By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda



Generally a man should not have sexual relations with any woman other than his wife. According to Vedic principles, the wife of another man is considered one’s mother, and sexual relations are strictly forbidden with one’s mother, sister and daughter. If one indulges in illicit sexual relations with another man’s wife, that activity is considered identical with having sex with one’s mother. This act is most sinful. The same principle holds for a woman also; if she enjoys sex with a man other than her husband, the act is tantamount to having sexual relations with her father or son. Illicit sex life is always forbidden, and any man or woman who indulges in it is punished in the manner described in this verse.

A person who indulges in sex indiscriminately—even with animals—is taken after death to the hell known as Vajrakantaka-śālmalī. In this hell there is a silk-cotton tree full of thorns as strong as thunderbolts. The agents of Yamarāja hang the sinful man on that tree and pull him down forcibly so that the thorns very severely tear his body. (SB 5.26.21)

The sexual urge is so strong that sometimes a man indulges in sexual relations with a cow, or a woman indulges in sexual relations with a dog. Such men and women are put into the hell known as Vajrakantaka-śālmalī. The Krishna consciousness movement forbids illicit sex. From the description of these verses, we can understand what an extremely sinful act illicit sex is. Sometimes people disbelieve these descriptions of hell, but whether one believes or not, everything must be carried out by the laws of nature, which no one can avoid.

A person who is born into a responsible family—such as a kshatriya, a member of royalty or a government servant—but who neglects to execute his prescribed duties according to religious principles, and who thus becomes degraded, falls down at the time of death into the river of hell known as Vaitarani. This river, which is a moat surrounding hell, is full of ferocious aquatic animals. When a sinful man is thrown into the River Vaitarani, the aquatic animals there immediately begin to eat him, but because of his extremely sinful life, he does not leave his body. He constantly remembers his sinful activities and suffers terribly in that river, which is full of stool, urine, pus, blood, hair, nails, bones, marrow, flesh and fat. (SB 5.26.22)

The shameless husbands of lowborn śūdra women live exactly like animals, and therefore they have no good behavior, cleanliness or regulated life. After death, such persons are thrown into the hell called Pūyoda, where they are put into an ocean filled with pus, stool, urine, mucus, saliva and similar things. Śūdras who could not improve themselves fall into that ocean and are forced to eat those disgusting things. (SB 5.26.23)

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Thākura has sung,

karma-kānda, jnāna-kānda,     kevala vishera bānda,

amrta baliyā yebā khāya

nānā yoni sadā phire,     kadarya bhakshana kare,

tāra janma adah-pate yāya

He says that persons following the paths of karma-kānda and jnāna-kānda (fruitive activities and speculative thinking) are missing the opportunities for human birth and gliding down into the cycle of birth and death. Thus there is always the chance that he may be put into the Pūyoda Naraka, the hell named Pūyoda, where one is forced to eat stool, urine, pus, mucus, saliva and other abominable things. It is significant that this verse is spoken especially about śūdras. If one is born a śūdra, he must continually return to the ocean of Pūyoda to eat horrible things. Thus even a born śūdra is expected to become a brāhmana; that is the meaning of human life. Everyone should improve himself. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita (4.13), cātur-varnyam mayā srishtam guna-karma-vibhāgaśah: “According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, four divisions of human society were created by Me.” Even if one is by qualification a śūdra, he must try to improve his position and become a brāhmana. No one should try to check a person, no matter what his present position is, from coming to the platform of a brāhmana or a Vaishnava. Actually, one must come to the platform of a Vaishnava. Then he automatically becomes a brāhmana.

This can be done only if the Krishna consciousness movement is spread, for we are trying to elevate everyone to the platform of Vaishnava. As Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita (18.66), sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaranam vraja: “Abandon all other duties and simply surrender unto Me.” One must give up the occupational duties of a śūdra, kshatriya or vaiśya and adopt the occupational duties of a Vaishnava, which include the activities of a brāhmana. Krishna explains this in Bhagavad-gita (9.32):

mām hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye ‘pi syuh pāpa-yonayah

striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ‘pi yānti parām gatim


Human life is specifically meant for going back home, back to Godhead. That facility should be given to everyone, whether one be a śūdra, a vaiśya, a woman or a kshatriya. This is the purpose of the Krishna consciousness movement. However, if one is satisfied to remain a śūdra, he must suffer as described in this verse: tad evātibībhatsitam aśnanti.

[Bhaktivedanta Purports to verse 20-23, Chapter Twenty Six, Canto Five of the Srimad Bhagavatam]

Complete description of the hellish planets is given in the Fifth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam. To read the entire account, download a free e-copy now.





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  1. This is a very important post. This also relates to Shri Krishna’s instructions to Arjuna regarding the pollution of the women when there are no men to protect them. This problem with illicit sex has created a population all over the world of people who are more like cockroaches. Look at the rapes, bride burning, abortion etc that are a daily occurance in India. All due to low class people and low class sexual habits leading to overpopulation. Actually there is never overpopulation, but overpopulation means unwanted population or varnasankara. The result of this illicit sex will be a great nuclear war that clears these unwanted demons off the face of the earth. That is why devotees must have farms away from the great havens of illicit sex, the metropolises.

    Patita Pavana Das


    • Sir, there is no heaven or hell. These are superstitions to threaten people to lead a pious life. You don’t need these fairy tales to maintain a clean and pious life. Only determination and self-confidence is sufficient. Har Har Mahadeva


      • Dear Ms. Nilalohita,

        These are not fairy tales. The scriptures provide factual knowledge about the existence of heaven and hell. Don’t talk rubbish such as “determination and self-confidence are enough to maintain a clean and pious life.”

        So do you want to say that the thieves and other impious people have no determination and self-confidence? If yes, then you are OUT OF YOUR WITS. The thieves, smugglers, murderers, etc. have no dearth of determination and self-confidence. If they had no determination or self-confidence, they wouldn’t be able to steal, rob or kill.

        So don’t talk such rubbish. Think before you talk.

        Hare Krishna.
        Niraj Bidawatka


  2. Can anybody please explain this :

    If after death soul goes to hell then how come body is tormented here and Bhagwad Gita also says that soul cannot be cut, drenched or burnt then how come such punishments apply to soul?


    • Dear Anonymous,

      The body is destroyed here and when the soul is taken to the hellish planets, he is awarded a new body, which is especially fit for undergoing the various kinds of punishments that are inflicted in hell.

      When a criminal is sent to Jail, the clothes, which he is wearing, are taken away and new set of clothing is given to him. Similarly, when a man dies, his present body is taken away and a new body is given to him. This change of bodies is called death. A pious man is given a good quality body so that he may enjoy in heaven, whereas a sinful man is given an inferior body so that he may endure the punishments inflicted in hell.

      Your next point is that the soul cannot be cut, burnt or drenched, so how do the punishments apply to him? The answer is that, since the soul is identifying himself as the body, any punishment inflicted upon the body is taken by the said conditioned soul as punishment inflicted upon himself.

      Hare Krishna.
      Niraj Bidawatka, Editor
      The Hare Krishna Revolution


  3. Plzz let me know if I think of making love with the person I lv BT I know that I can’t marry him because of some issues.
    Is that a sin of thinking for making lv with him as well.because I love him so desperately and the love is so true and pure😖


    • Ms. Nikita,

      As per the highest principles of Krishna consciousness, thinking of anything or any person, apart from Krishna, His name, His form, His abode, His devotees and His paraphernalia, is a sin.

      The Bhagavatam suggests that we should divert our lust towards Krishna. Make Krishna your beloved and think of making love with Krishna. That would never be a sin. It would be considered as the highest pious activity.

      Hare Krishna.
      Yours in the service of Krishna,
      Niraj Bidawatka, Editor
      The Hare Krishna Revolution


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