विष्णुपुराणम् — द्वितीयांशे षष्ठोऽध्यायः

पराशर उवाच ।

ततश्च नरका विप्र भुवोधः सलिलस्य च ।
पापिनो येषु पात्यन्ते ताञ्छृणुष्वमहामुने ॥

Summary AI O vipra, O great sage! Hear now about the hells situated beneath the earth and the waters, into which sinners are cast.

२.६.२

रौरवः सूकरो रोधस्तालो विशसनस्तथा ।
महाज्वालस्तप्तकुम्भो लवणेथ विलोहितः ॥

Summary AI The names of the hells are Raurava, Sūkara, Rodha, Tāla, Viśasana, Mahājvāla, Taptakumbha, Lavaṇa, and Vilohita.

२.६.३

रूधिराम्भो वैतरणिः क्रिमिशः क्रिमिभोजनः ।
असिपत्रवनं कृष्णो लालाभक्षश्च दारुणः ॥

Summary AI Also included are Rudhirāmbha, Vaitaraṇī, Krimiśa, Krimibhojana, Asipatravana, Kṛṣṇa, and the terrible Lālābhakṣa.

२.६.४

तथा पूयवहः पापो वह्निज्वालो ह्यधः शिराः ।
संदंशः कालसूत्रश्च तमश्चावीचिरेव च ॥

Summary AI Likewise are Pūyavaha, the sinful Vahnijvāla, Adhaḥśirā, Sandaṃśa, Kālasūtra, Tama, and Avīci.

२.६.५

श्वभोजनोथाप्रतिष्ठश्चाप्रचिश्च तथा परः ।
इत्येवमादयश्चान्ये नरका भृशदारूणाः ॥

Summary AI There are others such as Śvabhojana, Apratiṣṭha, and Apraci. These and many other hells are extremely dreadful.

२.६.६

यमस्य विषये घोराः शस्त्राग्निभयदायिनः ।
पतन्ति येषु पुरुषाः पापकर्मरतास्तु ये ॥

Summary AI In the realm of Yama exist these terrible hells, causing fear through weapons and fire, where men devoted to sinful deeds fall.

२.६.७

कूटसाक्षी तथासम्यक्पक्षपातेन यो वदेत् ।
यश्चान्यदनृतं वक्ति स नरो याति रौरवम् ॥

Summary AI A false witness, one who speaks unjustly out of partiality, or any man who utters lies, goes to the Raurava hell.

२.६.८

भ्रूणहा पुरहन्ता च गौघ्नश्च मुनिसत्तम ।
यान्ति ते नरकं रोधं यश्चोच्छ्वासनिरोधकः ॥

Summary AI O best of sages! The destroyer of an embryo, a destroyer of a city, a cow-killer, and one who suffocates living beings go to the Rodha hell.

२.६.९

सुरापो ब्रह्महा हर्ता सुवर्णस्य च सूकरे ।
प्रयान्ति नरके यश्च तैः संसर्गमुपैति वै ॥

Summary AI A drinker of intoxicants, a killer of a Brāhmaṇa, a thief of gold, and whoever associates with them, enter the Sūkara hell.

२.६.१०

राजन्यवैश्यहन्ता च तथैव गुरुतल्पगः ।
तप्तकुण्डेस्वसृगामी हन्ति राजभटांश्च यः ॥

Summary AI The killer of a Kṣatriya or Vaiśya, one who violates the preceptor’s bed, one who commits incest with a sister, and one who kills royal officers go to the Taptakuṇḍa hell.

२.६.११

साध्वीविक्रयकृद्बन्धपालः केसरिविक्रयी ।
तप्तलोहे पतन्त्येते यश्च च भक्तं परित्यजेत् ॥

Summary AI A seller of a virtuous woman, a jailer, a seller of lions, and one who deserts a loyal follower fall into the Taptaloha hell.

२.६.१२

स्नुषां सुतां चापि गत्वा महाज्वाले निपात्यते ।
अवमन्ता गुरूणां यो यश्चाक्रोष्टा नराधमः ॥

Summary AI One who commits incest with a daughter-in-law or a daughter is cast into Mahājvāla. Similarly punished is the lowest of men who insults or reviles his elders.

२.६.१३

वेददूषयितायश्च वेदविक्रयकश्च यः ।
अगम्यगामी यश्च स्यात्ते यान्ति लवणं द्विज ॥

Summary AI O dvija, those who revile the Vedas, sell the Vedas, or approach forbidden women go to the Lavaṇa hell.

२.६.१४

चोरो विलोहे पतति ।
मर्यादादूषकस्तथा ॥

Summary AI A thief and one who violates social or moral boundaries fall into the Viloha hell.

२.६.१५

देवद्विजपितृद्वेष्टा रत्नद्वषयिता च यः ।
स याति क्रिमिभक्षे वै क्रिमिशे च दुरिष्टकृत् ॥

Summary AI One who hates gods, Brāhmaṇas, or ancestors, and one who spoils gems goes to Krimibhakṣa. An evil sacrificer goes to Krimiśa.

२.६.१६

पितृदेवातिथींस्त्यक्त्वा पर्यश्नाति नराधमः ।
लालाभक्षे स यात्युग्रे शरकर्ता च वेधके ॥

Summary AI The lowest of men who eats without offering to ancestors, gods, or guests goes to the terrible Lālābhakṣa hell. An arrow-maker goes to Vedhaka.

२.६.१७

करोति कर्णनो यश्च यश्च खङ्गादिकृन्नरः ।
प्रयान्त्येते विशसने नरके भृशदरुणे ॥

Summary AI One who performs mutilation and a man who fashions swords or other weapons go to the extremely dreadful Viśasana hell.

२.६.१८

असत्प्रतिगृहीता तु नरके यात्यधोमुखे ।
अयाज्ययाजकश्चैव तथा नक्षत्रसूचकः ॥

Summary AI One who accepts gifts from the unworthy, one who performs sacrifices for those unfit to offer them, and an astrologer go to the Adhomukha hell.

२.६.१९

वेगी पूयवहे चैको ।
याति मष्टान्नभुङ्गरः ॥

Summary AI A self-indulgent man and one who eats delicious food alone go to the Pūyavaha hell.

२.६.२०

लाक्षामासरसानां च तिलानां लवणस्य च ।
विक्रेता ब्रह्मणो याति तमेव नरकं द्विज ॥

Summary AI O dvija, a Brāhmaṇa who sells lac, meat, liquids, sesame seeds, or salt also goes to that same hell.

२.६.२१

मार्जारकुक्कुटच्छाग श्ववराहविहङ्गमान् ।
पोषयन्नरकं याति तमेव द्विजसत्तम ॥

Summary AI O best of the twice-born, a person who rears cats, roosters, goats, dogs, pigs, and birds goes to that very hell.

२.६.२२

रङ्गोपजीवी कैवर्तः कुम्डाशी गरदस्तथा ।
सूची माहिषकश्चैव पर्वकारी च यो द्विजः ॥

Summary AI One who lives by the stage, a fisherman, one who eats from a kuṇḍa, a poisoner, an informant, one who lives off his wife's paramours, and a brāhmaṇa who performs rituals on forbidden days.

२.६.२३

अगारदाही मित्रघ्नः शाकुनिर्ग्रमयाजकः ।
रुधिरान्धे पतन्त्येते सोमं विक्रीणते च ये ॥

Summary AI Incendiaries, betrayers of friends, bird-catchers, village priests, and those who sell soma juice—all these fall into the Rudhirāndha hell.

२.६.२४

मखहा ग्रामहन्ता च ।
याति वैतरणीं नरः ॥

Summary AI The destroyer of a sacrifice and the destroyer of a village go to the Vaitaraṇī river.

२.६.२५

रेतः पातादिकर्तारो मर्यादाभेदिनो हि ये ।
ते कृष्णे यान्त्यशौचाश्च कुहकाजीविनश्च ये ॥

Summary AI Those who commit unnatural acts, violators of social norms, the impure, and those who live by deception fall into the Kṛṣṇa hell.

२.६.२६

असिपत्रवनं याति वनच्छेदी वृथैव यः ।
औरभ्रिको मृगव्याधो वह्निज्वाले पतन्ति वै ॥

Summary AI One who cuts down forests for no reason goes to the Asipatravana hell. Shepherds and deer-hunters fall into the flames of the Vahnijvāla hell.

२.६.२७

यान्त्येते द्विज तत्रैव ।
ये चापाकेषु वह्निदाः ॥

Summary AI O twice-born, those who set fire to the dwellings of others or uninhabited places also go to that very same hell.

२.६.२८

व्रतानां लोपको यश्चस्वाश्रमाद्विच्युतश्च यः ।
सन्दंशयातनामध्ये पततस्तावुभावपि ॥

Summary AI Both the violator of vows and the one who has fallen away from the duties of their own āśrama fall into the torment of the Sandaṃśa hell.

२.६.२९

दिवा स्वप्ने च स्कन्दन्ते ये नरा ब्रह्मचारिणः ।
पुत्रैरध्यापिता ये च ते पतन्ति श्वभोजने ॥

Summary AI Those brahmacārīs who emit semen while sleeping during the day, and those who are taught by their own sons, fall into the Śvabhojana hell.

२.६.३०

एते चान्ये च नरकाः शतशोथ सहस्रशः ।
येषु दुष्कृतकर्माणः पच्यन्ते यातनागताः ॥

Summary AI There are hundreds and thousands of other hells besides these, where those who have committed evil deeds undergo intense suffering and are tormented.

२.६.३१

यथैव पापान्येतानि तथान्यानि सहस्रशः ।
भुज्यन्ते तानि पुरुषैर्नरकान्तरगोचरैः ॥

Summary AI Just as there are these specific sins, there are thousands of others; the consequences of these are experienced by men within various other hells.

२.६.३२

वर्णाश्रमविरुद्धं च कर्म कुर्वन्ति ये नराः ।
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा निरयेषु पतन्ति ते ॥

Summary AI Those men who, in deed, thought, or speech, perform actions contrary to the duties of their varṇa and āśrama, fall into various hells.

२.६.३३

अधः शिरोभिदृश्यन्ते नारकैर्दिवि देवताः ।
देवाश्चाधोमुखान्सर्वानधः पश्यन्ति नारकान् ॥

Summary AI The inhabitants of hell see the deities in heaven with their heads hanging down, while the gods see all the residents of hell positioned face-down below them.

२.६.३४

स्थावराः क्रिमयोब्जाश्च पक्षिणः पशवो नराः ।
धार्मिकास्त्रिदशास्तद्धन्मोक्षिणश्च यथाक्रमम् ॥

Summary AI Beings such as stationary objects, insects, aquatic creatures, birds, animals, men, the righteous, the gods, and the liberated ones follow one another in a gradual succession.

२.६.३५

सहस्रभागप्रथमा द्वितीयानुक्रमास्तथा ।
सर्वे ह्येते महाभागा यावन्मुक्तिसमाश्रयाः ॥

Summary AI Each category, starting from the first, is a thousandth part of the next in sequence, O fortunate one, and all these beings persist until they eventually attain final liberation.

२.६.३६

यावन्तो जन्तवः स्वर्गे तावन्तो नरकौकसः ।
पापकृद्याति नरकं प्रायाश्चित्तपराङ्मुखः ॥

Summary AI As many beings as there are in heaven, just as many reside in hell. A sinner who refuses to perform atonement inevitably goes to hell.

२.६.३७

पापानामनुरूपाणि प्रायश्चित्तानि यद्यथा ।
तथा तथैव संस्मृत्य प्रोक्तानि परमर्षिभिः ॥

Summary AI The great sages have prescribed various modes of atonement, carefully considering the specific nature and severity of the sins committed.

२.६.३८

पापे गुरूणि गुरुणि स्वल्पान्यल्पे च तद्विदः ।
प्रायश्चित्तानि मैत्रेय जगुः स्वायंभुवादयः ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, experts like Svāyambhuva and others have prescribed heavy penances for grave sins and light ones for minor offenses.

२.६.३९

प्रायश्चित्तान्यशेषाणि तपःकर्मत्मकानि वै ।
यानि तेषाणशेषाणां कृष्णानुस्मरणम्परम् ॥

Summary AI Of all the various penances consisting of austerities and religious acts, the constant remembrance of Kṛṣṇa is considered the most superior.

२.६.४०

कृते पापे ऽनुतापो वै यस्य पुंसः प्रजायते ।
प्रायश्चित्तं तु तस्यैकं हरिसंस्मरणं परम् ॥

Summary AI When a man feels genuine remorse for a sin he has committed, the supreme and only necessary atonement is the remembrance of Hari.

२.६.४२

प्रातर्निशि तथा सन्ध्यामध्याह्नादिषु संस्मरन्
नारायणमवाप्नोति सद्यः पापक्षयन्नरः ।
विष्णुसंस्मरणात्क्षीणसमस्तक्लेशसञ्चयः
मुक्तिं प्रयाति स्वर्गाप्तिस्तस्य विघ्नोनुमीयते ॥

Summary AI A person who remembers Nārāyaṇa at dawn, night, dusk, and midday immediately attains the destruction of sins. With all afflictions diminished through the constant remembrance of Viṣṇu, one attains liberation; for such a person, even the attainment of heaven is considered an obstacle.

२.६.४३

वासुदेवे मनो यस्यजपहोमार्चनादिषु ।
तस्यान्तरायो मैत्रेय देवेन्द्रत्वादिकं फलम् ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, for one whose mind is fixed on Vāsudeva during chanting, fire sacrifices, and worship, even the fruit of attaining the status of the king of gods (Indra) is regarded as an impediment to final liberation.

२.६.४४

क्व नाकपृष्ठगमनं पुनरावृत्तिलक्षणम् ।
क्व जपो वासुदेवेति मुक्तिबीजमनुत्तमम् ॥

Summary AI What comparison is there between ascending to the celestial realm, which is characterized by the necessity of eventual return to rebirth, and the incomparable chanting of the name "Vāsudeva", which is the very seed of liberation?

२.६.४५

तस्मादहर्निशं विष्णु संस्मरन्पुरुषो मुने ।
न याति नरकं मर्त्यः संक्षीणाखिलपातकः ॥

Summary AI Therefore, O Sage, a mortal man who remembers Viṣṇu day and night, having all his sins completely destroyed, does not go to hell.

२.६.४६

मनः प्रीतिकरः स्वर्गो नरकस्तद्विपर्ययः ।
नरकस्वर्गसंज्ञे वै पापपुण्ये द्विजोत्तम ॥

Summary AI O best of the twice-born, heaven is that which causes pleasure to the mind, and hell is its opposite. Indeed, vice and virtue are known by the names of hell and heaven, respectively.

२.६.४७

वस्त्वेकमेव दुःखाय सुखायेष्र्यागमाय च ।
कोपाय च यतस्तस्माद्वस्तु वस्त्वात्मकं कुतः ॥

Summary AI Since a single object can cause grief, joy, envy, or anger depending on the person, how can any object possess an intrinsic, fixed nature of its own?

२.६.४८

तदेव प्रीतये भूत्वा पुनर्दुःखा य जायते ।
तदेव कोपाय यतः प्रसादाय च जायते ॥

Summary AI The very same thing that provides pleasure can later cause pain; that which provokes anger can also lead to serenity or favor.

२.६.४९

तस्माद्दुःखात्मकं नास्ति न च किञ्चित्सुखात्मकम् ।
मनसः परिमामोयं सुखदुःखादिलक्षमः ॥

Summary AI Therefore, nothing is inherently painful or inherently pleasurable. This experience characterized by happiness, sorrow, and other states is merely a modification of the mind.

२.६.५०

ज्ञानमेव परं ब्रह्म ज्ञानं बन्धाय चेष्यते ।
ज्ञानत्मकमिदं विश्वं न ज्ञानाद्विद्यते परम् ॥

Summary AI Knowledge alone is the Supreme Brahman, and knowledge is also considered the cause of bondage. This entire universe is composed of knowledge; there is nothing superior to knowledge.

Other texts to read

श्रीमद्भागवतम्

शिशुपालवधम् माघः

About

Resources

Connect