History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c75.417

v5.c75.417

Hell, see 'Naraka', 'Yama' and 'Citragupta', Buddhists took over the idea of hell 164; h. called *put* 161, clear references in Atharvaveda to, 155; description of the torments of 167-168, different views about whether it is a place 161; different numbers of hells 162-164, eighteen evil actions which lead to h. 173, four hells named in Taittirīya Āraṇyaka 155; is a man's lot when he transgresses his dharma 162, names of hells 162-163, no clear or express references in Ṛgveda to h 154, in Jain literature 163, land of everlasting fire for the devil and his myrmidons 170, no mention of tortures of hell in Ṛgveda 155, periods for which several sinners undergo torments of 164, Quranic ideas of 171n, seven hells, acc to Vedāntasūtra and Viṣṇupurāṇa 162, some Purāṇas state that the number of hells is crores 164; twenty-one hells mentioned by several works 162, torments in, described 167-168, task before modern Indian leaders is how to build up virtues of tolerance and respect for life apart from ideas of heaven and hell 172