Questions relating to Swarga (heaven) and Narak (hell) asked by Uttam Raja answered appropriately by Bhagwan Shri Hari.
Questions relating to Swarga (heaven) and Narak (hell) asked by Uttam Raja answered appropriately by Bhagwan Shri Hari.
Suvrat said:-
O King, on the night of Prabodhini, Shri Haritold the story of Prabodhini to his devotees, keeping them awake till late night. 1.
After completing the story, he admired and praised the importance of good deeds and preached the disadvantages of sinful bad deeds. 2.
Then the king, honoring very respectfully, asked with joined palms these questions. 3.
The king asked:-
O Lord, in this world, worldly beings are seen having independence to perform various acts and possess attitudes, both good and bad. 4.
People get Narak (hell) on Svarg (heaven) due to their sinful or good, pious deeds. So which acts take them to heaven and which acts take them to hell? 5.
Characteristics of persons who go hell.
Suvrat said:-
O King, Sri Hari told that intelligent King the two fold acts (Karma) and their effects. 6.
Sri Narayan muni said:-
Those who forcefully take away another man’s wife, those who lure and tempt another man’s wife and those who rape another man’s wife are said to have performed three sinful acts that take them to hell. 7.
Those who take away the wealth of others, who destroy the wealth of others and those who disclose the faults of others, go to hell (Narak). 8.
Those who destroy places providing charitable drinking water, those who destroy assemblies and meetings and those who destroy bridges and houses surely go to hell. 9.
Those who torture, threaten and frighten orphans, women, infants, children, old men and women and ascetic women or deceive them have hell as their abode. 10.
Those who destroy the working places of Brahmins, those who destroy houses of others and other people’s belongings, and people who break marriages beget hell. 11- 12.
Those who are heretical, who blame Vedas and Vedic scholars, and those who blame and criticize Vedic religion beget hell. 13.
Those who engage themselves in corrupt deeds and those who make monetary profits illegally are sinners who beget hell. 14.
Those who engage themselves in gambling, those who blame without any checks and observations and those who follow violence are all the residents of hell. 15.
Those who destroy and torture the people who toil for money and hope for brighter future and those who poison minds of others are all sinners. 16.
Those who torture their own wives, those who eat full meals keeping the guests hungry without giving them food, those who do not offer manes to forefathers are all the residents of hell. 17.
Those who earn money by commercializing Vedas, those who blame Vedas and those who blame writers of Vedas are all sinful people. 18.
Those who are sellers of hairs, who are sellers of poisons and those who live by earning unlawfully are the residents of hell. 19.
Those who sell bows, arrows, weapons without having license of sell are sinners. 20. Those who block the path by keeping obstacles like stones, sharp thorns and other conical obstructions are all sinners. 21.
Those who abandon their priests, servants and devotees at no fault of them (are sinners). 22.
Those who castrate the testicles of calves, those who torture animals by piercing their nostrils when not necessary are sinners. 23.
Those kings who do not look after their subjects, hate and neglect them, take their wealth by force and do not donate alms despite being rich are the residents of hell. 24.
Thus, I’ve told about all those who are sinners and those who are engaged in performance of sinful deeds. Now I’ll tell you about pious, good tempered people who will deservedly go to heaven. 25.
Those who follow religion by penance and by giving alms, those who follow religion with deep faith and respect and those that are truthful go to heaven. 26.
Characteristics of persons who go to heaven.
Those people who serve their teachers and students, those who impart knowledge and those who give wealth to the needful go to heaven. 27.
Those who even in calamity, difficulty, poverty, diseases, anger them and don’t give up doing good deeds, pious acts, goodness are the residents of heaven. 28-29.
Those who forgive the defaulters, those who are courageous, those who perform religious deeds, those who engage themselves in auspicious acts are sure to go to heaven. 30.
Those who do not even eat the flesh of a sacrificed animal and food that is not obtained from begging, those who do not have even a glance at another woman and those who keep away from wine are sure to live in heaven. 31.
Those who stick to their essential duties, those who perform all the acts and duties towards their family as per rituals and tradition and those who perform their duties as citizens surely have a seat in heaven. 32.
Those who have abandoned all kinds of violent deeds, those who are helpful to others, those who carry on their duties cooperatively and those who offer shelter to the needy surely go to heaven after death. 33.
Those who serve their parents, teachers and who are optimum/ moderate eaters are sure to go to heaven. 34.
Despite being rich, wealthy, strong and stout, those who do not boast about it and live without pride are fit to be the residents of heaven. 35.
Those who are friendly even to sinful people, those who feel sad at the grief of others, and those who are soft-hearted in their disposition to others are the residents of heaven. 36.
Those who satisfy thousands of people, Brahmins and all, those who offer shelter to the needy and those who are the saviors of others are fit to be the residents of heaven. 37.
Those who donate food, cows, money, gold, wealth and water to the poor and needy are sure to go to heaven. 38.
Those who suitably donate money, substances and food items to marriageable youths aresure to find a place in heaven. 39.
O King, those who setup places for supplying charitable water, asylums, orphanages and wells are the residents of heaven. 40-41.
‘O King, those who construct roadside Dharmshala (house) for pilgrims traveling to holy places and those who offer their own houses for accommodating the needy pilgrims and saints are sure to have a place in heaven. 42.
Those who have love, courtesy, mercy and pity for all the creatures, those who are moved by the pains, worries and unhappiness of others are the residents of heaven. Those who keep away from grabbing the wealth of others, those who do not have lustful covetousness to others’ wives and those who are satisfied with food earned through lawful ways are sure to go to heaven. 43.
Those who treat other women as their mothers, sisters and daughters are the residents of heaven. 44.
Those who stay away from engaging in theft, those who are always content with what they have and those who live as per their destiny are the residents of heaven. 45.
Those who observe celibacy, look who don’t look towards other women with lustful eyes and those who have overcome their sense organs are sure to be in heaven after death. 46.
Those who behave politely, those who do not hurt others by act, words and behavior, those who speak gently, politely, softly and in melodious tone and those who welcome others with an open heart are sure to have a place in heaven. 47.
Those who never utter harsh words or hurting words, those who never speak curtly to others, those who are truthful to their friends and do not betray their trust are sure to find a place in heaven. 48.
Those who avoid brutal acts towards others, speak the truth and treat all beings as equals are sure to be in heaven. 49.
Those who are not traitors, who treat all as equals, who are the same to all are the residents of heaven. 50.
Those people who do not get angry, those who never speak heart-breaking words any time and those who utter soft words and behave calmly despite being angry, go to heaven. 51.
Those who do not feel happy while accidentally stumbling upon wealth in a village, house or at lonely places and do not collect that money are sure be in heaven. 52.
Those people who do not take advantage of the advances of a woman who lures and tempts them lustfully and do not wish her company will beget heaven. 53.
Those who treat friends as well as enemies equally and those who treat all others equally are sure to find a place in heaven. 54.
Those who are always pure, faithful, pious, truthful and are always contented in the love of their friends are sure to be in heaven. 55.
Those who are faithful, merciful, truth-lovers, those who know what is true religion and what is not religion surely have their home in heaven. 56.
Those people who are lovers of justice, those who honor and respect virtues and those who honor Brahmins and perform their duties towards them are the residents of heaven. 57.
Thus, those who behave accordingly (as detailed above) certainly live in heaven, ‘O King! 58.
Those who attain the birth of humans (which is rare) and carry out their duties for the good and welfare of others are respected and are blessed. 59.
Suvrat said:-
hearing thus from Lord, the king was very pleased and happy. Others devotees were happy and very pleased; they all respectfully bowed down to Shri Hari. 60.
Then on the following day thousands of Brahmins were given meals by Shri Hari. 61.
Then Shri Hari told all who had assembled from remote places to go to their respective places, many of them stayed there instead. 62.
O, King, due to deep respect and devotion towards Shri Hari, they all spent their time in singing, hearing, remembering and worshipping him. 63.
Thus ends the fourteenth chapter entitled ‘Description of Good and Sinful deeds’ in the fourth Prakaran of Satsangijivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 14
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -