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Naraka, heavens and hells, found in the Purăņas. While describing the Brahmándas with its fourteen fold divisions, the Purāņas generally refer to the triple arrangement recognised in Indian. culture, earlier and medieval. This triple arrangement is based on a triple division of the external world, the lower, the intermediate and the higher. The lower division consists of Bhūloka including the earth and its multifarious divisions and sub-divisions into dvipas etc. Below the earth, the Paurāņic literature recognized the existence of the under world or the nether world called Pätāla inhabited by various tribes of beings distinguished from the human race-Nāga Loka, Yaksa Loka etc. Beneath the Pátālas, the Purānas speak of the existence of the dark world of hells.
Above the earth-plane, but below the higher heavenly planes, there is the Bhuvana Loka or Antariksa, the outer space in which planets and stars move above. Above the Bhuvana Loka or the intermediate plane, we have the heavenly plane or Svaḥ, Svarga inhabited by various superhuman beings called gods etc. These heavens are generally described as falling under two categories lower and higher. The lower heavens are Śüdraloka etc. These are special abode of gods and goddesses. Human beings by virtue of their pious life on earth but without self-knowledge are carried into these lower heavens. These heavens are of various kinds, some being associated with devas, some with pitaras, some with prajāpatis, some with Gandharvas and so forth. These heavenly regions are intended for affording sense-pleasure of every kind of the denizens. These people have extraordinary powers by which their desires are translated into action. They have a long life and a joyous existence. These gods are of two kinds--some are natural and exist as a matter of course from the very beginning of their existence but there are others who are carried into heaven by virtue of their pious deeds. These latter gods are really human beings carried into heaven for enjoying a temporary status of godhood. They are thrown down Into the earth as soon as their piety is exhausted,
