Canto 5: Creative Impetus

A Description of the Hellish Planets

5.26.29

yas tv iha vai vipro rajanyo vaisyo va soma-pithas tat-kalatram va suram vrata-stho ’pi va pibati pramadatas tesam nirayam nitanam urasi padakramyasye vahnina dravamanam karsnayasam nisincanti.

SYNONYMS

yah—anyone who; tu—but; iha—in this life; vai—indeed; viprah—a learned brahmana; rajanyah—a ksatriya; vaisyah—a vaisya; va—or; soma-pithah—drink soma-rasa; tat—his; kalatram—wife; va—or; suram—liquor; vrata-sthah—being situated in a vow; api—certainly; va—or; pibati—drinks; pramadatah—out of illusion; tesam—of all of them; nirayam—to hell; nitanam—being brought; urasi—on the chest; pada—with the foot; akramya—stepping; asye—in the mouth; vahnina—by fire; dravamanam—melted; karsnayasam—iron; nisincanti—they pour into.

TRANSLATION

Any brahmana or brahmana’s wife who drinks liquor is taken by the agents of Yamaraja to the hell known as Ayahpana.

This hell also awaits any ksatriya, vaisya, or person under a vow who in illusion drinks soma-rasa.

In Ayahpana the agents of Yamaraja stand on their chests and pour hot melted iron into their mouths.

PURPORT

One should not be a brahmana in name only and engage in all kinds of sinful activities, especially drinking liquor.

Brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas must behave according to the principles of their order.

If they fall down to the level of sudras, who are accustomed to drink liquor they will be punished as described herein.