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beings are the enjoyers of the low and middling types of karman, so we must accept that it is the narakas who are the enjoyers of the fruit of extremely sinful actions. We cannot regard those lower creatures and human beings as the enjoyers of the fruit of extremely sinful actions, as we do not see that same climax of misery amongst the lower creatures and human beings as we see the climax of happiness amongst the gods. There is no lower creature or human being who experiences only pain or misery unalloyed with some happiness, for such a one also has the pleasure however little of enjoying cool breeze or the shade of a tree and so on; and we never see such a one experiencing the well known extreme tortures of hell, e. g. piercing, cutting, baking, burning, hurling on a stone, etc.. So we must recognise the existence of hellish beings (nārakas) as distinct from lower creatures and human beings. It has also been said:
Satatam anubaddham uktam duhkam närakeşu tivrapariņāmam; tiryakṣiṣṇa-bhaya-kṣut-trḍādi-duḥkham sukham calpam. sukhaduḥkhe manujānāṁ manaḥ-sariráśraye bahuvikalpe; sukham eva tu devanām alpam duḥkham tu manasibhavam. (It is said that there is continually enduring pain of severe consequences amongst the narakas. Among the lower creatures there is the pain of heat, fear, hunger, thirst, etc. and little happiness. There are mental and physical pleasures and pains of many kinds amongst the mortals; but the gods have pleasure alone and little of mental unhappiness) (1898-1900).
Akampita should recognise the existence of narakas relying on Mahavira's word, for he is omniscient and therefore his word is authoritative like the word of other omniscient beings, Jaimini and others - recognised as such by Akampita (1901).
There can be no doubt regarding Mahavira's omniscience since there is the absence in him of fear, likes, faults, infatuation, etc. which actuate a person to utter lies and malicious words. Mahavira's words should be accepted as truthful and free from malice like those of an arbiter who is in the know of facts. That Mahavira is omniscient can be seen from the fact that he has
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