Garuda Purana
January 2, 2021

Garuda Purana: What Hinduism says about committing sins:

By Nilakhi Banerjee

Garuda Purana, the sacred manuscript of Hindu religion briefs about the life after death of humans. Purana is believed to be the an exchange of selective information over human’s life, re-birth (reincarnation), human death, funeral rites, life after death and many other corresponding contexts with the Garuda (a kind of bird) by the lord Vishnu. Garuda Purana shed’s light on the concept of heaven and hell which are conceived by most of the people to be same in these modern days of lifestyle. Go through the stated punishments of Garuda Puranas to know what exactly do you deserve based on your karma.

Religious preachings in most of the religions claim that sinners are being punished after death by the almighty. While the Hindu religion Garuda Purana clearly prescribes the deserving punishments by the creator regarding the sins and karma. A total of 28 deadly punishments have been mentioned in the Garuda Purana which stating the readers which type of punishment his sins would led him to undergo at the hell.

Garuda which is a part of eighteen Puranas of Hindu body texts called as Smriti principally stresses on the reason and meaning of human life exploring the conversation of Lord Vishnu and Garuda (King of Birds). The Vaishnava Purana manuscript Garuda Purana comprises particulars and information about the life after death, funeral rites and the metaphysics of reincarnation, and therefore is recited as a part Antyesti (Antim Sanskar) or funeral rites (funeral liturgy) in Hinduism. The medium sized Garuda Purana which is categorized as Purana which represents goodness and purity by the Padma Purana comprising nineteen thousand shlokas and 28 punishments for the sinners who commit various inhuman acts during their lifetime.

Brutal punishments which have been listed and mentioned in the Garuda Purana are so barbarous and roughshod that no reader of the Purana would wish to get punished with those penalties of their souls after death. Penalties of the Garuda Purana are described as ‘The Torments of Yama’ as per the conversation of lord Vishnu and Garuda. 

PUNISHMENT  Kumbhipakam(cooked by oil)

  • CRIME: Killing animals for pleasure,
  • PENALTY: Throwing accused souls to huge boiling vessels

Here oil is kept boiled in huge vessels and sinners are plunged in this vessels.

Tamisram (Heavy flogging) -Those who rob others of their wealth are bound with ropes by Yama’s Servants and cast into the Naraka known as Tamisram. There, they are given a thrashing until they bleed and faint. When they recover their senses, the beating is repeated. This is done until their time is up.

 Andhatamtrsam (Flogging) -This Hell is reserved for the Husband or the Wife who only treat their spouses well when they are to profit or pleasure to them. Those who forsake their wives and husbands for no apparent reasons are also sent here. The punishment is almost the same as Tamisram, but the excruciating pain, suffered by the victims on being tied fast, makes them fall down senseless.

Rauravam (torment of snakes) – This is the hell for sinners who seize and enjoy another man’s property or resources. When these people are thrown into this hell, those whom they have cheated, assume the the shape of “Ruru”, a dreadful serpent. The serpent(s) will torment them severely until their time is up.

 Mahararuravam (death by snakes) – Here there is also Ruru serpents but more fiercer. Those who deny the legitimate heirs, their inheritance and possess and enjoy others property will be squeezed and bitten non stop by this terrible serpents coiling around them. Those who steal another man’s wife or lover will also be thrown here.

Kalasutram (Hot as hell) – This hell is terribly hot. Those who don’t respect their elders esp. when their elders have done their duties are sent here. Here they are made to run around in this unbearable heat and drop down exhausted from time to time.

 Asitapatram (sharp flogging) – This is the hell in which sinners abandon one’s own duty. They are flogged by Yama’s Servants with whips made of asipatra (sharp-edged sword-shaped leaves). If they run about under the flogging, they will trip over the stones and thorns, to fall on their faces. Then they are stabbed with knives until they drop unconscious, When they recover, the same process is repeated until their time is up in this Naraka.

Sukaramukham (Crushed and tormented) – Rulers who neglect their duties and oppress their subjects by misrule, are punished in this hell. They are crushed to a pulp by heavy beating.When they recover, it is repeated until their time is up.

 Andhakupam (Attack of the animals) – This is hell for those who oppress the good people and not helping them if requested despite having the resources. They will be pushed into a well, where beasts like Lions, tigers, eagles and venomous creatures like snakes and scorpions. The sinners have to endure the constant attacks of this creatures until the expiry of the period of their punishment.

 Taptamurti (Burnt Alive) – Those who plunder or steal Gold and jewels are cast into the furnaces of this Naraka which always remains hot in blazing fire.

 Krimibhojanam (Food for worms) – Those who do not honour their Guests and make use of men or women only for their own gain, are thrown into this Naraka. Worms, insects and serpents eat them alive. Once their bodies are completely eaten up, the sinners are provided with new bodies, which are also eaten up in the above manner. This continues, till the end of their term of punishment.

 Salmali (Embracing hot images) -This Naraka is intended for men and women who have committed adultery. A figure made of iron, heated red-hot is placed there. The sinner is forced to embrace it, while Yama’s servants flog the victim behind.

Vajrakantakasali (Embracing sharp images) – This Naraka is the punishment for Sinners who have unnatural intercourse with animals. Here, they are made to embrace iron images full of sharp diamond needles that pierce through their bodies.

Vaitarani (River of Filth) – Rulers who abuse their power and adulterers are thrown here. It is the most terrible place of punishment. It is a river which is filled with human excreta, blood, hair, bones, nails, flesh and all kinds of dirty substances. There are various kinds of terrible beasts as well. Those who are cast into it are attacked and mauled by these creatures from all sides. The sinners have to spend the term of their punishment, feeding upon the contents of this river.

 Puyodakam (Well of hell) – This is a well filled with excreta, urine, blood, phlegm. Men who have intercourse and cheat women with no intention of marrying them are considered like animals. Those who wander about irresponsibly like animals are thrown in this well to get polluted by it’s contents. They are to remain here till their time is up.

 Pranarodham (Piece by Piece) – This Naraka is for those who keep dogs and other mean animals and constantly hunt and kill animals for food. Here the servants of Yama, gather around the sinners and cut them limb to limb while subjecting them to constant insult.

 Visasanam (Bashing from Clubs) – This Naraka is for the torture of those rich people who look down at the poor and spend excessively just to display their wealth and splendour. They have to remain here at the whole term of their punishment where they will be bashed non stop from heavy clubs from Yama’s Servants.

 Lalabhaksam (River of semen) – This is the Naraka for lustful men. The lascivious fellow who makes his wife swallow his semen, is cast into this hell. Lalabhaksam is a sea of semen. The sinner lies in it, feeding upon semen alone until his period of punishment.

 Sarameyasanam (Torment from dogs) – Those guilty of unsocial acts like poisoning food, mass slaughter, ruining the country are cast into this hell. There is nothing but the flesh of dogs for food. There are thousands of dogs in this Naraka and they attack the sinners and tear their flesh from their bodies with their teeth.

 Avici (turned into dust) – This Naraka is for those who are guilty for false witness and false swearing. There are hurled from a great height and they are utterly smashed into dust when they reached the ground. They are again restored to life and the punishment is repeated till the end of their time.

 Ayahpanam (Drinking of burning substances)- Those who consume alcohol and other intoxicating drinks are sent here. The women are forced to drink melted iron in liquid form, whereas the men will be forced to drink hot liquid molten lava for every time they consume a alcoholic drink in their earthly lives.

 Raksobjaksam (Revenge attacks)- Those who do animal and human sacrifices and eat the flesh after the sacrifice will be thrown in this hell. All the living beings they killed before would be there and they will join together to attacking, biting, and mauling the sinners. Their cries and complaints would be no avail here.

 Sulaprotam (Trident Torture)- People who take the lives of others who have done no harm to them and those who deceives others by treachery are sent to this “Sulaportam” hell. Here they are impaled on a trident and they are forced to spend their whole term of their punishment in that position, suffering intense hunger and thirst, as well as enduring all the tortures inflicted on them.

 Ksharakardamam (hanged upside down) -Braggarts and those who insult good people are cast into this hell. Yama’s servants keep the sinners upside down and torture them in many ways.

Dandasukam (eaten alive)- Sinners who persecute others like animals will be sent here. There are many beasts here. They will be eaten alive by this beasts.

Vatarodham (weapon torture)- This hell is for those who persecute animals which live in forrests, mountain peaks and trees. After throwing them in this hell, sinners are tortured with fire, poison and various weapons during their time here in this Naraka.

Paryavartanakam (torture from birds)- One who denies food to a hungry person and abuses him is thrown here. The moment the sinner arrives here ,his eyes are put by being pierced the beaks of birds like the crows and eagles. They will be pierced later on by this birds till the end of their punishment.

 Sucimukham (Tortured by needles)- Proud and Miserly people who refuse to spend money even for the basic necessities of life, like better food or buying food for their relations or friends will find their place in this hell. Those who do not repay the money they have borrowed will also be cast into this hell. Here, their bodies will be constantly be pricked and pierced by needles.

Garuḍa asks the Lord to explain Yama’s kingdom.  The Lord not only begins to describe. Yama’s kingdom, but also begins to describe the procedure to be followed immediately after death. The distance between the earth and Yama’s world is 1,032,000 Kilometers (approximately 641,255 miles. (Distance between the earth and the moon is 384,000. KMs and the distance between the earth and the sun is 149,598,000 KMs). 

Due to the effect of karma, a man falls sick causing his death.  The mode of one’s death also depends upon one’s karma. When a man is dead, his body should be kept on the ground after purificatory rituals discussed earlier.  Śālagrāma (sacred stone) should be placed near the body.  Tulasī leaves (basil) should be placed in both the hands of the body and also on its neck. Pieces of gold should also be kept in the nine apertures of the body.  The body should be covered with two sheets of clothing. 

The body should be carried through the back door.  Sons and other relatives should carry the body on their shoulders. While placing the body on the pyre, head should be facing north.  His son should perform ceremonies facing the eastern side. When the subtle body is leaving the gross body, which is known as death, the messengers of. Yama arrive on the scene. When the subtle body finally comes out of the gross body, causing death of the gross body. The subtle body is still able to see the entire universe. 

The departed soul could see the messengers of Yama and the attendants of Lord Viṣṇu. This means that the soul can  see both good. And bad and the departed soul begins its journey according to its karma.  A subtle body which has a bad karmic account feels for its sins at this stage.   A soul has to travel the entire distance to reach the world of Yama. 

The path becomes rough for the sinners and the path becomes comfortable for virtuous. Lord begins to describe Yama.  He has four arms holding a conch, a discus, a bow and a staff.  So treats the virtuous with respect and sinners with rudeness. He hits the sinners with iron rod and club.  He sits on a buffalo (Yama is called mahiṣa vāhana; mahiṣa means buffalo and vāhana means vehicle).  His body appears dreadful to sinners and radiant to virtuous. The soul is in the size of one’s thumb (it means the subtle body. Soul and the subtle body always travel together.  The subtle body is pushed out of the gross body by air.  The subtle body cries out when it comes out of the gross body).