Shloka 6
Pātāla and Naraka Enumeration; Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa and Nārāyaṇa’s Pervasion
असिपत्रवनः कृष्णो नानाभक्षश्च दारुणः / तथा पूयवहः पापो वह्निज्वालस्त्वधः शिराः
asipatravanaḥ kṛṣṇo nānābhakṣaśca dāruṇaḥ / tathā pūyavahaḥ pāpo vahnijvālastvadhaḥ śirāḥ
有一处黑暗的地狱名为“阿西帕特拉瓦那”（Asipatravana），极其可怖，罪人遭受种种被啖食之苦；又有罪狱“普耶瓦哈”（Pūyavaha），以及火焰炽燃的“瓦赫尼吉瓦拉”（Vahnijvāla）；并有“阿达赫希拉”（Adhaḥśirā），使人倒悬、头向下受刑。
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Naraka
Concept: Specific karmas ripen into specific experiential worlds; suffering is structured, not random.
Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-adhīna karma-phala (results governed by cosmic order); saṃsāra as consequence of avidyā-driven action.
Application: Avoid हिंसा/क्रूरता and harmful acts; cultivate restraint, compassion, and repentance before habits harden into destiny.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Type: naraka (hell-region)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: naraka-nāma lists and punishments (adjacent verses in 1.57; broader naraka descriptions in Pretakalpa sections)
FAQs
This verse lists specific Naraka realms to emphasize that pāpa (sinful) actions have definite karmic consequences, serving as a moral warning and a prompt toward dharmic living.
It indicates that after death, the jīva may be taken to distinct punitive realms (Narakas) corresponding to wrongdoing, where it undergoes suffering before moving on in its karmic course.
Use it as a reminder to avoid harmful acts, practice self-restraint and compassion, and follow dharma—reducing pāpa and cultivating ethical conduct that supports a better post-death trajectory.