Angkor Wat

Bas-reliefs
Southern gallery, East part

Yama Judgment

This panel is 60 meters long dedicated to the judgment of Yama (god of dead) and depicts heaven and hell. Each panel has 36 short inscriptions that show that there are 32 levels of Hell and 37 levels of Heaven.

Heaven or Paradise is depicted with moved to the heaven palaces, in which overworlds surrounded by servants, lead an idle life and enjoying quite earthly. Part of bas-relief depicting torture is more diverse. In the Hindu religion there is no eternal damnation and it is noticeable that the executioners are taller and using ferocious animals did not fear being cursed. Almost everywhere there are two levels of bas-relief the one of which above shows the Heavens and other one below depicts the Hell.

Beginning.
Left to right. On top the rich and famous are on their way to heaven while on the bottom the less fortunate poor simple people start their long, full of suffering way to Hell.

The royal couple welcomed by two figures kneeling in front of them, on the right a group of women and two ladies offer gifts to the princess while the men are holding her palanquin waiting for her.

From top to the bottom: the celestial palaces, garudas and lions like atlantes supporting Paradise and down the tortures of hell. The thiefs who stole flowers in the garden of Shiva are crucified on the frame and a nails are hammered in body.

Next sections are quite badly damaged

23rd circle of hell Kalashutra where sinners roasted over the fire.

It is believed that on the top right under the tent depicted personally Suryavarman II of Paradise but in that case he should be called by his posthumous name Paramavishnuloka.

Below shows a tenth circle of hell Ashthibhanga where sinners bones are breaking. On the top is one of 37 levels of heaven.

God Yama, the supreme judge with a lot of hands, sitting on a buffalo, shows to the two executives of the court Dharma and Sitragupte what poor soul must be thrown down to hell and which must come through the suffering of cleansing

Thus ends the gallery of heaven and hell, the judgment of Yama. At the bottom is hell, at the top in paradise are important people in palanquins with fans.