Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.26.4
राजोवाच
नरका नाम भगवन्किं देशविशेषा अथवा बहिस्त्रिलोक्या आहोस्विदन्तराल इति ॥ ४ ॥
rājovāca
[raajovaacha]
narakā nāma bhagavan kiṁ deśa-viśeṣā athavā bahis tri-lokyā āhosvid antarāla iti.
[narakaa naama bhagavan kim desha-visheshaa athavaa bahis tri-lokyaa aahosvid antaraala iti.]
Word-for-word
rājā uvāca
—
the King said
narakāḥ
—
the hellish regions
nāma
—
named
bhagavan
—
O my Lord
kim
—
whether
deśa-viśeṣāḥ
—
a particular country
athavā
—
or
bahiḥ
—
outside
tri-lokyāḥ
—
the three worlds (the universe)
āhosvit
—
or
antarāle
—
in the intermediate spaces within the universe
iti
—
thus.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
rājovāca
rājā uvāca
the King said
narakā nāma bhagavan kiṁ deśa-viśeṣā athavā bahis tri-lokyā āhosvid antarāla iti.
narakāḥ
the hellish regions
nāma
named
bhagavan
O my Lord
kim
whether
deśa-viśeṣāḥ
a particular country
athavā
or
bahiḥ
outside
tri-lokyāḥ
the three worlds (the universe)
āhosvit
or
antarāle
in the intermediate spaces within the universe
iti
thus.
King Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī: My dear lord, are the hellish regions outside the universe, within the covering of the universe, or in different places on this planet?
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
The King said: Are these hells places on earth, outside the three worlds, or in some intermediate space?
Personal Guidance
Parīkṣit asks for geographic clarity about where hells are. Honest inquiry about uncomfortable subjects is part of spiritual seriousness. Don't shy away from teachings about consequences just because they feel grim.
Reflection Questions
- Which teaching have I avoided because it makes me uncomfortable?
- What might I learn by approaching grim topics with the same seriousness as pleasant ones?
My note
Source: vedabase.io