Universal Map

“One should understand the nature of karma, vikarma and akarma, and one must act accordingly. This is the law of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The conditioned souls, who have come to this material world for sense gratification, are allowed to enjoy their senses under certain regulative principles. If they violate these regulations, they are judged and punished by Yamaraja. He brings them to the hellish planets and properly chastises them to bring them back to Krishna consciousness. By the influence of maya, however, the conditioned souls remain infatuated with the mode of ignorance. Thus, in spite of repeated punishment by Yamaraja, they do not come to their senses, but continue to live within the material condition, committing sinful activities again and again.” (SB 5.26.6)

Many people wonder whether heaven and hell are mythological concepts fabricated by religious storytellers. Fear and reward, after all, are powerful tools to coax people into a certain way of living. Such ideas, for example, may encourage people to lead moral lives in the hope of attaining heaven after death. Interestingly, however, we can perceive heaven and hell even on this planet we live in. In front of our eyes, we see that such disparity indeed exists - from abject poverty to extreme luxury. Why shouldn’t a similar disparity exist within the universe?

Srimad-Bhagavatam is aimed at ushering us into the spiritual world which is beautifully described in Canto Ten. In order to attain that supreme destination, we must know the nature and mechanics of the world we are currently residing in. The material world consists of upper, middle and lower sections, totalling fourteen levels of planetary systems with different standards of life and durations of existence. Yoga systems elevate one up the material universes, and ultimately beyond, while neglect of such spiritual guidance will cause the living entity to degrade to lower statuses of life.

Srila Prabhupada compared the material world to a prison where the criminals occupy various grades of cells. Depending on the severity of the crime, the criminal is put into a certain cell – the most unpleasent cells are reserved for the harshest crimes. Similarly, this universe acts like a prisonhouse where the rebellious souls are sent for character reformation. Depending on our past activities, we are put into a certain living condition where we enjoy or suffer the results of our acts. For extremely pious acts, we are sent to heaven to enjoy godly delights. For sinful acts, we glide into hellish situations to painful recitification.