CROSSING THE RIVER VAITHARANI

What happens after death?

Hindus believe that they will have to cross a river called Vaitharani, after death.

Vaitarna or Vaitharani river, as mentioned in the Garuda Purana and various other Hindu religious texts, lies between the earth and the infernal Naraka, the realm of Yama, the Hindu god of death and is believed to purify one’s sins.

 Furthermore, while the righteous see it filled with nectar-like water, the sinful see it filled with blood. Sinful souls are supposed to cross this river after death. According to the Garuda Purana, this river falls on the path leading to the Southern Gate of the city of Yama. It is also mentioned that only sinful souls come via the southern gate.

However, other texts like the Harihareshwara Mahatmya in the Skanda Purana mention a physical river as well, that joins in the eastern ocean; he who bathes in it is supposed to forever be free from the torment of Yama. It first appears in the TirthaYatra Parva (Pilgrimage Episode) of the Mahabharat, where it is mentioned to be rising from the Vindhyas and falling into the Bay of Bengal after passing through Orissa as the present Baitarani River. 

Apart from that, it appears in Matsya Purana, and Vamana Purana. Finally, it is the Padma Purana which reveals the etymology of Vaitarani in Vaitarani Mahatmya, where it is defined as Vai (truly) tarini (saving) and it was brought on to the earth from Pathala, due to the penance of Parashurama resulting in a boon from Shiva.

It is equivalent to the Styx river in Greek mythology and is associated with the Vaitarani Vrata, observed on the eleventh day of the dark phase of the moon i.e., Krishna Paksha of Maghashirsha in the Hindu calendar, wherein a cow is worshipped and donated, which is believed to take one across the dreaded river as mentioned in the Garuda Purana. (verses 77-82).

When seen, the river inspires misery. It is a hundred yojanas in width and does not contain water. Instead, it is a river full of blood and pus, with a bank made of bone. For the sinful, it is impossible to cross the river. They are obstructed by hairy moss, crocodiles, flesh-eating birds, and a great many insects. When a sinner comes near the river, in an attempt to cross, it seethes and becomes overspread with smoke and flame. It is said that the sinful are hungry and thirsty, and so they drink, to fill their emptiness. For those that fall into Vaitarna, there is no rescue. The whirlpools take the fall into a lower region. For a moment the sinner stays until they rise to be washed again.

The hell surrounded by Vaitharani

The river was created for the sinful. It is nigh-impossible to cross, and the far bank cannot be seen.

There are a few ways to cross this river. It is important to note that only those souls who have sinned have to cross this river. The souls with good deeds or good karma do not travel on the path through which the Vaitarna River flows.

• A sinner who has done certain meritorious deeds can get a boat to cross the river after travelling on the terrible way of Yama for some time. These deeds include donating a cow, food, wealth or any sacrifice etc.
• It is said that even though a person is a sinner if he is following a real spiritual guru, the sinner can cross the river holding his Guru’s hand.
• If the sinner cannot cross using the above two methods, he has to wait many years till it is decided that he will cross or the servants of Yama drag him through the river.
• The descendants of the sinful soul can help him cross the river by chanting the name “Shree Gurudeva Datta”. This is the chant for the Hindu god Dattatreya.

After successfully crossing this river, the sinners reach the terrifying Southern Gate of the City of Yama. In this city, the sinners along with the souls with good deeds are judged by the Lord of Justice (Yama or Yamaraja). The sinners are taken to hell and the better souls are taken to heaven.

If a soul cannot cross the Vaitharna River then he cannot be taken to hell. He is stuck at its shore. Thus this prevents him from getting reborn on earth as a human or animal. These souls are considered ghosts who have not passed on and are stuck.