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Ravilochana
05 August 2010, 07:08 PM
Hinduism states that there is hell. This is where the souls are punished for their Papakarmas.

But then Hinduism also talks about Karma being carried over to the next life. This is called "Sanchita Karma".

So which type of sins are exhausted in hell and which type of sins are carried over to the next life?

Any ideas?

--
Respectfully,
Ravilochana

kallol
06 August 2010, 11:45 AM
Good question.

As per my understanding the hell and heaven are the lower and higher worlds.

The lower world can be a birth into lower forms of life - animals, insects, plants, etc.

Higher levels can be free state without birth.

This conforms with karma theory also.

Love and best wishes

Eastern Mind
06 August 2010, 12:20 PM
Vannakkam Ravilochana:

Not all Hindus believe in hell at all. In fact, I think most don't. Certainly not in the eternal damnation sense of Christianity. Perhaps the concept is creeping in from there.

However, there are hellish (hellish meaning very uncomfortable) states of mind we can be in such as anger or pain or suffering. But there is no hell.

I don't know what you mean by sin because there isn't really sin either. These are Christian terms. The closest thing Hindus have to sin is 'that which leads you away from God' . It is my understanding that all such action that are not resolved in return are carried over from lifetime to lifetime. But there are other points of view on it as well.

Aum Namasivaya

amith vikram
06 August 2010, 12:50 PM
@Em,
there are different types of hells.8, i think.
@TS
the current state is due to prarabdha, ie past karma and future will be decided on present karma. but i'm not so sure about wat i said.

yajvan
06 August 2010, 01:54 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté


This post is neither pro-naráka or anti-naráka; I offer the following for one's consideration.

naráka - hell , place of torment from the bhāgavad gītā chapter 16 , 16th śloka.

aneka-citta-vibhrāntā
moha-jāla samāvṛtāḥ |
prasaktāḥ kāma bhoegṣu
patanti narake' śucau ||


Key words for me is moha-jāla : moha = bewilderment , perplexity , distraction , infatuation , delusion , error + jāla = a net (for catching birds , fish)

My view of this śloka:

Thus confused (vibhrāntā - confused , bewildered) by many/much (aneka - many , much) delusions/errors (moha) are caught in a net (jāla) , attached (prasaktāḥ - attached , cleaving or adhering or devoted to , fixed or intent upon) excessive pleasures (kāma) & experiencing, feeling, perception of pleasure or pain ( bhoegṣu ) one falls ( pata-anti) into hell , place of torment ( naráka) ( śucau = aśucau = aś +uc+au = arriving in a suitable place).

As I see this knowledge, it is this 'over-adhesiveness' to excessive sense consumption that one is caught in the net of delusion and
knows no other existence. The person does not know they do not know - this is the thickest of ignorance.

That said,
The upanisads, mahābhārata & bhāgavad gītā speak of naráka ( see bhāgavad gītā chapter 16 for an example); Jyotish also recognizes ~lower words~.
Some say there are a total of 14 worlds, some say there are 21 types of hell; Some say there are 118 worlds ( we find this in kaśmir śaivism).

So the question one may ponder: Is this naráka various states of awareness , a physical place of residence? This is on people's minds . To believe or not believe in a
concept or item does not make it so. What are the rules and what do the śāstra-s tell us? What do the wise tell us? This then we need to ponder and come to a conclusion in our minds.

praṇām

saidevo
08 August 2010, 12:43 AM
namaste everyone.

Both shrImad BhAgavatam and GaruDa purANam have extensive accounts of different areas of the naraka--hell. These accounts can't be lightly dismissed as mythology, IMO. I am also aware that they can't be taken literally. So there should be a way to reconcile the allegory with truths.

Although from an ISKCON POV, this link offers some insight into the concept of hell in Hinduism:
http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/dying.htm

Inasmuch as there is an afterlife led by a disembodied jIva--soul, until its next return to earth, and considering that every jIva has karma--both good and bad--to account for, I think, we might reconcile the fact and fiction perhaps in this way:

• Broadly speaking, there are three kinds of jIvas: those with only kukarma--bad karma born out of wicked deeds, those with a mix of both kukarma and sukarma--the normal people with worldly desires but with religious belief and spiritual propensity, and those with only sukarma--good karma, such as the jIvas in their advanced stage of spirituality, but are yet to become jIvanmuktas--liberated while living.

• The various lokas--upper worlds, and talas--nether worlds, that account for the heaven and hell, and populate our ancestors and the incorrigibly wicked souls that always exist in the world, should be manifestations with a conditional reality of existence, where the disembodied souls settle, or rather their awareness/consciousness is awakened, after physical death.

• So, a completely wicked soul is likely to be caught up in an area of the naraka--hell, depending on the severity of its kukarma.

• A normal soul with a mix of both good and bad karma, is likely to depart to an area in the svarga--heaven, spend its time there until its sukarma is exhausted, and then return to the earth for another birth to experience its carried over kukarma. It should be noted here that such a normal soul does not end up in an area of hell to experience its kukarma but is destined to experience it in subsequent births.

• An advanced soul that is yet to be liberated might stay longer in svarga and then return to have a more glorious birth to pursue its path of liberation.

Now a question arises: do the completely wicked souls have to suffer an eternal hell?

The answer given in the above ISKCON link quoting shrImad Bhagavatam is that they are born in lower species of life and have to work their way up. This actually may not be a humiliation because in general the lower species of life have shorter life spans, accrete less karma if any, and with far less developed mental faculties, stand committed to their svadharma--dharma of their species.

I would leave it to the readers' opinion as to the post-mortem fate--within the above framework--of the souls who were atheists and agnostics but were good people in their just-ended life.

rkpande
08 August 2010, 03:44 AM
dear friends,
IMHO, Isa Upanishad’s third sutra amply describes it.
‘asurya nama te loka andhena tamasa vrtah
tams te pretyabhigacchqnti ye ke catmahano janah’
Dr Radhakrishanan translates it:-
‘Demonic, verily are those worlds enveloped in blinding darkness, and to them go after death, those people who are slayers of the self.’ (shri yajvan can translate it better for us)
(asurya – those who delight only in physical life (asu), those who are devoted to nourishing of their lives, and addicted to sensual pleasures)
For Shri sankra asuras are those who are not knower of the self.
And as for lokas,
Vamana measured the three lokas with his three steps. ( the water, land and the sky). Lokas are also pasu loka etc
Now, can one describe a hell (garun puran included) better than a situation when a incarnated stag is running for its life, chased by a tiger, being pounced on with its neck broken, gasping for breath, struggling for life, bleeding to death in agony. Or the same stag again running for his life in a forest on fire, meeting its demise in a more agonising way. Or a beautiful plant about to blossom being gobbled up by a wandering goat. Discovery channel is full of these narakic instances. Richard Dawkins may take these to prove absence of God as God can not be so uncaring for his creations.
The naraks are your experiences in various incarnations.

Alise
08 August 2010, 06:10 AM
Namaste,

I have not really ever had hell context while I am interested in Hinduism. But wouldn't be more likely that so called hell is actually 7 lower chakras?

*atala chakra (hips): fear and lust;
*vitala chakra (thighs): raging anger;
*sutala chakra (knees): retaliatory jealousy;
*talatala chakra (calves): prolonged mental confusion;
*rasatala chakra (ankles): selfishness;
*mahatala chakra (feet): absence of conscience;
*patala chakra (located in the soles of the feet): murder and malice

Somehow I can't mix hell & karma & belief that there is no place where God isn't. I must say I misunderstood the topic in first place. I think karma is karma, neither good or bad, so law of karma is fair for everyone. Hell? not so much...


Have a nice day,
~Alice

Eastern Mind
08 August 2010, 09:46 AM
Namaste,

I have not really ever had hell context while I am interested in Hinduism. But wouldn't be more likely that so called hell is actually 7 lower chakras?

*atala chakra (hips): fear and lust;
*vitala chakra (thighs): raging anger;
*sutala chakra (knees): retaliatory jealousy;
*talatala chakra (calves): prolonged mental confusion;
*rasatala chakra (ankles): selfishness;
*mahatala chakra (feet): absence of conscience;
*patala chakra (located in the soles of the feet): murder and malice

Somehow I can't mix hell & karma & belief that there is no place where God isn't. I must say I misunderstood the topic in first place. I think karma is karma, neither good or bad, so law of karma is fair for everyone. Hell? not so much...


Have a nice day,
~Alice

Vannakkam SA: This is precisely how I understand it. When I say there is no hell, I mean the Christian definition of hell. I.E - eternal damnation.

Aum Namasivaya

atanu
08 August 2010, 10:17 AM
Friends

When I am meditating at home, i am in swarga. When i drive in Delhi roads, i am in naraka --- usually. I am getting over this preference slowly, with God's grace. I also believe that people who decide to live in big cities, harboring the notion of: development=consumer goods=good=big metropolitan city, are actually in hell. Those who are forced to do so are possibly under punishment/probation. :) Kindly do not think that i am being frivolous.

In more serious mode, i will repeat that in Hinduism no one probably gets a permanent hell (naraka), except for the hard-hearted, whom Shri Krishna hurls to lower and lower stations. Even in Delhi roads, when one contemplates Shiva within, the load becomes light.

Om Namah Shivaya

Ganeshprasad
08 August 2010, 04:04 PM
Pranam all


Friends



In more serious mode, i will repeat that in Hinduism no one probably gets a permanent hell (naraka), except for the hard-hearted, whom Shri Krishna hurls to lower and lower stations. Even in Delhi roads, when one contemplates Shiva within, the load becomes light.

Om Namah Shivaya



No i don't believe there is any permanent hell or swarg(heaven), Atanu ji has sighted above verse many times from Gita chapter 16, not even the hard hearted Atanu, why because in chapter 4 he says and i quote,

ye yatha mam prapadyante
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
mama vartmanuvartante
manusyah partha sarvasah
All of them--as they surrender unto Me--I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha.4.11

just as he says ksine punye martya-lokam visanti, one returns to earth from Swarg having exhausted the Punya, i would like to think after finishing the punishment we also return from narak.

i do believe there is Narak and swarg, as Saidevo mentions bhagvat puran and in particular Garud puran, Vedvyas did not write them to make up the pages.

the hell we can all associate very easy at least it makes me shudder, when in the womb how every soul suspended upside down in that small confined place, that is why Shankracharya warns us punarapi janam and maranam, this sansar is full off dukh and a fleeting sukh, what proof do i need.

Jai Shree Krishna

kallol
09 August 2010, 05:47 AM
Questions :

There are upper lokas (worlds), there are lower lokas (worlds) and there is the manusya loka.

1. What are they ?

2. How are they related to the concept of karma and also the hell/heaven ?

3. How is it connected to the state of mind ?


Love and best wishes

Eastern Mind
09 August 2010, 06:55 AM
Vannakkam:

I just realised the contradiction in the title. For most of us here, karma is no theory. It's a reality.

But then I suppose the fundamentalist Christians would say the same thing about eternal damnation, and its a reality that we're all bound for that place.

Aum Namasivaya

atanu
09 August 2010, 07:17 AM
Pranam all
just as he says ksine punye martya-lokam visanti, one returns to earth from Swarg having exhausted the Punya, i would like to think after finishing the punishment we also return from narak.

i do believe there is Narak and swarg, as Saidevo mentions bhagvat puran and in particular Garud puran, Vedvyas did not write them to make up the pages.


Namaste Ganeshprasadji

Thank you for the discussion. I agree, just as Gods and their realms, there are levels of swarga and naraka. Yet, for a follower of Shankara, ultimately, only satya (life force) and satyasa satyam (Brahman) are the eternities -- all other things, including lokas are part of the passing phase. (I emphasize that this is only for those who are on this path).

On this I cite Brihadaraynaka U.


IV-iii-8: That man, when he is born, or attains a body, is connected with evils (the body and organs); and when he dies, or leaves the body, he discards those evils.
IV-iii-9: That man has only two abodes, this and the next world. The dream state, which is the third, is at the junction (of the two).

And also:

I-v-4: These are the three worlds. The organ of speech is this world (the earth), the mind is the sky, and the vital force is that world (heaven).
I-v-16: There are indeed three worlds, the world of men, the world of the Manes and the world of the gods.

But within these three are comprised some more and the one unspeakable:

iii-vi-1: Then Gargi, the daughter of Vacaknu, asked him, ‘Yajnavalkya’, she said, ‘if all this is pervaded by water, by what is water pervaded ?’ ‘By air, O Gargi’. ‘By what is air pervaded?’ ‘By the sky, O Gargi’. ‘By what is the sky pervaded ?’ ‘By the world of the Gandharvas, O Gargi’. ‘By what is the world of the Gandharvas pervaded ?’ ‘By the sun, O Gargi.’ ‘By what is the sun pervaded ?’ ‘By the moon, O Gargi.’ ‘By what is the moon pervaded ?’ ‘By the stars, O Gargi’. ‘By what are the stars pervaded ?’ ‘By the world of the gods, O Gargi’. ‘By what is the world of the gods pervaded ?’ ‘By the world of Indra, O Gargi’. By what is the world of Indra pervaded?’ ‘By the world of Viraj, O Gargi’. ‘By what is the world of Viraj pervaded?’ ‘ By the world of Hiranyagarbha, O Gargi’. ‘By what is the world of Hiranyagarbha pervaded ?’ He said, ‘Do not, O Gargi, push your inquiry too far, lest your head should fall off. You are questioning about a deity that should not be reasoned about. Do not, O Gargi, push your inquiry too far.’ Thereupon Gargi, the daughter of Vacaknu, kept silent.

Regards
Om Namah Shivaya

Ganeshprasad
09 August 2010, 09:37 AM
Pranam Atanu ji


Namaste Ganeshprasadji

Thank you for the discussion. I agree, just as Gods and their realms, there are levels of swarga and naraka. Yet, for a follower of Shankara, ultimately, only satya (life force) and satyasa satyam (Brahman) are the eternities -- all other things, including lokas are part of the passing phase. (I emphasize that this is only for those who are on this path).


i would agree up to a point because both swarg and narak are subject to annihilation.
but like to draw your attention to chapter 15 of Bhagvat Gita, here Lord Krishna is asking with the help of Gyan and Vairagiya one must seek that place where by one does not come back.

Those who are free from pride and delusion, who have conquered the evil of attachment, who are constantly dwelling in the Supreme Self with all Kaama completely stilled, who are free from the dualities known as pleasure and pain; such undeluded persons reach the eternal goal. (15.05)


The sun does not illumine there, nor the moon, nor the fire. That is My supreme abode. Having reached there they do not come back. (15.06)

you know me verywell i do not have hierarchy problem, i would see the Shankra abode Kailash as the same eternal dham describe above.I know we have a different take on this, satyasa satyam, perhaps silence might be the best advise.


On this I cite Brihadaraynaka U.


----- ‘By what is the world of Hiranyagarbha pervaded ?’ He said, ‘Do not, O Gargi, push your inquiry too far, lest your head should fall off. You are questioning about a deity that should not be reasoned about. Do not, O Gargi, push your inquiry too far.’ Thereupon Gargi, the daughter of Vacaknu, kept silent.


Regards


Om Namah Shivaya


what is your take on this, should we seek that deity?

Jai Shree Krishna

atanu
09 August 2010, 09:48 AM
Pranam Atanu ji
i would agree up to a point because both swarg and narak are subject to annihilation.
----
Those who are free from pride and delusion, who have conquered the evil of attachment, who are constantly dwelling in the Supreme Self with all Kaama completely stilled, who are free from the dualities known as pleasure and pain; such undeluded persons reach the eternal goal. (15.05)


Namaskar Ganeshprasadji

This attainment is known as Here and Now. For the person who abides continuosly in Self, where has He to go? Is there any place where Self is not there? In my opinion, formed based on teachings in the parampara that I follow, Self is not any Loka. It is only the Self, pure and nothing else.



I know we have a different take on this, satyasa satyam, perhaps silence might be the best advise.


I heartily agree. What we know? Nothing. What we gain by mental arguments?


what is your take on this, should we seek that deity?

You know that i follow Guru Ramana's teachings. He is emphatic that a sadhaka can strive and attain only abidance in Self. The rest is upto the Supreme will.

Om Namah Shivaya

kd gupta
09 August 2010, 10:12 AM
dear friends,
IMHO, Isa Upanishad’s third sutra amply describes it.
‘asurya nama te loka andhena tamasa vrtah
tams te pretyabhigacchqnti ye ke catmahano janah’
Dr Radhakrishanan translates it:-
‘Demonic, verily are those worlds enveloped in blinding darkness, and to them go after death, those people who are slayers of the self.’ (shri yajvan can translate it better for us)
(asurya – those who delight only in physical life (asu), those who are devoted to nourishing of their lives, and addicted to sensual pleasures)
For Shri sankra asuras are those who are not knower of the self.
And as for lokas,
Vamana measured the three lokas with his three steps. ( the water, land and the sky). Lokas are also pasu loka etc
Now, can one describe a hell (garun puran included) better than a situation when a incarnated stag is running for its life, chased by a tiger, being pounced on with its neck broken, gasping for breath, struggling for life, bleeding to death in agony. Or the same stag again running for his life in a forest on fire, meeting its demise in a more agonising way. Or a beautiful plant about to blossom being gobbled up by a wandering goat. Discovery channel is full of these narakic instances. Richard Dawkins may take these to prove absence of God as God can not be so uncaring for his creations.
The naraks are your experiences in various incarnations.
I agree with sri rk pande , there are two yans [ paths ] devyan and pitrayan defined in Vedas . There is swarglok which can be termed as devyan . Certainly it is the mrutyaloka and the loka for the sufferings as the soul performs .

Ganeshprasad
09 August 2010, 10:23 AM
Pranam Atanu ji


Namaskar Ganeshprasadji

This attainment is known as Here and Now. For the person who abides continuosly in Self, where has He to go? Is there any place where Self is not there? In my opinion, formed based on teachings in the parampara that I follow, Self is not any Loka. It is only the Self, pure and nothing else.

here and now is good, but we have to vacate this mriutuloka for that there is no doubt. Why would Krishna mention not returning back or reaching a goal if that was not a destination?
why would he talk about tad dhama paramam mama?







I heartily agree. What we know? Nothing. What we gain by mental arguments?

i know nothing at least not the satyasa satyam. but then i like to think we don't argue for mental torture, little bit of mental gymnastic is good for the soul.




You know that i follow Guru Ramana's teachings. He is emphatic that a sadhaka can strive and attain only abidance in Self. The rest is upto the Supreme will.

Om Namah Shivaya

striving that is the salient point,
can't argue with the supreme will
ye yatha mam prapadyante
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham

Jai Shree Krishna

saidevo
09 August 2010, 11:39 PM
Some teachings of RamaNa MaharShi about the hell

As Atanu says in post no.16, Guru RamaNa is emphatic that a sAdhaka can strive and attain only abidance in Self;

but he also said that the teachings of heaven and hell in religions is "according to the view-point of the seeker" and "Only to make the people realise that they are on a par with this world and that the Self alone is real." (Talk 145)

• Thus, Guru RamaNa quotes the GItA and points out how shrI KRShNa "developed" his initial advaita teaching "Nothing was born, nothing was dead, nor will it not be so hereafter" to suit Arjuna's viewpoint in dvaita and said, "Yes. There have been so many incarnations of myself and yourself, I know them all but you do not know." (Talk 145)

• RamaNa laments that people would not understand or "even like to hear" the Truth of the Self, "the simple and bare truth - the truth of their every day, ever-present and eternal experience", but are eager to know the mystery of heaven and hell; and the religions pamper them--"only to bring them round to the Self." He asks, "Wandering hither and thither you must return to the Self only. Then, why not abide in the Self even here and now?"

• RamaNa says that heaven and hell are like dreams with their own time and space, but then he asks "there must be someone to go there. Which is true, dream or wakefulness?" He reiterates this point when he says, "You carry heaven and hell with you. Your lust, anger, etc., produce these regions. They are like dreams." (Talk 41)

• Interestingly, RamaNa concedes, "If one’s merits and demerits are equal, they are directly reborn here. Merits outweighing demerits, the subtle bodies go to heavens and are then reborn here; demerits outweighing merits, they go to hells and are afterwards reborn here. A yogabrashta is said to fare in the same manner. All these are described in the sastras."

However, he reiterates the Truth immediately after these words: "But in fact, there is neither birth nor death. One remains only as what one really is. This is the only Truth." (Talk 573)

Source:
'Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi'
http://www.scribd.com/doc/17696529/Talks-With-Sri-Ramana-Maharshi

*****

Many if not most of us have our moorings in Advaita. For other Hindus, the regions of heaven and hell may have more reality than dreams although they would readily admit that they are not eternal and the goal of life is to merge with the BhagavAn. For us, the Advaitins, the intellectual knowledge of the Self is enlightening by itself, but until the time it leads to experiential knowledge, IMHO, we are bound to have the dreams of heaven and hell, as sure as the days and nights and dreams of our existence. The point is we must face them with practical Advaita sAdhana--not ignore them altogether.

Essentially, Guru RamaNa's teaching about the heaven and hell is that they are subjective rather than objective realities. But then just as this world in our wakeful existence appears identical to everyone despite being a subjective reality, the regions of heaven and hell may also have similarities across the disembodied jIvas--souls, but the jIvas must learn to overcome the influence of their reality, even as they readily dismiss their dreams as unreal.

atanu
10 August 2010, 09:10 AM
Some teachings of RamaNa MaharShi about the hell

As Atanu says in post no.16, Guru RamaNa is emphatic that a sAdhaka can strive and attain only abidance in Self;

but he also said that the teachings of heaven and hell in religions is "according to the view-point of the seeker" and "Only to make the people realise that they are on a par with this world and that the Self alone is real." (Talk 145)

• Thus, Guru RamaNa quotes the GItA and points out how shrI KRShNa "developed" his initial advaita teaching "Nothing was born, nothing was dead, nor will it not be so hereafter" to suit Arjuna's viewpoint in dvaita and said, "Yes. There have been so many incarnations of myself and yourself, I know them all but you do not know." (Talk 145)

• RamaNa laments that people would not understand or "even like to hear" the Truth of the Self, "the simple and bare truth - the truth of their every day, ever-present and eternal experience", but are eager to know the mystery of heaven and hell; and the religions pamper them--"only to bring them round to the Self." He asks, "Wandering hither and thither you must return to the Self only. Then, why not abide in the Self even here and now?"

• RamaNa says that heaven and hell are like dreams with their own time and space, but then he asks "there must be someone to go there. Which is true, dream or wakefulness?" He reiterates this point when he says, "You carry heaven and hell with you. Your lust, anger, etc., produce these regions. They are like dreams." (Talk 41)

• Interestingly, RamaNa concedes, "If one’s merits and demerits are equal, they are directly reborn here. Merits outweighing demerits, the subtle bodies go to heavens and are then reborn here; demerits outweighing merits, they go to hells and are afterwards reborn here. A yogabrashta is said to fare in the same manner. All these are described in the sastras."

However, he reiterates the Truth immediately after these words: "But in fact, there is neither birth nor death. One remains only as what one really is. This is the only Truth." (Talk 573)

Source:
'Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi'
http://www.scribd.com/doc/17696529/Talks-With-Sri-Ramana-Maharshi

*****

Many if not most of us have our moorings in Advaita. For other Hindus, the regions of heaven and hell may have more reality than dreams although they would readily admit that they are not eternal and the goal of life is to merge with the BhagavAn. For us, the Advaitins, the intellectual knowledge of the Self is enlightening by itself, but until the time it leads to experiential knowledge, IMHO, we are bound to have the dreams of heaven and hell, as sure as the days and nights and dreams of our existence. The point is we must face them with practical Advaita sAdhana--not ignore them altogether.

Essentially, Guru RamaNa's teaching about the heaven and hell is that they are subjective rather than objective realities. But then just as this world in our wakeful existence appears identical to everyone despite being a subjective reality, the regions of heaven and hell may also have similarities across the disembodied jIvas--souls, but the jIvas must learn to overcome the influence of their reality, even as they readily dismiss their dreams as unreal.

namaste Saidevoji

A very sweet post for me. Thanks.

Om Namah Shivaya

atanu
15 August 2010, 09:54 AM
Friends

I found the following explanation of Hell from mahabhArata that is somewhat beyond the traditional and it expounds the vedantic position that every state other than the Supreme state of Vishnu - which is identity with Self, is Hell.

Description of Hell
From The Mahabharata
Santi Parva Section CXCVIII
Translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli

King Yudhishthira said: Tell me what description of hell is obtained by a Reciter (of sacred mantras)? I feel a curiosity to know this. It behoveth thee to discourse on this subject.

Bhishma said: Thou hast sprung from a portion of the god of righteousness. Thou art by nature observant of righteousness. Listen, O sinless one, with undivided attention, to these words resting on righteousness as their basis. Those regions that are owned by the high-souled gods, that are of diverse aspects and colours, of diverse descriptions and productive of diverse fruits, and that are of great excellence, those cars again that move at the will of the riders, those beautiful mansions and hells, those various pleasure-gardens embellished with golden lotuses, those regions that belong to the four Regents and other denizens of heaven, are O sire, spoken of as hells, when compared with the region of the Supreme Soul.

The region last spoken of (region of the Supreme Soul) is without any fear (of change for the worse), uncreate (and therefore, in its true nature), without pain of any kind (such as ignorance and delusion), without any agreeable or disagreeable element, beyond the reach of the three attributes (of Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas), freed from the eight incidents, (viz., the five primal elements, the senses, the mind, and the intellect), without the three (distinctions between the knower, the known, and act of knowing); freed also from the four attributes (seeing, hearing, thinking, and knowing), without the fourfold causes (of knowledge), without joy and delight and sorrow and disease.

Time (in his forms of past, present and future) arises there for use. Time is not the ruler there. That supreme region is the ruler of Time as also of Heaven. That Reciter who becomes identified with his Soul (by withdrawing everything into it) goes there. He has, after this, never to feel any sorrow. This region is called Supreme. The other regions (of which I have first spoken) are hell. I have not told thee of all those regions that are called hell. Indeed, in comparison with that foremost of regions all the others are called hell.


More on the subject of karma and its fruits is available at:

http://www.hinduism.co.za/heavenhell.htm

Om Namah Shivaya

Vaishnava
04 September 2010, 11:52 PM
Hinduism indeed gives us descriptions of hellish and heavenly planets as known from the scriptures pointed out by our other friends here. This frog has understood there is more to the world than my well. But eternal damnation is not a concept of Hinduism.

Whether in earth or in hell or in heaven, pleasure and pain is a product of Karma only. But it is temporary as indicated by upanishads and Gita. This much said, in hell suffering is more while in heaven pleasure i more, but in both there is an end after that portion of Karma is exhausted.

Gita Chapter IX - 21:

"Having enjoyed the spacious world of heaven, they return to the world of mortals when their merit is exhausted. Thus, those who follow the Vedic rituals and are drawn by desires, come and go."

Distasteful incidents, perverted intellect and thoughts are products of bad karma. Here and now we have a choice of taking up to please and surrender to God and get rid of both good and bad karma, like one gets rid of rusted and golden chains.