In Jain Dharma, hells are called Narak. There are 7 hells, and each lower hell has greater suffering, darker conditions, and stronger pain than the one above it.

General features of all hells

• Birth in Narak happens due to very intense cruelty, violence, hatred, greed, and sinful karma.
• The beings there are called naraki jivas.
• There is constant suffering from:

- heat, cold, darkness, weapons, crushing, fear - fighting with other beings - pain caused by one’s own karmas

• There is no peace, no happiness, and no religious practice like in human life.
• The lower the hell, the worse the suffering.

---

1. First Hell – Ratnaprabha

Simple meaning: “Lustrous like jewels,” but still a hell realm.

Characteristics

• This is the topmost and least painful hell among the 7.
• Still full of great misery, but relatively less severe than the lower hells.
• Darkness exists, but not as extreme as below.
• Beings suffer from:

- fear - physical torment - conflict with other naraki beings - hunger and thirst-like distress

• Compared to lower hells, the pain is more bearable, but still terrible.

---

2. Second Hell – Sharkaraprabha

Simple meaning: “Crystalline/sandy brightness,” but here it is a painful realm.

Characteristics

• Pain is stronger than the first hell.
• The beings experience:

- burning discomfort - crushing and stabbing suffering - anger and constant hostility

• The environment is harsher and more painful.
• There is less comfort, more fear, and more violence than in Ratnaprabha.

---

3. Third Hell – Valukaprabha

Simple meaning: “Sandy light.”

Characteristics

• Suffering becomes much more intense.
• The name suggests sand, and the hell is often explained as having a rough, burning, torturing nature.
• Beings undergo:

- intense heat - burning pain - violent attacks - extreme mental fear

• The misery is deeper and longer-lasting.

---

4. Fourth Hell – Pankaprabha

Simple meaning: “Mud-like light.”

Characteristics

• This hell is associated with filth, heaviness, and foul conditions.
• Suffering is more severe than the upper three hells.
• Beings face:

- stinking, dirty surroundings - heavy pressure - pain from mutual violence - deep despair

• The environment feels dense, dirty, and oppressive.

---

5. Fifth Hell – Dhūmaprabha

Simple meaning: “Smoke-like light.”

Characteristics

• This is a darker and more suffocating hell.
• Pain becomes more intense and more frightening.
• Beings suffer from:

- choking-like misery - darkness - burning sensations - attacks from other hell beings

• The atmosphere is heavy, dull, and full of suffering.

---

6. Sixth Hell – Tamahprabha

Simple meaning: “Darkness-like light.”

Characteristics

• This hell is very dark and extremely painful.
• There is very little light and much more terror.
• Beings suffer from:

- severe mental fear - intense physical torture - feeling lost and trapped - constant pain without relief

• It is one of the most miserable realms.

---

7. Seventh Hell – Mahātamahprabha

Simple meaning: “Great darkness.”

Characteristics

• This is the deepest, darkest, and most painful hell.
• It has the maximum suffering in the Narak realms.
• Beings experience:

- extreme darkness - unbearable pain - terrifying violence - crushing karmic suffering

• There is almost no comfort at all.
• This is the lowest and harshest hell realm.

---

Easy way to remember

The sequence is:

1. Ratnaprabha – least severe
2. Sharkaraprabha
3. Valukaprabha
4. Pankaprabha
5. Dhūmaprabha
6. Tamahprabha
7. Mahātamahprabha – most severe

---

Jain teaching behind these hells

Jain Dharma explains that these are not places of punishment by a God. They are the natural result of one’s own karma.

• Strong violence
• cruelty
• intense hatred
• evil conduct
• harmful actions

These karmas can lead a soul to Narak birth.

---

Very short summary

• 7 hells exist in Jain cosmology
• Each lower hell is darker and more painful
• Suffering is due to one’s own karmas
• The lowest hell, Mahātamahprabha, is the most terrible

If you want, I can also give this in a table format for easy study.