Garuda Puranam

A few days back we had a snippet on Krimi Bhojanam, one of the punishments in Garuda puranam.The snippet was couched in humour.

A few months back I had given a detailed account of the punishments detailed in Garuda Puranam under the thread 'Queries on Spirituality and religion.For wider readership I forward a copy of the mail now .

Many people consider Garuda Puranam as an inauspicious book and hesitate to read or have the least idea of the puranam.

Garuda Puranam is a part of smriti and is considered a dialogue between Vishnu and Garuda. It contains about 19000�verses. The first half contains wonderful inf on astrology, medicine, maths and many valuable information gems like diamond, saffire, Ruby etc.It is a literary feast on topics unknown.

The latter half Garuda purana contains life after death detailing description of various hells associated with various sins. People who had no occasion to go through Garuda Puranam, which is considered inauspicious by some to be kept at home)may have an idea on reading this mail.

Almost all the sins are included hereMany of us would have seen the Tamil movie'Anniyan' where a reference to some of the hells is embedded in the story.For people who believe that they are answerable to all the sins committed, Garuda Puranam may have a tremendous impact and may be a deterrent.

In old days people had a fear of guilt, fear of God and fear of punishment.
It is often said"A thief cannot change unless he mends himselF".
An idea about Garuda Puranam may prove to be a deterrent to intending criminals.
Here is a list of punishments as per Garuda Puranam

(1).Tamisram:-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.



(2)Andhatamtrasam:-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.


(3Rauravam:- 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.



(4) Mahararuravam:- 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.



(5)Kumbhipakam:- This is the hell for those who kill animals for pleasure. Here oil is kept boiled in huge vessels and sinners are plunged in this vessels.


(6)Kalasutram:- This hell is terribly hot. Those who don’t respect their elders. Here they are made to run around in this unbearable heat and drop down exhausted from time to time.


(7) Asitapatram:- 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 ,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.



(8)Sukaramukham:- 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.

(9) [B]Andhakupam:- This is hell for [B]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. [/B][/B]
[B][B]

(10)Taptamruti:-[B] [B]Those who plunder or steal Gold and jewels are cast into the furnaces of this Naraka which always remains hot in blazing fire. [/B][/B]

[B][B]

(11)Krimibhojanam:-[B] Those [B]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. [/B][/B]

[B][B]

(12)Salmali:--This Naraka is [B]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. [/B]

[B]

(13) Vajrakantakasali:-- This Naraka is the punishment [B]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. [/B]

[B]

(14[B]Vaitarani:- [B]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. [/B][/B]
[B][B]

15)Puyodakam:- This is a well filled with excreta, urine, blood, phlegm. [B]Men who rape women and cheat women with no intention of marrying them are considered as animals. They�are thrown in this well to get polluted by it’s contents. They are to remain here till their time is up. [/B]
[B]

(16)Pranarodham:- This Naraka is for those who��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.



([B]17)Visasanam:-[B] [B]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.

[/B][/B][/B]
[B][B][B]
(18)� This is the Naraka [B]for lustful men is cast into this hell. Lalabhaksam is a sea of semen until his time is up. [/B]
[B]

(19)Sarameyasanam:-�[B][B]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. [/B][/B]
[B][B]

(20) Avici:-[B] This Naraka is [B]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. [/B][/B]
[B][B]

(21)Ayahpanam:- [B]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. [/B]
[B]
(22)Raksobjaksam):- [B]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.

(23)Sulaprotam:-[B] 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.

(24)Ksharakardamam:- -[B]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.

(25) Dandasukam:-[B] [B]Sinners who torture otherslike animals will be sent here. There are many beasts here. They will be eaten alive by this beasts.

(26)vatarodham:- This hell is [B]for those who persecute animals which live in forests, 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.

(27)Paryavartanakam:-[B]One who denies food to a hungry person and abuses him is thrown here. The moment the sinner arrives here ,his eyes are�pierced by the beaks of birds like the crows and eagles till the end of their punishment.

(28)Suchimukham:- [B]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. [B]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.

Even ordinary people who are not criminals, but accidentally commit crimes without their knowledge-like pride, miserliness and not honouring the guests may fit into one or two categories.

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In the present rate of increasing crimes and rapes, a suggestion is being made to create awareness of these legendary punishments among criminals of all religions.

Though we have sufficient laws we have no political will to implement,.At least let us try this as a threatening method and see whether the alarming crime rate
falls down.
It is just an informative snippet. Friends need not get alarmed.
Jayasala42[/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B]
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Dear Googleglass,
It is only free exchange of views. We should be thankful to the forum.There is nothing to get hurt.If we start thinking that it is a sin to express our opinion, we may begin to search for the relevant punishment in Garuda Puranam ( In lighter vein)
Jayasala 42

 

Dear Balajee,
There were days when ethics, morality and character building were held in high esteem and even a little transgression was considered a crime.Perhaps as away of deterrence garuda Puranam would have been created.

The way that crimes are increasing reveals that all the hells explained in Garuda Puranam will be full to the brim.
Jayasala 42

 

Madam Angellic,
Your doubts are well founded.We have seen many good people suffering and bad people enjoying.Even in Mahabharath all kauravas went to swarga and all pandavas except Yudhishtira were sent to Naraka.
This is a painful question pondered by many. The answer is rooted
in free will. Many of the behaviors of evil people lead directly to
success; the biggest liar and manipulator on the sales team will usually be the top salesperson, for example. The evil person develops skill in
seeing how to get the optimal outcome in every situation, and is willing to take whatever the actions are to get that most desirable outcome…
which is why they so often get there.
These people are NOT being blessed, they are reaping the “rewards” of their evil in the same way that a child cheating on a test gets a
higher score… this is NOT the work of God, as He NEVER rewards evil.

But why does He even permit it? Free will. We all believe in free
will, we want to have it, we believe everyone should have it… but we’re
naturally unhappy when evil people use it to achieve “surface success.”

If God were to block all evil behavior, we would not have free will
anymore; more to the point, if being good is all we can do, rather than
it being matter of choice, then we are not demonstrating any actual
virtue… and God wants us to CHOOSE right behavior in the same way that
He wants us to CHOOSE faith rather than being “programmed” to have it.

And what is our reward for making those choices rather than the evil
ones that lead so consistently to “surface success”? We have “true
success,” the only kind that matters; our deep connection to God.

Those evil people that have monetary and business success do NOT have that
sort of connection to God. It is literally impossible for them to have
it, because God does NOT reward evil in any way, including that most
precious reward; His closeness.

Which would you rather have; “surface success” gained by evil acts,
or to be close to God? It’s not a hard choice, looked at that way, is
it?
Don’t envy the evil people who have achieved “surface success”; PITY
them, because they have given up the only thing that matters, that thing that you and I are blessed with in abundance… closeness to the Lord.

Swarga and naraka are stated to be only mental concepts though they have been such a magnanimous or terrific description in puranas to have nice impact on people of the outcome of good or bad.As good ethics and character were insisted upon, special emphasis was made on harsh punishments in Garuda Puranam.
There are many stories to emphasize that swarga and naraka are mere concepts.
There was a great virtuous man, all good and no evil at all. He had a good wife, nice children. He acted according to Dharama Sastras.
His life also was nearing end.He prayed to Lord brahma. Lord Brahma appeaed before him.He said," O Brahma, I want to know about my next birth. I have not done any evil in this life.'Brahma said," That is a secret".
The man said," I don't want you to change. But I want to know where my next life would be. In my heart of hearts I would like to go to Swargam.

Brahma said" Ok. You will be born as a pig in the glutter of your backyard. Your right ear will be white."
So saying Brahma disappeared.
The man called his sons and told everything. If you find a small pig with a white right ear, pl kill that pig immediately.
So saying, the old man died.
After 6 months the pig in the glutter gave birth to 6 piglets, one of them had white right ear.
The sons identified,yet they didn't want to kill the young baby pig. However his father's request was pressing their mind. After 3 months they chased the pig. The pig was running and running.At last they caught the pig . The pig also had poorva janama vasana.The pig told the sons, I am very happy with my my new parents and siblings and find the glutter very cosy, fragrant and comfortable. I am as happy as I were in Swarga. Perhaps God fulfilled my desire of being in swarga in this way.
The sons went off, forgot about everything as ordained.

Narada met brahma and asked, why this vituous man is born in this glutter.
Pat came the reply from Brahma,'There is no swarga or naraka. It is only a concept. See this pig. It finds the glutter very warm and comfortable.Swargas and Narakas are relative terms.

Personally these concepts have only academic value to me.Let us use the Free Will given by God in the best way possible and await the results.
Jayasala42