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COMPENDIUM OF JAINISM
up to those residing lower down owing to their Karmas with regard to life-time, power, happiness, brilliance, purity in thought, capacity of the senses and range of clairvoyance in the higher ups, there is less of pride and other passions. All the Devas are of different thought-complexions or colours.
The only other beings that remain for consideration are the Nārakis or those who inhabit the hells. These regions are seven one below the other, surronded by the circle of himnid atmosphere which is supported by dense air which itself rests on thin air. Each of these regions has respectively the lustre of jewel (Ratnaprabhā), the colour of pebbles (Sarkaraprabhā), the colour of sand (Vālukaprabhā) the colour of clay or mud (Pankaprabhā), the colour of smoke (Dhūmaprabhā), the colour of darkness (Tamaḥprabhā) and the colour of thick darkness (Mahātamaḥprabhā). These regions are surrounded by three kinds of air and space.
Owing to the adverse nature of these regions, everything about the infernal bejngs is disagreeable, causing pain and anguish. The thoughts of these beings are impure and foul. Their environment and bodies reel with pain and all that increases as one goes down the lower regions. Their bodies are deformed, loathsome and hideous. Their sight is repulsive and fearful. Their bodily shapes are disgusting to look at. In the first four regions the inmates suffer from excessive heat while those in the lower regions suffer from intense cold. The activities of the infernal beings which are directed towards promotion of happiness result only in misery and suffering of unbearable type which increases in intensity by degrees as the regions go lower down. Due to their Karmas, the infernal begings are born with all the suffering and mental anguish. When they move closer their animosity increases and their recollections of the past infuses hatred and enmity towards one another. They indulge in mutual attack with weapons of various types and cause increased suffering to one another. Owing to the rise of Ãsuri Karma in them, they are actuated by malice and cause unbearable pain to others. “They cause pain by making
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