SB 5.26.20 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.26.20

यस्त्विह वा अगम्यां स्त्रियमगम्यं वा पुरुषं योषिदभिगच्छति तावमुत्र कशया ताडयन्तस्तिग्मया सूर्म्या लोहमय्या पुरुषमालिङ्गयन्ति स्त्रियं च पुरुषरूपया सूर्म्या ॥ २० ॥

yas tv iha vā agamyāṁ striyam agamyaṁ vā puruṣaṁ yoṣid abhigacchati tāv amutra kaśayā tāḍayantas tigmayā sūrmyā lohamayyā puruṣam āliṅgayanti striyaṁ ca puruṣa-rūpayā sūrmyā.

[yas tv iha vaa agamyaam striyam agamyam vaa purusham yoshid abhigachchati taav amutra kashayaa taadayantas tigmayaa soormyaa lohamayyaa purusham aalingayanti striyam cha purusha-roopayaa soormyaa.]

Word-for-word

yaḥ — any person who tu — but iha — in this life vā — or agamyām — unsuitable striyam — a woman agamyam — unsuitable vā — or puruṣam — a man yoṣit — a woman abhigacchati — approaches for sexual intercourse tau — both of them amutra — in the next life kaśayā — by whips tāḍayantaḥ — beating tigmayā — very hot sūrmyā — by an image loha-mayyā — made of iron puruṣam — the man āliṅgayanti — they embrace striyam — the woman ca — also puruṣa-rūpayā — in the form of a man sūrmyā — by an image.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

yaḥ

any person who

but

iha

in this life

vā

agamyām

unsuitable

striyam

a woman

agamyam

unsuitable

vā

puruṣam

a man

yoṣit

a woman

abhigacchati

approaches for sexual intercourse

tau

both of them

amutra

in the next life

kaśayā

by whips

tāḍayantaḥ

beating

tigmayā

very hot

sūrmyā

by an image

loha-mayyā

made of iron

puruṣam

the man

āliṅgayanti

they embrace

striyam

the woman

also

puruṣa-rūpayā

in the form of a man

sūrmyā

by an image.

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.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

A man or woman who approaches an unsuitable 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. Tigmayā sūrmyā means “with a red hot statue.”

Personal Guidance

Illicit sexual contact ends in being forced to embrace red-hot iron forms. The very intimacy chased becomes a searing reversal. The Vedic principle: sex outside the framework of duty is itself eventually torture.

Reflection Questions

Where am I treating sex as recreation when scripture treats it as serious territory?
What boundary or commitment would protect both me and others from this reversal?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io