Transmigration in the Mahabharatha and Siva Purana, Part 5

Siva Purana, Chapter 7: The Journey to the Next World

Sanath Kumara said, “ O Great Sage Vyasa! Human beings come to Yama Loka for having committed four different kinds of crimes. Yama Loka is a frightening world, it is of a very terrible place. All mortals will be brought there, even against their will. There is none who has not been to Yama Loka.

The Do-er will definitely suffer the consequences of what they have Done. That is certain. Among the living, those who do good, practice kindness, and remain of gentle disposition will enter Yama Puri, the capital of Yama Loka, through the auspicious eastern entrances to the city. Those who have committed grave crimes or have raised up and praised/supported those who committed the crimes will enter through the very terrible and difficult way through the city from the south side.

Yama Loka appears near to those who are good and far away to reach for those who commit grave crimes in their lifetime. The road to Yama Loka is paved in stretches with extremely sharp thorns. In places, it will have long stretches of rough broken up granite stones. Along some stretches, the rocks are extremely sharp and cover the entire road, at other times, the road is filled with excessive mud. Along yet other stretches, the road is filled with sharp metallic needle-like formations. Depending on the extent of crimes committed in the past life, the difficulties faced are overcome easily or with excessive, painful and terrible effort.

Then, Sanath Kumara began to describe the many difficulties on the way to Yama Loka: “O Great Sage Vyasa! Those who have never given Dana in their lives will be left to fend for themselves in great difficulties in this terrible journey. Those who have given sumptuous Dana in this life (to the best of their ability) will travel in peace and comfort.”

Struggling in this way, the Jeevi reaches Preta-Puri or Yama-Puri, the capital of Yama-Loka. Upon their arrival, Yama will be informed and he will dispatch Messengers to bring the Jeevi into the presence of Yama. Those who have been and done good will encounter Yama in the form of Dharma Raja (King of Justice). Yama will receive them with warmth. They guest will be pampered with a royal seat in the court, food and pure water. Yama will be affectionate and appreciate them with gifts and sweet words. He will say, “You learn the Vedas and order your activities by their injunctions! You are a great soul (Mahatma)! You performed good deeds and behaved with Sattva – here, enjoy yourself from now on! You will go to Svarga where you can experience all the pleasures of the beautiful/handsome mates as your heart desires. Any material thing you wish will appear to you with just the exercise of your will! Please proceed to the Amala (Not-unclean), pristine Svarga. When towards the end, your Punya (the essence of the Dana) is almost gone, and there is a little in-auspiciousness left, come back here, to experience it and then pass from here, back to the earth for your next incarnation."

While those who perform Dana freely and have much Punya, will perceive Yama as a true-friend, those who have been engaged in cruel Karma will perceive Yama as having a fearsome form, a strange menacing face, all his hair standing on end, copious facial hair, his lips curling and uncurling, eyes fixed upon the Jeevi, eyebrows raised in anger. Yama’s body radiates heat like a heap of hot coals. He has 18 shoulders, with his thirty-six arms holding all manner of weapons and devices. Each pair of arms transfixing the Jeevi, demonstrate the way the weapon or device it to be used in his punishment. To such a Jeevi, Yama appears to move about on a very large male buffalo, dressed in red clothes and red bead necklaces. He appears large, like a mountain, towering above the Jeevi, seated on his Buffalo. His eyes seem to glow with a fire behind them, his voice seems like the thunder of clouds gathered to usher in the rain that comes at the end of days. Yama seems to drink entire oceans, consume entire mountains and fire appears when he opens his mouth.

Seated near Yama will be the Messenger of Death, the Messenger of Time, and the Messenger of the End of the World, observing the proceedings along with other prominent members of Yama’s assembly – the various diseases, taking personal forms there, as well as the Night of Time, all taking appropriately hideous and menacing forms. They have in their hands, strange weapons of strange form and action. Shiva’s Ganas are there too, with their diamond-faces, assembled, fully accoutered for battle with their weapons of choice. Beyond them, gathered in the court of Yama are innumerable Messengers.

Yama speaks loudly and contemptuously of the Jeevi (with a large amount of bad karma) to the court advocating harsh punishment, while Chitragupta who is Vishnu’s representative will speak in favor of the Jeevi and attempt to mitigate the sentence about to be handed over by Yama.

Sanath Kumara continued, “ Rishi Vyasa, thereupon, the gravely criminal will be seized by their legs by the Messengers and upon the order of Yama they will be beaten violently against extremely hot rocks. Each blow feels and sounds like lightning striking down a large tree. The completely broken body of the Jeevi bleeds from all the orifices, and will be stunned into unconsciousness. Using smell-assistance, the Messengers revive the Jeevi and then, to cleanse the Jeevi, throw it past the very bottom of the seven levels of Naraka, into the Ocean of Naraka which is always covered completely in darkness and is a most terrible place.

Naraka is below the seven beautiful lower worlds. Below the seven beautiful worlds, there are the seven ranks of Naraka and below even them is the Ocean of Naraka. Each of the seven ranks of Naraka has 28 Srenis (Levels). The levels are called Terrible, More Terrible, Most Terrible, Imagined-Unimaginable, Fear-Causing, Night-of-Time, Fear & Anxiety, Physical Chastisement, Even More Physical Chastisement, Chastisement by Many, Chastisement by The Leader, Fearsome & Awful, Trikona, Panchakona, Very Long, All Disease, Thousand jewels, Seeking Assistance, Patience & Forbearance, etc.  Each division has 5 leaders.  All these Narakas present the arriving Jeevis with their punishments.

Each Sreni has 28 Vargas (Divisions). Some of the divisions are:

The first is the Raurava Naraka -Even those who were great and good in the world, cry here, in this Naraka for this is the Naraka of crying. Then comes the Cold/Hot Naraka. Then come the Great Intensity, Reviver, Great Tamas, Exhalation, Great Anxiety, greatly twisted, needle face, revenge-meat, inhalation, very long, cloud, jackal, serpent, turtle, lion-headed, elephant-headed, dog-headed, owl-headed, eagle-headed, unscrupulous, Eating from the Inside, Omnivore, Hot Metal Reclining, Very Large, Ground to Dust, etc. Palm Leaf Forest, Statue, Chariot, Infatuation, Bone-Breaking, Thirst, Evanescent, Metal Head, Many Sorrows, Great Difficulties, Poison, Strange Forms, Self-Form, Following Yama, Single-Footed, Three-footed, Severe, Tamas etc.

Beyond these 28 divisions, there are another 112 divisions in each level, and the entirety form the Great Naraka Mandala (complex). Each division has 5 leaders and many Messengers.

Sanath Kumara continued, “ O Rishi Vyasa! In these terrible Naraka worlds, the Jeevi who enters them must suffer immensely. Those who have led others astray (by obscurantism or through the preaching of illusory philosophies that either obscure, deny or denigrate the great machinery of the Parabrahmam) and become experts at that, will go to the Second Tongue Naraka, where they will be subject to many great tribulations with sharp instruments.

Those who failed their duties to their personal Devas (Father, Mother and Guru) will have their mouths filled with alternately worm-filled garbage and many large nails for the duration of their stay in Naraka. Those who destroy or occupy the lands set aside for temples, gardens, wells, tanks, ponds or the land of the Sattvic will be burned in many different kinds of fire and then fried, suffering in this manner almost till Pralaya.

Those who have obtained another’s mate by devious methods will here be forced to take a form similar to that person and be forced to prostitute themselves and suffer chastisement, by embracing a very hot metal replica of the person they lured into the betrayal. Not only that, they will have molten glass and aluminum and hot oil and boiling milk poured into their ears and suffer unimaginable pain.

In this way, in all directions, the Jeevis in Naraka are subjected to horrific suffering until the sum of their crimes on earth is paid. 

Those, however, who have built temples, orphanages and sought to do good to the Sattvic people (or tirelessly encourage Sattvic behavior in the people they met in the course of their life) and supported them with their sacrifice will travel comfortably to the underworld and even stop along the way to Yama Loka in palaces in the sky, to rest, relax and do sport. Those have done their duty to the Devas, their parents, to Agni, the Sattvic, especially the Sattvic who have read of the Vedas (and the Prasthana Thriya), will themselves be taken care of with affection and make this journey in ease and comfort. Those who have given the gift of light (lamps and lanterns) will shine and glow beautifully as they comfortably journey to the Underworld. Those who have given houses to the poor and needy Sattvic, will suffer neither disease nor sorrow. Those who have served their Gurus will receive rest along the way to the Underworld. Those who have given the offering of music at the temples and the social gatherings will travel as happily as if they were travelling to their own home. Those who protect and give cows as gifts to the Sattvic will be provided a path that grants its traveler all that they wish and will, and travel along a path of plenty to the Underworld. That person will receive the plentiful good food and drink that they have given in their previous life to the Sattvics.

One who have plenty of wealth and yet does not give Dana out of greed; One who sends a guest away hungry, even though he/she arrived around lunch time, without sharing the food; One who eats without sharing with the dogs and cows/cattle around them; Such people become denizens of Naraka. Crows are also to be offered their share. When offering food in this manner of the animals, one must consider it a sacrifice to the two dogs said to follow Yama around, named Syama & Sabal. One must offer food to the living creatures every day if possible. Those who perform this daily  in conjunction with the mantras will be able to minimize their time with Yama.

Upasana Kanda: 4-cornered pedestal; gandha(perfume, sandalwood);Dhanvantari(E), Indra (N), Yama (S), Sudakshoma (W).  Pithara (S) , Arya(E); At the door/gate Dhata/Vidhata; Then food is placed outside in the open for animals, such as birds, dogs microbes, hole-dwellers etc.; Then one must wait for a minute for a guest or anyone in the village who might come by in hunger. If someone comes by in hunger they must be given good food to the best of the ability of the householder.

Food is the best sacrifice/offering. It temporarily satisfies a person, attracts the mind, and gives one strength and a strong mind. Nothing rivals the giving of food. Life begins in food. Without it life perishes. Everything is established only in its own food. Nothing in the past or future rivals food. This entire universe (is materialized) exists only within food. One must not ill-treat one’s food. Food given to dogs and those who are starving and begging for it is never wasted. The tired stranger who asks for food must be given food without the attitude that it is extra work. Such a person is truly rich.

Oh Great Sage! The sacrifice of food to the Devas, the Pitharas, the hungry, and the guests who come to one’s home bring great Punya. The gift of food and water to anyone who is hungry and thirsts, even the Unsattvic will receive as much Punya as to the Sattvic. Food is Brahma. Food is Vishnu. Food is Shiva. Food, water, horses, cows, clothes, reclining furniture, umbrellas and sitting furniture are the eight important gifts that make the journey to Yama Loka comfortable.”

Sanath Kumara then continued, “Water is the other best sacrifice/offering. The gift of water provides the giver with all they need. Those who construct water-holding lakes and tanks, those who have wells dug for the public use will receive great Punya that can nullify  many of their injurious actions. Those who make possible the digging of  wells that sustain the Sattvic use will lift their entire families out of many of the miseries of Naraka. One must therefore be constantly engaged in Sat Karma (good activity). Those who dig water-holding tanks and lakes that have water only in the rainy season will receive the same Punya as the ceremonial lighting of Agni every evening. (Agnihotra). Those who build lakes that have water in the rainy and the winter season will receive the same Punya as one giving a Dana of 1000 cows, in this there is no doubt. Those who build lakes that have water them even in the Spring and  early Summer seasons will receive the same Punya as one who performs a great Yagna (Yaga).  Those who build lakes that have water in them even in the height of Summer receive the same Punya as performing Ashwamedha Yagna.”

Sanath Kumara then said, “Oh Vyasa! I have so far described the Punya of building water reservoirs that satisfy other living creatures. Now listen to the Punya that comes from the planting of trees. One who plants trees and nurtures them in deserted open places or in very difficult to reach places will raise his/her entire future family tree. Therefore it is very important to plant new trees. Those who plant trees prolifically will surely receive good children. Even in the other worlds they will receive those worlds with the most bountiful gifts. Those who have water wells and tanks dug, those who plant many trees, those who perform the Yagnas and all who stick to truthfulness will never fall from Svarga.

Truth is Parabrahmam! Truth is the great Tapas. Truth is the ultimate knowledge of the Shastras (the holy works). The truth alone can awaken the sleeping man. The Earth is supported on truth. All is supported only in the truth. Tapas, Yagna, Punya, the Devas, the Rishis, the Pitharas, Jala (water) are all supported by the truth alone. The truth is the goal of all. The truth alone is the Yagna, the Tapas, the Dana, the Mantra, Sarasvati and Brahma. The Om is also a form of the truth. It is only with the support of the truth that the wind blows, the Sun shine and Agni burns. Svarga stands on foundations and walls of truth alone. The Vedas are made accessible to us through truth alone, the Vedas are sustained by the truth alone, and the many that go on pilgrimage to bathe in the sacred rivers are supported by the truth alone. All can be had through the truth. Of this, there can be no doubt. The truth outweighs a thousand Yagnas on a weigh scale any day. The Devas, the Pitharas, human beings, the Nagas, the Rakshasas, all the living creatures of all the worlds are satisfied only in truth. Truth is nothing other than the Parabrahmam. Therefore one must always strive to speak and be true. The seeker who speaks only truth will perform a very difficult and arduous Tapas that will lead the way to Svarga. Satya (truth) is the highest Dharma (the right way).

Without Tapas, there is nothing in this world that is easy and comfortable. All comforts in this world are made possible only through Tapas. It is through the Tapas that Brahma creates the entire Universe without seeming to make any effort at all. It is through Tapas alone that Vishnu preserves that which Brahma creates. It is through Tapas alone that Rudra (Shiva in his destructive form) is able to destroy it. It is through Tapas alone that Adi Shesha is able to support the earth’s weight.