Piyu4k

Acknowledgements & Source of Inspiration

The story you have just read, Journey of Hell: The Unforgotten Promise, is a modern narrative interpretation of a profound spiritual work from the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. While the character of Dimple Mehta and her specific circumstances are a fictional framework created for a contemporary audience, the architecture of Hell, the laws of karma, the sequence of torments, and the ultimate message of redemption are drawn directly from a sacred and foundational text.

This work would not exist without the divine inspiration and teachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830), the central figure of the Swaminarayan faith. It was His divine will and His desire to awaken souls to the consequences of their actions that served as the catalyst for the original text. His teachings on Dharma, Adharma, and the soul’s ultimate journey form the philosophical bedrock of this story.

The primary source for the detailed descriptions of the path to Yamapuri, the sixteen cities, the court of Yamraj, and the twenty-eight Narakas is the scripture Yamdand, authored by the revered saint-poet Sadguru Nishkulanand Swami (1766-1848).

A direct disciple of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, Nishkulanand Swami was a powerful ascetic and a prolific writer. He composed Yamdand at the express command of Bhagwan Swaminarayan to provide a stark, unflinching account of the soul’s journey after death, ensuring that followers would understand the gravity of their choices and the importance of living a life of righteousness. The specific torments, their corresponding sins, and the very structure of the afterlife depicted in Dimple’s journey are a faithful dramatization of the system laid out by Nishkulanand Swami in his scripture.

This retelling is an humble attempt to translate the timeless, universal truths of the Yamdand into a narrative form that can reach a new generation of readers. It is an act of devotion, offered with the deepest respect for the divine lineage from which it comes. We pray that this work, like its sacred source, serves its intended purpose: to instill a healthy fear of sin, to inspire a life of virtue, and to turn the soul of the reader towards the ultimate refuge at the lotus feet of God.

Jay Swaminarayan

Index of: Journey Of Hell: The Unforgotten Promise

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *