Hell, and mode of sufferings in the Hell – Shiva Purana

In the chapters 7 to 10 in Section 5 of Uma-saṃhita of Shiva Purana, Hell, and mode of sufferings in the Hell are narrated.

Hell, or Yamaloka or Naraka -
As a result of the four kinds of sins, all living beings go to Yamaloka which is about over four lakh KM. Men who have performed auspicious rites who are of gentle minds, endowed with the quality of compassion, go to Yama’s abode through the gentle entrance at the East. Sinners, habitually performing sinful actions and devoid of charitable nature, pass through the terrible path and enter Yama’s abode by the southern gate.

The sinners are tortured and harassed on the way. They are lonely, devoid of friends and relatives. They are dependent on others. They bewail their evil actions. They cry again and again.
Those who had not made any charitable gifts in the world feel thirsty along this path and vainly beg for water, feeling hungry they beg for food; oppressed by sunshine they beg for shade and distressed with dullness they request for fire. They vainly beg for happiness. But those who had made charitable gifts in the world have all the food and drink necessary for this journey and go ahead to Yama’s abode happily. Having thus traversed the path they finally reach the city of the dead with great hardship. They are then ushered into the presence of Yama by the emissaries after due announcement.

Yama welcomes with pleasure and due honour, all those who had performed auspicious rites in this world. After enjoying pleasures there, in the end when the merit is exhausted return to this place for reaping the fruit of what little evil you may have committed.” Men who have been virtuous are treated as friends by Yama. They see Yama with a gentle face.

Men who have been guilty of cruelties sec him in a terrible form. The attendants of Yama are innumerable. They are great heroes. They have complexions like the black collyrium. They appear terrifying with weapons lifted up. The sinners see Yama terrific to behold, surrounded by his attendants and they see Citragupta too equally terrible. Yama rebukes and reproaches the sinners. Lord Citragupta enlightens them with statements on virtue.

Description of the Hell (naraka) -
The sinners are stealers of other man’s riches, outragers of the modesty of other’s wives, arrogant of comeliness and might etc. Dharmaraja proclaims their evil actions and advises Mahacanda to purify them gradually in the fires of hell (naraka). At the end of the seventh nether-world Tala, there are twenty-eight Narakakotis situated in terrible darkness. These are Ghora, Sughora, Atighora, Mahaghora, Ghorarupa, Talatala, Bhayanaka, Kalaratri, Bhayotkaṭa, Canda, Mahacanda, Candakolahala, Pracaṇḍa, Caṇḍanayika, Padma, Padmāvatī, Bhita, Bhima, Bhisananayika, Vajra, Trikoṇa, Pancakoṇa, Sudirgha, Akhilartida, Sama, Bhimabala, Atyugra and Diptapraya. Thus, the cells of Naraka have been mentioned to you by their names. Each of these is meant for the torture for a particular sin. Thus, the twenty-eight cells for twenty-eight types of sins.
 
Pangs of hell -
Just as metals are melted in fire to remove their impurities so also sinners are put in hells in order to remove their sins. Here the tortures to the body are very severe. Men thus go from one hell to another and are tortured in all the hells.

The mode of sufferings in the Hell -
Tortures are inflicted on all the organs of the body with which the acts of sin had been committed. As a result of the previous tortures their minds and all sense-organs are put to great misery. Those who, despite being rich do not make monetary gifts due to greed, and those who dishonour guests visiting their houses at the proper time, commit sins and fall into dirty hell.

​Those who offer Bali to crow & dogs with Shiva’s mantras, and performing Homa duly, do not face Yama. They go straight to heaven. Hence this oblation shall be offered daily. He who serves the cow with faith and reverence deserves to maintain the sacrificial fires. He who forsakes it is drowned in the hell Tamisra. Hence after offering Bali to these at the door, the householder shall meditate for a short while. One shall feed the hungry guest staying in the same village with auspicious food, in accordance with his ability and with the same dishes as he partakes of himself. If a guest turns back from a house disappointed, he takes away all the merits of the householder and leaves his own sins behind. The fruit of good actions is immaterial because it is the sin that is prominent. His pleasure is insignificant since he has to undergo manifold suffering due to his bad deeds. He is put to misery and distress.