महर्ष एतद्वैचित्र्यं लोकस्य कथमिति ॥१॥
rÄjovÄca
mahará¹£a etad vaicitryaá¹ lokasya katham iti
rÄjÄ uvÄca - the King said; mahará¹£e - O great saint (Åšukadeva GosvÄmÄ«); etat - this; vaicitryam - variegatedness; lokasya - of the living entities; katham - how; iti - thus.
King ParÄ«ká¹£it inquired from Åšukadeva GosvÄmÄ«: My dear sir, why are the living entities put into different material situations? Kindly explain this to me.
ÅšrÄ«la ViÅ›vanÄtha CakravartÄ« ṬhÄkura explains that the different hellish planets within this universe are held slightly above the Garbhodaka Ocean and remain situated there. This chapter describes how all sinful persons go to these hellish planets and how they are punished there by the assistants of YamarÄja. Different individuals with different bodily features enjoy or suffer various reactions according to their past deeds.
