Living Systems in Jainism: A Scientific Study: 13.06 ►Lower Loka

There are seven infernal lands in the lower loka, as shown in Figure 2. Starting from the top these are: Ratnaprabha (gem-hued), Sharkaraprabha (pebble-hued), Balukaprabha (sand-hued), Pankaprabha (mud-hued), Dhumaprabha (smoke-hued), Tamahprabha (dark) and Mahatamahprabha (pitch dark). The upper part of the first infernal land, Ratnaprabha, is in the middle loka. The second infernal land is at a distance of one rajju below this. Likewise, all of the infernal lands are situated at a distance of one rajju from each other. The Ratnaprabha has three divisions: Khara, Panka, and Abbahula. These three divisions are 1600 yojana, 84000 yojanaand 80,000 yojana thick (axial height), respectively. The Khara division is inhabited by mansion-dwelling infernal beings (Bhavanvasi deva); the Panka division by demons (Raksasas) and Asurkaumara (Vyantara deva); and the Abbahula division by infernal beings (Naraki). Sharkaraprabha is 32000 yojana, Balukaprabha is 98000 yojana, Pankaprabha is 24000 yojana, Dhumaprabha is 20000 yojana, Tamaprabha is 16000 yojana and Mahatamaprabha is 8000 yojana thick. Different kinds of infernal beings live in each of these six lands. The first four hells starting from Ratnaprabha are supposed to be hot, with the heat increasing in the lower hells. The major part of the fifth hell is hot, and the rest is cold. The sixth and seventh hells are cold, with the seventh colder. The nityanigoda region, containing an inexhaustible stock of inactive nigoda beings, is perhaps the coldest and darkest part of the loka. Nigoda beings are subtle immobile beings of the vegetation class and are the smallest of all subtle immobile beings. Innumerable nigoda beings share one gross body, but each being has an individual karma body and tejas body. The age of a nigoda being is only a few seconds.