The Concept of Hell in the Garuda Purāṇa

Abstract

This research article, entitled “The Concept of Hell in the Garuḍa Purāṇa,” aims to examine the concept of hell as presented in the Garuḍa Purāṇa, with particular attention to its characteristics, causes of sin, and forms of karmic punishment. This qualitative study employs documentary research based on an analysis of the Sanskrit text from the Dharma Preta-kāṇḍa, chapters 3–49, of The Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇam, using a descriptive analytical method. The findings indicate that the Garuḍa Purāṇa presents a systematic depiction of hell through descriptions of the soul’s journey after death, the judgment of Yama, and the process of karmic retribution. Hell is classified into seven principal realms and thirty-one subsidiary realms, each corresponding to specific sins, most of which involve violations of moral principles and religious duties. In addition, postmortem rituals associated with the text reflect its role in alleviating karmic consequences and reinforcing the relationship between human actions and their results. The study demonstrates that the concept of hell in the Garuḍa Purāṇa functions not only as an explanation of the afterlife but also as a religious and social mechanism for cultivating moral values and regulating human behavior within Hinduism.