Canto 5: The Creative ImpetusChapter 26: A Description of the Hellish Planets

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.26.20

yas tv iha vā agamyāḿ striyam agamyaḿ vā puruṣaḿ yoṣid abhigacchati tāv amutra kaśayā tāḍayantas tigmayā sūrmyā lohamayyā puruṣam ālińgayanti striyaḿ ca puruṣa-rūpayā sūrmyā

SYNONYMS

yaḥ — any person who; tu — but; ihain this life; — or; agamyām — unsuitable; striyama woman; agamyam — unsuitable; — or; puruṣama man; yoṣita woman; abhigacchati — approaches for sexual intercourse; tau — both of them; amutrain the next life; kaśayā — by whips; tāḍayantaḥ — beating; tigmayā — very hot; sūrmyā — by an image; loha-mayyāmade of iron; puruṣam — the man; ālińgayanti — they embrace; striyam — the woman; ca — also; puruṣa-rūpayāin the form of a man; sūrmyā — by an image.

TRANSLATION

A man or woman who indulges in sexual intercourse with an unworthy member of the opposite sex is punished after death by the assistants of Yamarāja in the hell known as Taptasūrmi. There such men and women are beaten with whips. The man is forced to embrace a red-hot iron form of a woman, and the woman is forced to embrace a similar form of a man. Such is the punishment for illicit sex.

PURPORT

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.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness