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

Curse of Sage Gautam

Sage Gautam was very pious. He was married to Ahilya . She was devotee to her husband.On the other hand Indra, who is the chief of gods wanted to marry her. But it was not possible because she was very pure and chaste. Indra had some other plans. He used to notice the daily routines of ashram of Sage Gautam. Once he got a chance to found ahilya alone at the ashram. Indra changed himself in the form of Sage Gautam. But ahilya could not able to identify indra and she considered him as his husband Sage Gautam. At the same moment Sage Gautam returned back and felt shock to see his duplicate. With his divine power he traced him as Indra. Indra was trembling in fear because his fault was caught. Indra decided to run away by changing his form into peacock.But sage Gautam blocked his way and prevent him from running and curtail his power of running. Since then it is believe that peacocks can never run fast despite being a bird. Sage Gautam cursed Indra that from now his post as king of gods will not remain permanent and one thousands wounds will be evident on his body. After this Indra's throne remains insecure forever. He is repeatedly defeated by Ravana,the king of Lanka. Once the son of Ravana Indrajit bound Indra in serpent noose(Naag Paash) and dragged him across Lanka in a humiliating display. The angry sage cursed his wife Ahilya too for not able to distinguished between his husband and other person. He cursed her to become the stone. Ahilya begged for forgiveness but the curse could not be taken back. Sage replied that in Treta yuga,when incarnation of lord Vishnu will take place in the form of Rama and she would get rid of curse when he touches you by foot.

The Great sacrifice

Sage Dadhichi was the son of Atharvana Rishi.He had a very secret knowledge called “Madhu Vidya” which could help him to achieve the ultimate height in spirituality. When Indra came to know about this, he was terrified and cursed him that if he tried to taught any one else then he would behead him. At the same time the twin Gods Ashwini kumars expressed their desire to learn this vidya.They were aware of the curse of Indra. They shared the plan with Sage Dadhichi. As per plan, the ashwini kumars cut the head of Sage Dadhichi,and preserve it for future and replace it with the head of horse. They manage to learn that divine science. When Indra came to know about it, he chopped the head of sage Dadhichi. Immediately, the ashwini kumars replaces the head of sage. Indra thought himself to be invincible after this event. He was unaware that another threat to his kingdom was growing. A demon,Vritrasur attacked the indralok,the abode of Indra .So,Indra was dethroned. Vritrasur had a boon that he could not be killed from the ordinary weapon. Only a weapon made from the bones of a sage could have killed the Vritrasur. But the question was, who will sacrifice his life. As a last resort Indra visited the ashram of sage Dadhichi again but with different motive. He narrated his demand to Sage. After listening sage Dadhichi happily agreed to sacrifice his life. With his yogic power he left his body for the gods to collect the bones. Indra made the special weapon called vajra from them. With this the gods battled with Vritrasur. In the end the gods won. It was the sacrifice of sage Dadhichi which helps gods to regain their kingdom.

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The God of Hurricane

Diti was wife of Sage Kashyap. She sought a son who could destroy even Indra. Sage Kashyap granted her boon on a condition that she would have such a son only when she observes complete sanctity during one hundred years of gestation period.At that time there were strict rules for the pregnant ladies. It included prohibiting to eat in evening,to go under any tree,to keep hairs open.She had to maintain the purity,physically and mentally. Diti agreed to abide by the condition. As the time progressed Diti conceived. When Indra came to know about this, he felt threatened. He rushed to ashram of Sage Kashyap with some plan. He began to serve Diti with full devotion. Actually wanted to see if by chance Diti ever violated the stipulation for then he would easily destroy the unborn child without incurring any sin. Sometime before the completion of gestation period, one day, Diti did violate the stipulation. She forgot to wash her feet before going to bed. Indra was waiting for the moment. He broke the foetus into seven pieces but still the foetus survived and began to cry loudly. Indra then broke each of those seven pieces into seven pieces more and consoled them not to cry. Those forty-nine pieces of Diti’s foetus later on came to be known as Marudgana the assistants of Indra. It is believe that they controll the cyclones and storm

Lords of Universe

At the time of creation of universe Lord Brahma appointed various kingdoms under the rulership of different Gods. He appointed
1) Chandrama as the ruler of all the Nakshatras, planets, Brahmins, vegetation, Yagya
2) Kuber as the ruler of the kings
3) Varun as the ruler of the water bodies
4) Vishnu as the ruler of Adityas
5) Agni as the ruler of Vasus
6) Daksha was appointed as the ruler of all the Prajapatis
7) Indra as the ruler of Marudgana
8) Prahlad was appointed as the ruler of the demons.
9) Dharmaraaj Yama became the ruler of Pitragana
10) Airavat became the ruler of all the elephants.
11) Garud came to rule the birds.
12) Indra was appointed as king of the gods
13) Uchchaisharva as the king of the horses
14) Vrishabh as the king of the cows
15) Lion became the king of the beasts
16) Sheshnaag of the snakes
17) Himalaya became the king of all the landmasses
18) Kapil became the king of the sages
19) Tiger became the king of those animals that have nails and long teeth.
20) Dikpals (guardians of the directions) on all corners of the earth. These Dikpals still guard the earth