Apratishṭha (Naraka)
Apratishṭha · a-pratishṭha, “without a firm footing”
Apratishṭha is one of the narakas, the places of suffering ruled by Yama into which those who do pāpa (wrong deeds) are cast after death. The Brahma Purāṇa names it twice. Lomaharshaṇa counts it among the narakas, Raurava and the rest, that are the domains of Yama. Vyāsa, describing the southern road to Yama, tells its form: it is made of filth, urine and excrement, and the one who tormented brāhmaṇas and the one who stole a brāhmaṇa’s wealth fall into it head-down.
Among the narakas of Yama
“O vipras! Now hear about the narakas, Raurava and the rest, into which those who do pāpa are cast.” So Lomaharshaṇa begins, and he names the narakas in order: Raurava, Śaukara, Rodha, Tāla, Viśasana, Mahājvāla, Taptakuḍya, Mahālobha, Viyocana, Rudhirāndha, Vasātapta, Kṛmīśa, Kṛmibhojana, Asipatravana, Kṛshṇa, Lālābhaksha, Pūyavaha, Vahnijvāla, Adhaśśiras, Sadaṃśa, Kṛshṇasūtra, Tamas, Āvīci, Śvabhojana, Apratishṭha and Māvīci. Apratishṭha stands twenty-fifth, after Śvabhojana and before Māvīci. There are many more narakas, supremely dreadful, in hundreds and thousands.
All of them are the domains ruled by Yama. In them are the servants of Yama, the yama-bhaṭas, who use weapons, fire and poisons. Those who do pāpa leave this body, take yātanā-śarīras (bodies made for suffering) and are tormented there.
The same chapter teaches the way out. One who does pāpa and does not perform prāyaścitta (expiation) goes to naraka. For every pāpa the prāyaścitta is Kṛshṇa-smaraṇa, the remembrance of Śrī Kṛshṇa, and there is nothing beyond it. One who remembers Bhagavān Vishṇu day and night, his pāpas destroyed and purified, never sees naraka.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 22
The naraka of filth
The munis asked Vyāsa, “Tapodhana, tell us in full how those who do pāpa go along the southern road.” Vyāsa described that dreadful road and Yama’s court, where Yama hears from Citragupta the account of each one’s karma and has each offender punished as Vasishṭha and the other maharshis laid down. Then he said, “Hear the terrible form of the narakas and their measures.”
Apratishṭha is made of mala, mūtra and purīsha, filth, urine and excrement. The one who tormented brāhmaṇas and the one who stole a brāhmaṇa’s wealth fall into it head-down.
It is the fifth naraka Vyāsa names, after Ayomaya, the blazing iron box where the doers of pāpa are crushed like sugarcane, and before Vilepaka, the naraka of boiling lac where those given to drinking madya sink. Vyāsa closes the account: those who turned away from dharma in mind, speech, body and deed must suffer in the very dreadful torments of Yamaloka for thousands, lakhs and crores of years.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 215
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Chapters 22, 215