Are Heaven and Hell Real? The Truth Behind Punishments Like Boiling in Oil

Question

In our scriptures, it is sometimes said that people are boiled in hot oil in hell because of their bad actions. What does this really mean? Is there actually such a hell?

Answer

We often hear that just as every tree grows from a seed, every human being also comes from the seed of past actions. And then these ideas appear in our traditions—like people being boiled in hot oil for their wrong deeds. So what does all this actually mean?

When the true knowledge of the scriptures becomes difficult for people to understand, when direct spiritual teaching is no longer grasped, then other methods are used to communicate the same truth. When the teachings about the Supreme Being become harder to understand—teachings that say the Supreme alone runs the universe, and that we can realize Him only when our mind and intellect become pure—then simpler and more symbolic methods are used.

As we move from Satya Yuga toward Kali Yuga, our inner state declines. Our mind and intellect become impure because our attention gets stuck on the body. When the mind is caught in selfishness, desires, and cravings, it loses its purity.

Now, how do you guide such a person toward good actions?
For example, if I am strongly identified with the body and I want to get my child admitted into a good college—and their marks aren’t enough—my mind might immediately suggest giving a bribe. The moment I think of bribery, my mind and intellect become impure, and I move toward wrong actions.

So how do we stop people from doing wrong actions?

After the Vedas came the Purāṇas, which were written for people like us—people who could not remain steadily established in pure knowledge. For us, the Purāṇas introduced methods of guidance using fear and temptation.

So they said: if you do wrong things, you will go to hell. And then they created long, detailed descriptions of hell—completely imaginary.
There is no physical hell. There is no physical heaven.
These are symbolic, invented pictures.

In many temples, you can see paintings on the walls showing fires burning, giant cauldrons full of hot oil, and sinners being thrown into them.
But none of this is literally true—not even one percent.

These imaginary pictures were created only to guide people toward good actions, just as we tell a child, “Drink your milk or the ghost will come.” There is no ghost, but it helps us guide the child.

In the same way, the frightening pictures of hell—boiling oil, flames, punishments—were made so people would avoid wrongdoing and move toward good behavior.

Today’s generation, however, immediately understands that such things cannot be real. Their knowledge is broad; science has shown how many things actually work.
So these imaginary descriptions of heaven and hell no longer hold meaning.

The same is true for the miracles shown by certain saints. These so-called miracles are not real miracles—they are nothing but simple tricks based on science.

For example, at the Kumbha Mela in Ujjain, a sadhu once tried to impress people by lighting a fire from a coconut. As children, we thought it was real. Later science showed that if you apply glycerin and another substance on the surface, touching them together naturally ignites fire.
So such “miracles” are not spiritual powers—they are only scientific reactions.

As science became widespread, all these imaginary depictions—heaven, hell, miraculous powers—lost their influence.