाच्च सः ।। ३९.

Avīcī is said to be dreadful due to the torment of mechanical devices. Therefore, Lohapṛṣṭha is extremely severe because of the destruction of actions.

तथाभूतो शरीरत्वादविधिभ्यस्तु स स्मृतः। पीडबन्धवधासङ्गादप्रतीकारलक्षणः ।। ३९.

Thus, because of the bodily state, it is remembered as arising from improper acts; marked by pain, bondage, killing, and association, and characterized by helplessness.

ऊर्द्ध्वं सैलमितास्ते तु निरालोकाश्च ते स्मृताः। दुःखोत्कर्षस्तु सर्वेषु ह्यधर्मस्य निमित्ततः ।। ३९.

Above, they are measured by mountains and are remembered as being without light. The intensity of suffering in all these is due to the cause of unrighteousness.

ऊर्द्ध्वं लोकैः समावेतौ निरालोकौ च तावुभौ। कूटाङ्गारप्रमाणैश्च शरीरी मूत्रनायकः ।। ३९.

Above, both are joined with worlds and are without light. The embodied one is measured by heaps of coals and is led by urine.

उपभोगसमर्थैस्तु सद्यो जायन्ति कर्मभिः। दुःख प्रकर्षश्चोग्रत्वं तेषु सर्वेषु वै स्मृतः ।। ३९.

With those capable of enjoyment, actions immediately produce results. The intensity and fierceness of suffering is remembered in all these.

यातनाश्चाप्यसंख्येया नारकाणां तथा स्मृताः। दुःखोत्कर्षस्तु सर्वेषु ह्यधर्मस्य निमित्ततः ।। ३९.

Countless torments are also remembered for the inhabitants of hell. The intensity of suffering in all is due to the cause of unrighteousness.

तिर्यग्योनौ प्रसूयन्ते कर्मशेषे गते ततः। देवाश्च नारकाश्चैव ह्यूर्द्ध्वं चाधश्च संस्थिताः ।। ३९.

When the residue of karma is exhausted, they are born in animal wombs. The gods and the inhabitants of hell are situated above and below.

धर्माधर्मनिमित्तेन सद्यो जायन्ति मूर्त्तयः। उपभोगार्थमुत्पत्तिरौपपत्तिककर्मतः ।। ३९.

By the cause of righteousness and unrighteousness, forms are immediately produced. Birth occurs for the sake of enjoyment, according to the karma of previous births.

पश्यन्ति नारकान्देवा ह्यधोवक्रान् ह्यधोगतान्। नारकाश्च तथा देवान् सर्वान्पश्यन्त्यधो मुखान् ।। ३९.

The gods see the hell-dwellers who move downward and those who have fallen below; likewise, the hell-dwellers see all the gods, facing downward.

अनग्रमूलता यस्माद्धारणाश्च स्वभावतः। तस्मादूर्द्ध्वमधोभावो लोकालोके न विद्यते ।। ३९.

Because there is no root or base and support is by nature, therefore, above and below, there is no distinction of worlds or non-worlds.

एषा स्वाभाविकी संज्ञा लोकालोके प्रवर्त्तते। अथाब्रुवन्पुनर्वायुं ब्राह्मणाः सत्रिणस्तदा ।। ३९.

This natural designation operates in worlds and non-worlds. Then, the Brahmins, assembled for sacrifice, again spoke to Vāyu.

ऋषय ऊचुः।। सर्वेषामेव भूतानां लोकालोकनिवासिनाम्। संसारे संसरन्तीह यावन्तः प्राणिनश्च तान् ।। ३९.

The sages said: Of all beings dwelling in worlds and non-worlds, as many living creatures as wander in transmigration here—

सह्ख्यया परिसङ्ख्याय ततः प्रब्रूहि कृत्स्नशः। ऋषीणां तद्वचः श्रुत्वा मारुतो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।। ३९.

By enumeration and calculation, tell us all of them completely. Hearing the words of the sages, Māruta spoke.

वायुरुवाच।। न शक्या जन्तवः कृत्स्नाः प्रसंख्यातुं कथञ्चन। अनाद्यन्ताश्च संकीर्णा ह्यप्यूहेन व्यवस्थिताः। गणना विनिवृत्तैषामानन्त्येन प्रकीर्त्तिताः ।। ३९.

Vāyu said: It is not possible to enumerate all living beings in any way. They are without beginning or end, mixed, and established even by conjecture. Their counting is abandoned because of their infinity, as has been declared.

न दिव्यचक्षुषा ज्ञातुं शक्या ज्ञानेन वा पुनः। चक्षुषा वै प्रसंख्यातुमतो ह्यन्ते नराधिपः ।। ३९.

O king, neither by divine sight nor by knowledge can it be known; only by the eye of enumeration is the end determined.

अनाध्यानादवेद्यत्वान्नैव प्रश्नो विधीयते। ब्रह्मणा संज्ञितं यत्तु संख्यया तन्निबोधत ।। ३९.

Because it is unknowable through meditation and cannot be grasped, no question is prescribed; but what has been designated by Brahmā in numbers, that you should understand.

यः सहस्रतमो भागः स्थावराणां भवेदिह। पार्थिवाः कृमयस्तावत्संसेकाद्येषु सम्भवाः ।। ३९.

Here, the thousandth part of stationary beings is considered; among those, the terrestrial insects are born from moisture.

संसेकजानाम्भागेन सहस्रेणैव सम्मिताः। औदका जन्तवः सर्वे निश्चयात्तद्विचारितम् ।। ३९.

All aquatic creatures are reckoned as the thousandth part of those born from moisture; this has been determined with certainty.

सहस्रेणैव भागेन सत्वानां सलिलौकसाम् । विहङ्गमास्तु विज्ञेया लौकिकास्ते च सर्वशः ।। ३९.

Birds living in water are to be known as the thousandth part of those aquatic beings; all such worldly birds are included.

यः सहस्रतमो भागस्तेषां वै पक्षिणां भवेत्। पशवस्तत्समा ज्ञेया लौकिकास्तु चतुष्पदाः ।। ३९.

Of those birds, the thousandth part is to be considered; the same number applies to terrestrial four-footed animals among worldly beings.