Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 34
Naraka-varṇana: The Hellish Planets and the Karmic Logic of Punishment
ये त्विह वा अन्धावटकुसूलगुहादिषु भूतानि निरुन्धन्ति तथामुत्र तेष्वेवोपवेश्य सगरेण वह्निना धूमेन निरुन्धन्ति ॥ ३४ ॥
ye tv iha vā andhāvaṭa-kusūla-guhādiṣu bhūtāni nirundhanti tathāmutra teṣv evopaveśya sagareṇa vahninā dhūmena nirundhanti.
Ceux qui, dans cette vie, enferment d'autres êtres vivants dans des puits sombres, des greniers ou des grottes de montagne sont placés après la mort dans l'enfer connu sous le nom d'Avaṭa-nirodhana. Là, ils sont eux-mêmes poussés dans des puits sombres, où des fumées toxiques et de la fumée les étouffent et ils souffrent très sévèrement.
FAQs
This verse states that those who trap beings in enclosed places like pits, granaries, or caves are punished after death by being confined in similar enclosures and choked by smoke and fire—mirroring the harm they caused.
In Canto 5, Chapter 26, Śukadeva explains the results of sinful actions to instruct Parīkṣit on dharma and karma, strengthening detachment from cruelty and encouraging a life oriented toward devotion and righteousness.
Avoid cruelty that restricts others’ breath, freedom, or safety—whether toward humans or animals—and cultivate compassion and protection; the Bhagavatam emphasizes that karmic reactions often reflect the very suffering one imposes.