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CHAPTER-3 THE LOWER WORLD AND THE MIDDLE WORLD
The infernal beings (nāraka) have been mentioned in certain sūtra, such as 1-21. Who are they? In order to explain this, first their abode, the lower world, is described.
रत्नशर्करावालुकापंकधूमतमोमहातमःप्रभा भूमयो
घनाम्बुवाताकाशप्रतिष्ठाः सप्ताधोऽधः ॥१॥
अधोलोक में रत्नप्रभा, शर्कराप्रभा, वालुकाप्रभा, पंकप्रभा, धूमप्रभा, तमःप्रभा और महातम:प्रभा - ये सात भूमियाँ हैं और घनोदधिवातवलय घनवातवलय, तनुवातवलय तथा आकाश के सहारे क्रम से नीचे-नीचे स्थित हैं।
The lower world consists of seven earths – Ratnaprabhā, Sarkarāprabhā, Vālukāprabhā, Pankaprabhā, Dhūmaprabhā, Tamahprabhā and Mahātamahprabhā – one below the other, and surrounded by the three kinds of air and the space (ākāśa).
The word 'prabhā'is taken with each of these earths. As these earths have the lustre of jewels (ratna), etc., these are called Ratnaprabhā, etc. That which has the lustre of jewels (ratna) is Ratnaprabhā. That which has the lustre of pebbles (sarkarā) is Sarkarāprabhā. That which has the lustre of sand (valukā) is Vālukāprabhā. That which has the lustre of clay or mud (panka) is Pańkaprabhā. That which has the lustre of smoke (dhūma) is Dhūmaprabhā. That which has the lustre of darkness (tamah) is Tamaḥprabhā. That which is like thick
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