Journey of hell

Yama,who is the god of death rules the kingdom, hell or the Yamalok. As per Hindu belief when a soul travels through the south direction for the final judgment in Yamalok, it has to bear a lot of sufferings as the path is too difficult. After the judgment the soul has to resides in different types of hell on the basis of sins committed during life time. In our classics there is an interesting description of the hell. It is situated below the earth. Below it there is a cosmic ocean called Garbodhaka. Broadly the hell is classified as follows

01)Raurav

02)Sukar

03)Rodha

04)Taal

05)Vishsan

06)Mahajwaal

07)Taptakumbh

08)Lavan

09)Vilohit

10)Rudhirambh

11)Vaitarni

12)Krimish

13)Krimibhojan

14)Asipatravan

15)Krishna

16)Lalabhaksha

17)Daarun

18)Puyuvah

19)Paap

20)Vahnijwaal

21)Adhahshira

22)Sandansh

23)Kaalsutra

24)Tamas

25)Aavichi

26)Swabhojan

27)Apratishthit

28)Aprachi.

All the above regions are differ on the degree of torture which a soul has to bear after the death on the basis of sins committed. Persons who gives false witness are thrown into Raurav hell. Those who drink wine, kill Brahmin or steal gold fall into Sukar hell. Those who kill unborn babies and cows or destroy the villages fall into Rodha hell. Those who kill Kshatriya or Vaishya fall into Taal hell. Those who copulate with other’s wife fall in Taptakumbh hell. Those who sell women fall in Taptloha hell. Those who copulate with their daughter or daughter-in-law fall into Mahajwaal hell. Those who criticise the teachers and the Vedas or sell Vedas fall into Lavan hell. Those who violate social norms fall in Vilohit hell and those who envy the gods, the Brahmins and their parents fall in Krimibhaksha hell. Those who dine first even before the parents, the gods and the guests fall into Lalabhaksha hell. Those who manufacture arrows(arms and ammunitions) fall in Vedhak hell. Those who manufacture swords fall in Vishsan hell.Those who earns money through wrong deeds fall in adhshira hell. Backbiters, killers of friends and sellers of wine fall in Rudhiraandh hell. Destroyers of Yagya fall in Vaitarni hell. People who cuts tree without reason fall into vahnijwal hell.Those who expel from the gurukul for wrong deeds and who disobey vratt(fasting) deliberately fall in sandansh hell