tsaneladi Posted September 3, 2002 Report Share Posted September 3, 2002 I am reading Steven Rosens's SRI PANCA TATTVA book and am a bit confused on an issue. In 4.4, it refers to a dream and the appearance of the Lord of Hell, Yama. I was never aware that such a place existed in KC and am surprised to hear it mentioned in this context. If indeed this is correct, what actions would preceed a soul spending eternity in Hell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahnava Nitai Das Posted September 3, 2002 Report Share Posted September 3, 2002 The vedic concept of hell is somewhat different than the Christian concept. It is a place of education through punishment for extremely sinful people. It helps them to burn of their negative karma by providing them special bodies that can handle severe hardships. Once they have burned off their heavy karma, they are again born in a regular realm of existence. You can find more information about it in the fifth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethos Posted September 3, 2002 Report Share Posted September 3, 2002 Good answer ndas. Also, there is no 'eternal hell'. God's original desire is for us to enjoy with him through transcendental rasas. Rejecting this, the souls are allowed to exorcise their free will in the material world of which hell is a part. Eventually - maybe after an 'eternity' - the persons consciousness finally comes to the right conclusion about his position in the kingdom of God. Then he is allowed to return to the spiritual world from which he came. This allows for free will and fulfills the origianal desire of an omnipotent God. Can an omnipotent God's desire ever be frustrated? Perhaps you're taking the term 'eternal' in an absolute sense. I can remember from the Mahabharata that so many warriors were described as the best fighter or that various princesses were the most beautiful. Literally, they can't all be 'the best'. That's not the way the material world is set up. If everyone or many are the best, then no one is best. So it must be that these descriptions are to create extreme perspectives within us which we would otherwise consider to be ordinary - let's say - on the ladder of extremes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vsdprasad Posted September 3, 2002 Report Share Posted September 3, 2002 The vedic concept of hell is somewhat different than the Christian concept. It is a place of education through punishment for extremely sinful people. It helps them to burn of their negative karma by providing them special bodies that can handle severe hardships. Once they have burned off their heavy karma, they are again born in a regular realm of existence. You can find more information about it in the fifth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. After the death of a person with loads of bad karma, his soul goes to hell for getting punishment. But how will the soul suffer without a physical body? The pain is not associated to anything without a physical body. I still haven't read the canto in Srimad Bhagavatam for this one. -Prasad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2002 Report Share Posted September 3, 2002 >But how will the soul suffer without a physical body? There is pain in subtle bodies also.We dig our own hell because of mentality.However it is temporary and is illusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsaneladi Posted September 3, 2002 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2002 Thank you for your contributions all. I am grateful that each of you has tsken the time out of YOUR day to help me with my understanding. I have read and digested all the replies and will start the suggested reading when I finish this book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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