![]() Even ‘Muktiyogyas’, where the souls are eligible for ‘mukti’ or ‘moksha’ and ‘Nitya-samsarins’ are forever transmigrating ones in ‘Dvaita’ theology can experience Naraka for punishment. After the completion of the punishment period, they are reborn on earth as human or animal bodies. Illustration of Naraka in Different Religions According to several religions like Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism, Naraka means a place of suffering, or in simple words it means Hell. Following are the different types of representation of Naraka in different religions: ![]() The names of Naraka is common in Hinduism namely Tamisra (darkness), Andhatamisra (blind-darkness), Raurava (fearful), Maharaurava (great-fearful), Kumbhipaka (cooked in a pot), Kalasutra (thread of Time/Death), Asipatravana/Asipatrakanana (forest of sword leaves), Shukaramukha (hog's mouth), Andhakupa (well with its mouth hidden), Krimibhojana/Krimibhaksha (worm-food), Sandansa/Sandamsa (hell of pincers), Taptasurmi/Taptamurti (red-hot iron statue), Vajrakantaka-salmali (silk-cotton tree with thorns like thunderbolts), Vaitarni/Vaitarna (to be crossed), Puyoda (water of pus), Pranarodha (obstruction to life), Visashana (murderous), Lalabhaksa (saliva as food), Sarameyadana (hell of the sons of Sarama), Avici/Avicimat (waterless/waveless), Ayahpana (iron-drink), Ksarakardama (acidic/saline mud/filth), Raksogana-bhojana (food of Rakshasas), Shulaprota (pierced by sharp pointed spear/dart), Dandasuka (snakes), ![]() Buddhism: In Buddhism, Naraka is described as the dreadful sufferings of human beings in the several bottomless layers of Narakas. Interestingly, Hell is also a condition of consciousness and this torment does not take place after the death of beings, when the soul vacates the physical body, but it takes place during incarnation. It is well associated with the law of karma where one’s inner self and outer actions bear their fruits sooner or later. Jainism: Naraka in Jainism is the name that is given to dominion of survival in Jain cosmology having immense pain. The teachings of Jainism state that the length of stay of a human being in a Naraka is not eternal. Naraka is a straight end result of his or her previous actions of body, mind and speech that is karma, and dwells there for a limited time span until the karma has attained its complete result. The Jain texts also mention that these hells or Narakas are placed in the seven grounds basically at the inferior portion of the universe and these are - Naraka, as a whole, is known by several names conveying that it is the empire of Yama called ‘Yamaloka’ or ‘M?ityuloka’ - the plane of Death. Yama is helped by his minister Chitragupta, who keeps a record of all good and evil actions of every living being. Yama-dhutas are also assigned the job of executing the punishments on sinners in the different hells. |
More ArticlesNaraka (17) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||
|
Naraka