A butcher goes to hell. A tale of redemption
A cruel butcher goes to hell and finds redemption after a long period of suffering resulting from his actions
This is a small fictional story on the path of a sinful soul through hell according to the scriptures, especially the descriptions in the 5th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. We may read about the punishments a sinful person faces in hell, but it is hard to understand the extension or the purpose of it.
There are 8,400,000 different forms of life available in the material universe, and different souls cycle through these different forms in an unlimited cycle. It is easy to understand that souls now present in animal bodies are slowly evolving through these different species in the direction of the human form, but there is also the opposite path, in which a human being can fall back into the lower species and from there have to go again through this cycle. This is called sinful life.
Souls don't originate in this material world, all souls who are conditioned here come originally from a pure state of existence and as such started by taking birth in high positions, consistent with their original high level of consciousness. By taking the path of sensual enjoyment, however, these souls gradually glide down to lower species, gradually becoming human beings. Human life is the universal crossroads, where we are free to act as we desire but are forced to accept the results of such actions.
This is a tale about a cruel butcher who goes to hell and finds redemption after a long period of suffering resulting from his actions. It describes the real function of hell and life in the lower species: create a path for sinful souls that, although filled with suffering, gives them a chance to change their ways.
Dushta the cruel
In a small town in India, in an era lost in time, lived a butcher named Dushta. His shop was ever-busy. Famed for his skill in preparing meats of all kinds, goat, buffalo, chicken, fish, and others, none escaped his blade. Dushta’s trade was not merely an occupation; it was a reflection of his inner heart. He used to find a dark pleasure in the suffering of animals, torturing them without mercy, enjoying the feeling of power over their lives and the capacity to inflict suffering. Over the years, his heart grew cold and unfeeling, like the lifeless meat he handled daily.
Sometimes, his neighbors would speak to him about karma and the consequences of sinful deeds. But Dushta merely brushed off their words with a smug grin, convinced he was beyond any consequences. He scoffed at the scriptures, mocked the teachings of the previous saints, and laughed, saying, "I do what I please, and I face no consequence."
One night, as Dushta locked his shop, a sudden, sharp pain seized his chest. He staggered, clutching his heart, and within moments, collapsed. Just as he had ended the lives of countless animals without warning, his own life came to an abrupt end. As his vision faded, he found himself bound and dragged through a very long, blazing path by ghastly figures he couldn’t comprehend. After a march that felt endless, he arrived in a great hall, still bound by the ropes of those fierce creatures.
The meeting with Yamaraja
Before him was a grand court, unlike any palace he had seen. Dushta was taken into the presence of Yamaraja, the Lord of Death and the judge of all conditioned souls. Yamaraja’s presence was stern, his penetrating gaze revealing wisdom that could perceive every truth.
The hall fell silent as Yamaraja reviewed the detailed record of Dushta’s life, which cataloged his every deed. His assistant, Chitragupta, read aloud his sins: "Butchery and cruelty, countless lives taken without mercy, ridicule of scripture, mockery of devotees."
Dushta, now immersed in fear, tried to defend himself. "It was only my work… I did what I had to do to survive." But Yamaraja’s unyielding gaze exposed every hidden cruelty, every taunt, and each sneer he had shown toward the suffering of others.
"It was more than a trade." Yamaraja’s voice resounded across the chamber. "You willingly chose hardness of heart and delighted in causing pain to others. Now, you must experience the results of your actions."
Facing the results of his cruelty
After hearing this judgment, Dushta was seized by the terrifying servants of Yamaraja, the Yamadutas, and led to the dreadful realms of the hellish planets, to face the fruits of his karma. In these worlds of punishment, Dushta endured tortures that mirrored the pain he had caused.
In Raurava, Dushta felt constant fear, pursued by fierce beings, reliving the terror he had instilled in animals. Each step brought searing pain, and the cries of countless souls echoed around him, reminding him of the lives he had taken without mercy. In Maharaurava, his body was pierced with searing implements, feeling the agony he had inflicted on others. In Tamisra, he was thrust into blinding darkness, beaten and abandoned, feeling the desolation he had once shown to the animals he tortured. His cries now went unheard, his pleas ignored, just as he had once ignored the cries of innocent creatures. In Kumbhipaka, Dushta was boiled in scorching oil, a torment reflecting his merciless actions.
Each realm presented a new ordeal, each torment reflecting the pain he had caused in his lifetime. The punishments continued until the karmic scales began to balance, with each experience imprinting in him the suffering he once dismissed.
Such punishments described in the scriptures may seem too harsh, but they illustrate the relentless nature of this material world. A devotee is personally protected by Krishna, who protects him from the direct brunt of his karmic reactions, allowing him to experience only part of it, sufficient to make him learn his lessons and understand this material world is not such a good place. Even if not perfect, a devotee has some devotion to the Lord, and thus, the Lord makes himself present in his life, gradually guiding him back to Godhead. For an atheistic person like Dushta, however, there is no God, and therefore, the Lord reciprocates by becoming absent from his life. A sinful person has thus freedom to exert his free will (or misuse it, like in the case of Dushta), but he has to eventually face the karmic results, for no deeds go unanswered in the material world. Because of their determination to deny the existence of God, they face the full brunt of the mechanical and indifferent karmic system. It's very dangerous to be an atheist, especially a sinful one.
Redemption
After finishing his sentence in the hellish realms, Dushta’s former identity dissolved. His consciousness descended to the level of a lower creature, worn down by the conditioning imposed by Yamaraja’s servants. His journey continued on earth, as he was reborn into lives of suffering animals, confined and bound to silence. In one life, he endured slaughter, feeling the anguish of betrayal of a master he once trusted. In another, he was forced to labor without rest, experiencing the very hopelessness he had once caused. Lifetime after lifetime, Dushta suffered and died, with every cruel action from his previous life returned to him in the same measure.
After what felt like ages of suffering, he took birth as a human being again. Finally understanding the pain he had inflicted. Now his consciousness was molded into a new identity. Born to a maidservant, he was called Jagadish. The countless lives of hardship had softened his heart. Now, he understood pain, and he could relate to the suffering of others.
As Jagadish grew, he displayed gentleness and depth unusual for his age. His life was modest, and he labored without complaint, enduring mockery without resentment. His heart, softened by lifetimes of silent suffering, held a profound sense of empathy.
One day, while carrying firewood to a market in a nearby town, Jagadish heard a sweet sound—voices singing in joy. Drawn by curiosity, he followed the sound and found a group of people gathered in a lively kirtan. Men, women, and children sang and danced together, chanting the holy names of the Lord: "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."
A devotee noticed Jagadish watching and approached him with a kind smile. "Have you heard of Krishna?" he asked. Jagadish shook his head, mesmerized by the peace and joy radiating from the scene.
The devotee, Druva, handed him a book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. "This book will answer all your questions about life and suffering," he said gently.
Jagadish hesitated. "I cannot pay for this book. I have no money."
Druva reassured him, "You don’t have to. A generous soul sponsored many books, hoping they would reach those who need them. It’s yours."
Taking the book, Jagadish felt a warmth in his hands, as if something deep within him had waited lifetimes for this moment. He thanked the devotee and returned home. That night, by the light of a small lamp, he opened the book and began to read.
As he turned the pages, Jagadish uncovered profound truths about karma, the soul, and the cycles of birth and death. Each line resonated within him, stirring unconscious memories and realizations he could scarcely grasp. The words of Srila Prabhupada revealed to him the path of bhakti, devotion to the Supreme Lord, as the way to transcend suffering and re-attain our eternal blissful nature.
Jagadish learned that true peace lay not in avoiding pain but in surrendering to the Supreme, dedicating each thought and deed to the Lord’s service. In the days that followed, Jagadish immersed himself in the teachings, his life undergoing a quiet transformation. He stopped eating meat, recognizing the sanctity of life. His heart grew tender with compassion, seeing all creatures as fellow souls on a shared journey. The bitterness he had once carried dissolved, replaced by a steady joy.
With time, Jagadish joined the devotees, sharing in kirtan and distributing Prabhupada’s books, just as the devotees had done for him. In this way, the countless lifetimes of pain found purpose, as he dedicated himself to the service of others, guiding them toward the peace he had discovered.
Thus, transformed through suffering and awakened by mercy, the butcher Dushta found redemption in devotion, completing the circle of his journey. Through surrender to Krishna, he reached the feet of the Lord, fulfilling the highest purpose of human life.