195 - The sinners in Yamaloka

Nachiketas said:

1. O ascetic Brahmins, I shall tell you what you seek to know. Listen. Bow to Lord Dharmaräja.

2. I tell you briefly and according to my ability. Liars, molesters of animals, women and children,

3. Killers of Brahmins, deceivers, the obstinate, the ungrateful, those fond of the wives of others,

4. Those who outrage the modesty of maidens, defilers of Veda, those who harass the people following Vaidik path,

5. Sacrificers on behalf of Šhüdras, condemned Brahmins, performers of sacrifices for those who are ineligible, those afflicted by leprosy, 

6. Those who drink liquor, the Brahmins who kill other Brahmins or warriors, those that live on usury, those crooked in sight,

7. Those who give up their mother, father or wife, those that have ill-will towards their preceptors, those of bad conduct, messengers who speak indistinct,

8. Encroachers upon houses and fields, destroyers of bridges, people without children, without wife, those without the necessary attention in their deeds,

9. The unclean, the merciless, harassers, vow-breakers, sellers of soma, the henpecked, those that sell everything,

10. Speakers of falsehood, teachers of Veda for money, teachers of out-castes, the astrologers, the fortune-tellers,

11. Cohabiters of all including those prohibited, magicians, balance-holders,

12. Doers of actions without the idea of sin, those that harbour strong enmity, those that do not stake their life for the master, those averse to battle,

13. Those that steal others’ wealth, assassinators, those justifying sinful actions, those earning their living by fire,

14. Those that do not serve others as prescribed, anchorites committing sin, makers of vessels,

15. Those selling things in temples, inns and tirthas, those who speak against vows, those that speak untruth,

16. Those who grow hair and nails simply to appear as sannyasins, crooked persons, those who make false documents,

17. Those who do not observe austerities though out of ignorance, those banished from hermitages, those who receive every offering, those who defile sacred places,

  18. The quarrelsome, the cruel and thousands of others were there.

19. Now hear what women and men do on going to Yama’s place.

Vaishampãyana said:

20. Hearing these words of Nachiketas, the sages were wonderstruck and they asked him again.

The sages said:

21. O you, the best among the learned, tell us about everything there as seen by you.

22. Of what nature is Käla because of whom the whole world continues.

23. The selfish person who performs actions in this world is not allowed entry in the world of Brahmä.

24. Although tormented and burnt till the end of the aeon, there is no loss to the body in that place,

25. Torture is applied again and again according to the nature of the action, and one has to suffer it. No Brahmin will dare to go there because of fear.

26. One avoids going there by giving gifts and performing austerities.

27. What is the nature of Vaitarani? What is the sort of water that flows in it? How is the hell Raurava and how is the deceptive Šhälmalï tree? How are the messengers there and what do they do?

 28. What should a person do to shield himself from all this by his merit acquired previously?

29. Being under the influence of sin, courage is lost, and even those that are sinless get stupefied.

30. What should be known is not known nor what is virtue and what is not. The thinking faculty is lost because of sin.

31. Due to illusion what is the supreme is not known and many toil there having committed sin.

32. Please tell us about all this as you have seen with your own eyes.