Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 1

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 76

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pain is yours, lady, thinking yourself afflicted ? Hear the afictions of others. From the modifications of their karma souls are born in hell, doomed to be cut apart, doomed to mutilation, and to have their heads cut off. Some are pressed by machines as if they were pressing sesame-seed; some are torn by cruel saws just as if they were tearing a piece of wood. Some are made to lie constantly on couches with cotton made of spikes ; some are thrown on rocks by demons, as if they were clothes. Some are beaten like iron-pots by hard ironhammers; some are divided into many pieces like a handful of vegetables. Their bodies are put together again, and the same thing is done again and again. Experiencing that pain they wail piteously. When they wish to drink, they have to drink hot tin repeatedly; seeking shade, they are seated under a tree that has leaves as narrow as swords. The hell-inhabitants, reminded of their former actions, are not allowed to exist even a moment in hell without pain. O child, the hell-eunuchs'88 pain causes pain to people just from being heard in entirety.
Furthermore, one can see with one's own eyes that creatures of water, land, and air suffer all kinds of pain arising from their karma. The sea-creatures devour each other voluntarily and eagerly. They are caught by fishermen, and devoured by cranes, etc. They are opened by people skinning them, they are roasted as if roasted on a spit ; they are cooked by people wishing to eat them, and swallowed by those wishing their marrow. Creatures on land—the weak, such as the deer, are killed by the stronger, such as the lion, who devour their flesh. Innocent, they are killed by this or that device by men whose minds are devoted to hunting for sport, or from desire for the meat. They endure pain from hunger, thirst, cold, heat, imposition of excessive burdens, etc., from thongs,
88 569. Nārakasandha. Hell-inhabitants and jivas arising from coagulation are neuter, napunsaka. T. 2. 50.
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