Devi Bhagavata Purana — Skandha 8 — Chapter 21
DB 8 21.1
नरकस्वरूपवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच तस्यानुभावं भगवान् ब्रह्मपुत्रः सनातनः । सभायां ब्रह्मदेवस्य गायमान उपासते
narakasvarūpavarṇanam śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca tasyānubhāvaṃ bhagavān brahmaputraḥ sanātanaḥ | sabhāyāṃ brahmadevasya gāyamāna upāsate
Description of the nature of the hells. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: The eternal Lord, the son of Brahmā, sits in worship of him, singing his majesty in the assembly of the god Brahmā.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.2
उत्पत्तिस्थितिलयहेतवोऽस्य कल्पाः सत्त्वाद्याः प्रकृतिगुणा यदीक्षयाऽऽसन् । यद्रूपं ध्रुवमकृतं यदेकमात्मन्- नानाधात्कथमुह वेद तस्य वर्त्म
utpattisthitilayahetavo'sya kalpāḥ sattvādyāḥ prakṛtiguṇā yadīkṣayā''san | yadrūpaṃ dhruvamakṛtaṃ yadekamātman- nānādhātkathamuha veda tasya vartma
The kalpas, which are the causes of this (world's) origination, continuance and dissolution, and the guṇas of prakṛti beginning with sattva, came to be by whose mere glance; whose form is fixed and uncreated, and who, being one, held the many within himself — how then can one know his course?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.3
मूर्तिं नः पुरुकृपया बभार सत्त्वं संशुद्धं सदसदिदं विभाति यत्र । यल्लीलां मृगपतिराददेऽनवद्या- मादातुं स्वजनमनांस्युदारवीर्यः
mūrtiṃ naḥ purukṛpayā babhāra sattvaṃ saṃśuddhaṃ sadasadidaṃ vibhāti yatra | yallīlāṃ mṛgapatirādade'navadyā- mādātuṃ svajanamanāṃsyudāravīryaḥ
Out of great compassion for us he assumed a form, pure sattva, in which this real-and-unreal (world) shines forth; whose blameless play the lord of beasts took up, of noble valour, in order to capture the minds of his own people.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
DB 8 21.4
यन्नाम श्रुतमनुकीर्तयेदकस्मा- दार्तो वा यदि पतितः प्रलम्भनाद्वा । हन्त्यंहः सपदि नृणामशेषमन्यं कं शेषाद्भगवत आश्रयेत्युमुक्षुः
yannāma śrutamanukīrtayedakasmā- dārto vā yadi patitaḥ pralambhanādvā | hantyaṃhaḥ sapadi nṛṇāmaśeṣamanyaṃ kaṃ śeṣādbhagavata āśrayetyumukṣuḥ
Whose name, once heard, if one repeats it, even unintentionally — whether one be in distress, or fallen, or (utters it) in mockery — instantly destroys the sins of men entirely; what other (refuge) than Lord Śeṣa should one who wishes for release resort to?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.5
मूर्धन्यर्पितमणुवत्सहस्रमूर्ध्नो भूगोलं सगिरिसरित्समुद्रसत्त्वम् । आनन्त्यादनमितविक्रमस्य भूम्नः को वीर्याण्यधिगणयेत्सहस्रजिह्वः
mūrdhanyarpitamaṇuvatsahasramūrdhno bhūgolaṃ sagirisaritsamudrasattvam | ānantyādanamitavikramasya bhūmnaḥ ko vīryāṇyadhigaṇayetsahasrajihvaḥ
He of a thousand heads, upon one of whose heads the globe of the earth, with its mountains, rivers, oceans and creatures, rests like an atom — who, though he had a thousand tongues, could count the heroic deeds of that unbowed-in-valour, infinite (Lord), by reason of his endlessness?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.6
एवंप्रभावो भगवाननन्तो दुरन्तवीर्योरुगुणानुभावः । मूले रसायाः स्थित आत्मतन्त्रो यो लीलया क्ष्मां स्थितये बिभर्ति
evaṃprabhāvo bhagavānananto durantavīryoruguṇānubhāvaḥ | mūle rasāyāḥ sthita ātmatantro yo līlayā kṣmāṃ sthitaye bibharti
Of such power is the Lord Ananta, whose valour is unlimited and whose great qualities and majesty (are boundless); self-dependent, situated at the base of the nether world, he upholds the earth in play for its stability.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.7
एता ह्येवेह तु नृभिर्गतयो मुनिसत्तम । गन्तव्या बहुशो यद्वद्यथाकर्मविनिर्मिताः
etā hyeveha tu nṛbhirgatayo munisattama | gantavyā bahuśo yadvadyathākarmavinirmitāḥ
These indeed, O best of sages, are the courses that must be traversed here by men many times over, just as they are fashioned according to (their) deeds.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.8
यथोपदेशं च कामान्सदा कामयमानकैः । एतावतीर्हि राजेन्द्र मनुष्यमृगपक्षिषु
yathopadeśaṃ ca kāmānsadā kāmayamānakaiḥ | etāvatīrhi rājendra manuṣyamṛgapakṣiṣu
And according to instruction, by those who constantly desire objects of desire — so many indeed (are the courses), O lord of kings, among men, beasts and birds.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
DB 8 21.9
विपाकगतयः प्रोक्ता धर्मस्य वशगास्तथा । उच्चावचा विसदृशा यथाप्रश्नं निबोधत
vipākagatayaḥ proktā dharmasya vaśagāstathā | uccāvacā visadṛśā yathāpraśnaṃ nibodhata
The courses that are the ripening (of deeds) have been declared, and likewise those subject to dharma — high and low and dissimilar; learn (of them) as they were asked about.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
DB 8 21.10
नारद उवाच वैचित्र्यमेतल्लोकस्य कथं भगवता कृतम् । समानत्वे कर्मणां च तन्नो ब्रूहि यथातथम्
nārada uvāca vaicitryametallokasya kathaṃ bhagavatā kṛtam | samānatve karmaṇāṃ ca tanno brūhi yathātatham
Nārada said: How was this variety of the world made by the Lord, when deeds are equal? Tell us that as it truly is.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.11
श्रीनारायण उवाच कर्तुः श्रद्धावशादेव गतयोऽपि पृथग्विधाः । त्रिगुणत्वात्सदा तासां फलं विसदृशं त्विह
śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca kartuḥ śraddhāvaśādeva gatayo'pi pṛthagvidhāḥ | triguṇatvātsadā tāsāṃ phalaṃ visadṛśaṃ tviha
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Precisely by force of the doer's faith the courses too are of separate kinds; because it (faith) is of three qualities, their fruit here is always dissimilar.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.12
सात्त्विक्या श्रद्धया कर्तुः सुखित्वं जायते सदा । दुःखित्वं च तथा कर्तू राजस्या श्रद्धया भवेत्
sāttvikyā śraddhayā kartuḥ sukhitvaṃ jāyate sadā | duḥkhitvaṃ ca tathā kartū rājasyā śraddhayā bhavet
By sattvic faith happiness always arises for the doer; and likewise, by rajasic faith the doer's state becomes one of suffering.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.13
दुःखित्वं चैव मूढत्वं तामस्या श्रद्धयोदितम् । तारतम्यात्तु श्रद्धानां फलवैचित्र्यमीरितम्
duḥkhitvaṃ caiva mūḍhatvaṃ tāmasyā śraddhayoditam | tāratamyāttu śraddhānāṃ phalavaicitryamīritam
Suffering and delusion are declared (to result) from tamasic faith; and thus by the gradation of faiths the variety of fruits is explained.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.14
अनाद्यविद्याविहितकर्मणां परिणामजाः । सहस्रशः प्रवृत्तास्तु गतयो द्विजपुङ्गव
anādyavidyāvihitakarmaṇāṃ pariṇāmajāḥ | sahasraśaḥ pravṛttāstu gatayo dvijapuṅgava
Born of the ripening of the deeds prescribed by beginningless ignorance, the courses have come forth by the thousands, O bull among the twice-born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.15
तद्भेदान्वर्णयिष्यामि प्राचुर्येण द्विजोत्तम । त्रिजगत्या अन्तराले दक्षिणस्यां दिशीह वै
tadbhedānvarṇayiṣyāmi prācuryeṇa dvijottama | trijagatyā antarāle dakṣiṇasyāṃ diśīha vai
I shall describe their divisions largely, O best of the twice-born: here, in the interval of the three worlds, in the southern direction,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.16
भूमेरधस्तादुपरि त्वतलस्य च नारद । अग्निष्वात्ताः पितृगणा वर्तन्ते पितरश्च ह
bhūmeradhastādupari tvatalasya ca nārada | agniṣvāttāḥ pitṛgaṇā vartante pitaraśca ha
below the earth and above Atala, O Nārada, dwell the ancestral hosts called Agniṣvāttas, and the Fathers as well.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.17
वसन्ति यस्यां स्वीयानां गोत्राणां परमाशिषः । सत्याः समाधिना शीघ्रं त्वाशासानाः परेण वै
vasanti yasyāṃ svīyānāṃ gotrāṇāṃ paramāśiṣaḥ | satyāḥ samādhinā śīghraṃ tvāśāsānāḥ pareṇa vai
(the region) in which they dwell, wishing with concentrated mind that the highest blessings for their own lineages be swiftly fulfilled by the Supreme.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
DB 8 21.18
पितृराजोऽपि भगवान् सम्परेतेषु जन्तुषु । विषयं प्रापितेष्वेषु स्वकीयैः पुरुषैरिह
pitṛrājo'pi bhagavān sampareteṣu jantuṣu | viṣayaṃ prāpiteṣveṣu svakīyaiḥ puruṣairiha
The lord Yama too, king of the Fathers, when creatures have passed away and have been brought to his domain here by his own men,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.19
सगणो भगवत्प्रोक्ताज्ञापरो दमधारकः । यथाकर्म यथादोषं विदधाति विचारदृक्
sagaṇo bhagavatproktājñāparo damadhārakaḥ | yathākarma yathādoṣaṃ vidadhāti vicāradṛk
together with his hosts, intent upon the command declared by the Lord, wielder of punishment, discerning in judgement, assigns (them) according to their deeds and according to their faults.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.20
स्वान्गणान्धर्मतत्त्वज्ञान्सर्वानाज्ञाप्रवर्तकान् । सदा प्रेरयति प्राज्ञो यथादेशनियोजितान्
svāngaṇāndharmatattvajñānsarvānājñāpravartakān | sadā prerayati prājño yathādeśaniyojitān
The wise one constantly urges on his own attendants, who know the truth of dharma and carry out his orders, each appointed according to his post.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.21
नरकानेकविंशत्या संख्यया वर्णयन्ति हि । अष्टाविंशमितान्केचित्ताननुक्रमतो ब्रुवे नरकस्वरूपवर्णनं नामैकविंशोऽध्यायः
narakānekaviṃśatyā saṃkhyayā varṇayanti hi | aṣṭāviṃśamitānkecittānanukramato bruve narakasvarūpavarṇanaṃ nāmaikaviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ
They describe the hells as twenty-one in number; some (reckon) them as twenty-eight. I shall speak of them in order. — The chapter called the description of the nature of the hells, the twenty-first.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.22
तामिस्र अन्धतामिस्रो रौरवोऽपि तृतीयकः । महारौरवनामा च कुम्भीपाकोऽपरो मतः
tāmisra andhatāmisro rauravo'pi tṛtīyakaḥ | mahārauravanāmā ca kumbhīpāko'paro mataḥ
Tāmisra, Andhatāmisra, and Raurava the third, and the one named Mahāraurava, and Kumbhīpāka is held to be another;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.23
कालसूत्रं तथा चासिपत्रारण्यमुदाहृतम् । सूकरस्य मुखं चान्धकूपोऽथ कृमिभोजनः
kālasūtraṃ tathā cāsipatrāraṇyamudāhṛtam | sūkarasya mukhaṃ cāndhakūpo'tha kṛmibhojanaḥ
and Kālasūtra, and the Asipatra forest is mentioned, and the Boar's Mouth, and Andhakūpa, then Kṛmibhojana;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.24
संदंशस्तप्तमूर्तिश्च वज्रकण्टक एव च । शाल्मली चाथ देवर्षे नाम्ना वैरतणी तथा
saṃdaṃśastaptamūrtiśca vajrakaṇṭaka eva ca | śālmalī cātha devarṣe nāmnā vairataṇī tathā
And Saṃdaṃśa and Taptamūrti, and Vajrakaṇṭaka as well, and Śālmalī, and then, O divine seer, the one named Vairataṇī (Vaitaraṇī).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.25
पूयोदः प्राणरोधश्च तथा विशसनं मतम् । लालाभक्षः सारमेयादनमुक्तमतः परम्
pūyodaḥ prāṇarodhaśca tathā viśasanaṃ matam | lālābhakṣaḥ sārameyādanamuktamataḥ param
Pūyoda, and Prāṇarodha, and then Viśasana is reckoned; Lālābhakṣa, (and) Sārameyādana is stated after that.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.26
अवीचिरप्ययः पानं क्षारकर्दम एव च । रक्षोगणाख्यसम्भोजः शूलप्रोतोऽप्यतः परम्
avīcirapyayaḥ pānaṃ kṣārakardama eva ca | rakṣogaṇākhyasambhojaḥ śūlaproto'pyataḥ param
Avīci too, Apyaya (Apaḥ-pāna), the drinking (of liquor), and Kṣārakardama as well; the one called Rakṣogaṇa-sambhoja, and then Śūlaprota after that.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
DB 8 21.27
दन्दशूकोऽवटारोधः पर्यावर्तनकः परम् । सूचीमुखमिति प्रोक्ता अष्टाविंशतिनारकाः
dandaśūko'vaṭārodhaḥ paryāvartanakaḥ param | sūcīmukhamiti proktā aṣṭāviṃśatinārakāḥ
Dandaśūka, Avaṭārodha, and then Paryāvartanaka; (and) Sūcīmukha — thus the twenty-eight hells have been declared.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 8 21.28
इत्येते नारका नाम यातनाभूमयः पराः । कर्मभिश्चापि भूतानां गम्याः पद्मजसम्भव
ityete nārakā nāma yātanābhūmayaḥ parāḥ | karmabhiścāpi bhūtānāṃ gamyāḥ padmajasambhava
These, then, are the ones called hells, the supreme places of torment, and they are to be reached by beings according to their deeds, O son born of the lotus-born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition