Table of Contents
- Understanding Karma and Cycles of Rebirth
- Maha Raurava: The Hell of Burning Guilt
- Tamas: The Cold Hell of Numbness and Despair
- Nikrintana: The Hell of Relentless Slicing
- Apratistha: The Unstable Hell of Chaotic Torment
- Asipatravana: The Forest of Sword-Blades Hell
- Taptakumbha: The Hell of Burning Pots
- Some More On This
Understanding Karma and Cycles of Rebirth
The birds said, "Jaimini, Sumati had just explained the mystery of conception and foetal development. He had also told his father about the soul's suffering in the womb and the cycle of rebirth. He next wanted to know about the hells. We will continue and tell you about their conversation."
Mahamati said to Sumati, "I am blessed to have you as my son. You have told me about truth and true wisdom, which leads to liberation. You spoke about the continuous cycles of birth, death and rebirth and within this cycle, one can lose themselves being surrounded by danger, confusion, and suffering. You spoke about two hells Raurava and Niraya. Tell me more about these hells and more hells, if there. Tell me their names and why a soul goes there and what they are like."
Maha Raurava: The Hell of Burning Guilt
Sumati said, "I had spoken about the hell called Raurava. Raurava is a place full of screams. Allow me to tell you about Maha Raurava or the greater Raurava. This place is filled with cries of great sufferings. It is always burning. These are fires of guilt, karma and punishment. People who engage in sexual relations outside the bounds of dharma and cause emotional and social harm, go to this hell. Those who eat forbidden substances without care for its impact on their spiritual nature go to this hell. Friendship is sacred and those who betray or harm a friend go here. Those who betray the faithfulness to one's master or teacher, go here. Destroying public infrastructure or nature also results in this hell. This hell of suffering is vast, without boundary and is inescapable. The ground is coppery in hue and there is fire below. Everything is heated by the fire and is always burning. Even seeing this place induces terror. The touch is unbearable. Yama’s followers, who are following the laws of the force of justice, tie the hands and feet of the soul making it immobile. The followers then release the soul in this hell. The souls roll on the hot ground aimlessly and while they are rolling on the ground, animals eat them. As it burns in karmic agony, the mind is consumed with memory and regret. All things that had been taken for granted are now gone. They cry out to the person whom they loved the most in life. They cry, full of panic and despair, but no one hears them, no one answers them. They then realise that no earthly relation can free them from the consequences of adharma. Those whose intellect has been twisted by selfishness, cruelty or delusion suffer there. Once their time is over, they are freed from this place."
Tamas: The Cold Hell of Numbness and Despair
"Let me now tell you about a dark cold hell that is called Tamas. Unlike Maha Raurava, this hell is cold. The punishment here is about emotional numbness, isolation and despair. It is as large as Maha Raurava in size. It is dark and the soul loses all memory of goodness, love, and hope. Killing cattle is destroying something gentle, sacred, and sustaining and represents violating the principle of abundance and care. People who do this are sent to Tamas. Those who betray their family, destroy kinship, or divide communities for selfish gain end up here. Those who pollute or block water sources, hoard or waste food during times of famine go to Tamas. Those perform infanticide as well as those who harm the next generation by denying them education, safety or nourishment are sent to Tamas. The suffering here is restless and aimless. They are only driven by fear and discomfort. The soul runs around, stripped of clarity or direction. Seeing another soul, they cling to each other, not in compassion, but in panic. Their teeth break as they chatter in extreme cold. They are not able to nourish themselves and cannot cry out clearly. They crave for everything they misused or denied to others in life. There are many kinds of torture here. Cold strong winds blow here. The sins, committed with strength, force and intention are now returned as merciless, impersonal force that destroys them. They have nothing to eat, so they feed on their own bodily fluids. Still hungry, they lick one another. However horrific the torments are, they last only until the karma is burned away."
Nikrintana: The Hell of Relentless Slicing
"Listen to me as I tell you about a hell called Nikrintana. This hell is not still and is in perpetual motion, always spinning like a potter’s wheel. As the name suggests, Nikrintana is the place where the soul is cut or sliced. They are cut there, repeatedly and relentlessly. Those who indulge in voyeurism, spying or obscene sights like violating others' privacy or purity are sent here. Those who listen to gossip, slander, forbidden mantras or perverse speech and take delight in things that degrade the soul end up in this hell. Those who dismiss the words of a guru and display ego, arrogance or closed-mindedness go to this hell. Those who ignore wisdom, disregard dharma and refuse to reflect end up in Nikrintana. They are in complete bondage there, from head to toe. No part of the soul is free. They end up being tied by the thread they spun by their own actions. The other end of the thread is in Yama's own hands. The soul is imperishable and despite suffering and destruction of the body, conscious experiences persist. The soul undergoes repeated cycles of dismemberment and reintegration - it gets sliced and joined again. Suffering continues until the negative karma has been neutralized."
Apratistha: The Unstable Hell of Chaotic Torment
"I will now tell you about Apratistha which means without foundation or unstable. The suffering here is of a completely unbearable nature. While all hells are terrifying, this one is worse. Those who injure brahmanas while they are engaged in their rituals, teaching, spiritual practice ends up in this hell. The soul gets trapped here in chaotic cycles, spinning without direction. There are wheels here and the soul gets tied to the wheels and spins around aimlessly. There are jar-like vessels also, which confine the soul. The punishments are not arbitrary and they change based on the sin committed. Souls are nailed or trapped here. They are unable to escape, suspended in motion and are deprived of rest. They are whirled around and they are confused. There is violent internal trauma. Those who harmed others through speech, falsehood, or rejection of teachings now spew forth their own essence as torment. Their eyes are destroyed. This results in reversal of insight. Not only is the soul tortured by devices but nature also joins in, in the form of animals and devours them."
Asipatravana: The Forest of Sword-Blades Hell
"Allow me to elaborate for you about the hell called Asipatravana, which is the forest of sword-blades. It is a place full of trees. These are not ordinary trees. Here every tree bears swords instead of leaves. This is a place of constant danger. It is a vast place. Apart from the trees, this place is also burning. Those who obstruct the austerities of celibates engaged in spiritual disciplines, go to this hell. This is a place of constant unbearable exposure where there is no respite. The soul here goes through a continuous cycle of burning, where the pain never pauses. This hell shows a false oasis, a serene place for spiritual practice, a beautiful forest. The leaves are razor sharp blades. There are numerous wild dogs here. They are huge and unrelenting. The souls scorched by heat and tormented by thirst run around. Seeing the forest, they escape towards it as it appears to offer cool shade. The souls cry out for parental protection as they are unable to bear suffering. The ground becomes a source of burning pain. The wind blows the swords from the trees. They get sliced by the leaves and fall on the burning ground. The dogs then tear out and eat them."
Taptakumbha: The Hell of Burning Pots
"Hear now about the hell called Taptakumbha which is full of burning pots. Yama's servants come and throw the souls here. Those who mock, reject, or belittle the sacred texts, those who pollute sacred sites, those who exploit women are brought here and thrown into the pots. No part of the soul remains untouched. Their ego is destroyed, they lose their awareness and their existence is destroyed. As they come out, the souls are thrown back there by vultures. There is total disintegration. The souls are stirred like offerings and thrown back into the fire."
Some More On This
Philosophy Behind This
| Theme | Explanation |
| Karma and Retribution | Every deed—especially those that harm others, violate dharma, or mock spiritual order—leads to a corresponding result. |
| Samsara and Liberation | Understanding these hells becomes a motivation for liberation. |
| Moral and Ethical Clarity | There are ethical boundaries. Violating them leads to suffering. Righteous conduct (dharma) is the path to avoid hellish rebirth. |
| Non-finality of Hell | The sufferings are not eternal. Once the karma is exhausted, the soul is freed. |
| Nature of Consciousness | Despite physical destruction (being torn apart, boiled, etc.), the soul retains awareness, indicating the continuity of consciousness beyond bodily form. |
Significance of the Hells
| Hell | What they signify |
| Maha Raurava | Desire, betrayal, and consumption of the forbidden result in burning torment—fire symbolizes uncontrolled desire and guilt. |
| Tamas | Cold, isolation, and darkness represent emotional numbness, ignorance, and ethical blindness. |
| Nikrintana | Constant slicing reflects fragmentation of the self-caused by ego, voyeurism, and disregard for spiritual truth. |
| Apratistha | Spinning endlessly signifies instability of mind and character due to harming the righteous. |
| Asipatravana | Sword leaves and deceptive shade symbolize illusory comforts and false refuge—temptations that mislead from the path. |
| Taptakumbha | Cooking in boiling oil and dissolution shows destruction of sacred essence through mockery and misuse of divine gifts. |
Symbolism of the Punishments
| Symbol | Meaning |
| Fire | Desire, guilt, purification |
| Ice/cold | Emotional indifference, isolation, ignorance |
| Darkness | Loss of wisdom, ethical blindness |
| Blades/Swords | Sharp pain of delusion, false appearances |
| Spinning wheels/jars | Mind’s instability, karmic bondage |
| Dogs and birds (vultures, etc.) | Lower instincts, karmic agents devouring sin |
| Boiling oil | Emotional and spiritual agony from violating sacred boundaries |
Further Reading on Hells in Hindu Scriptures
| Text | Reference | Content |
| Garuda Purana | Chapters 4–15 | Describes 28 hells in detail |
| Bhagavata Purana | 5.26 | Long catalog of hells and their respective sins |
| Vishnu Purana | Book 2, Chapter 6 | Describes various narakas |
| Mahabharata (Anusasana Parva) | Sections 130–134 | Yudhishthira learns about hells from Bhishma |
| Padma Purana | Uttara Khanda | Descriptions similar to Garuda Purana |
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