________________
PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
315
deep agitation then the soul contracts next life of hellish nature. It also contracts the life as a hellish being if it is much attached to hoarding. This hellish state has seven varieties. A hellish being exists for a minimum period of 10,000 years--not a day less.
In the state of a human being we at times suffer from headache, stomachache or any other physical ailment and we are unable to endure it. We try our best to get cured. We can not endure these pains here even for a day but there as a hellish being one has to endure such pains for millions of days.
In hell all types of diseases prevail. Not a single from them can be eliminated nor cured. In hell haunts eternal darkness. We would fail to imagine the density of that darkness. Having pierced through seven underground cellars from one into another we enter extremely pitchy darkness. The darkness in hell far excels this darkness in density. The ground in hell is slippery and sticky as if matted with phlegm or fat. One who walks over it tumbles down very frequently. Moreover, the ground there is very pointed and sharp and the treader is pricked as if with points of needles. Moreover there prevails unbearable filthy odour, which far surpasses, in acuteness the odour of putrefied corpses.
The denizens of hell begin to yell when they find 'Paramadhamis (The officers in charge of inflicting punishments) as they catch them, tie them, pierce through their bodies with spears; chop their bodies into pieces and pound them to powder. But the bodies of these hellish beings are of such nature that they rejoin into whole and everywhere pitious cries as "Save us, Relieve us” are heard resounding.
What is the reason of these tortures suffered by the Soul ? The reason is that the soul left no stone unturned in committing all sorts of sins, acts of violence, encouraging acts of passions and prejudice. Souls which are engrossed in temporal enjoyments have to undergo these tortures of hell. So one who is not desirous of suffering these torture should abandon all attachment for worldly enjoyments and should observe religious conduct having refrained himself from eighteen abodes of sins
Only in the life as a human being one can receive advice of a righteous preceptor and one can rightly devote oneself to god,
