Heaven: Hell (Svarga: Naraka)
In Heaven: Hell, the vastness of the universe is captured within a beige oval, representing the cosmic sphere where every soul resides. At its center, two triangles—one a rising light blue and the other a descending dark blue—interlock to form a diamond-shaped Shri-Vatsa. Within these geometric realms, the experience of existence is personified by two fish. A pink fish in the upper triangle appears calm and contented, its body marked by a white circle of supreme bliss. In stark contrast, a green fish below struggles in a state of restlessness, its form shadowed by a black flame of agony and distress.
The symbolism extends to the celestial markers that frame the scene. Two contrasting moons mirror the internal states of the fish: a white crescent for peace and a black crescent for discontentment. These visual opposites illustrate the Jain belief that the world has no external creator or judge. Instead, the painting suggests that the joy of ‘heaven’ and the suffering of ‘hell’ are not distant places of reward or punishment, but the direct results of our own Karma (intentions and actions).
The essence of the work lies in personal accountability. By placing both fish within the same cosmic oval, it shows that these two extremes are part of the same human journey. It teaches us that our environment is often a reflection of our inner purity or impurity.
Pause and focus on the eyes of the two fish—one peaceful, one troubled. If your current state of mind were painted as a colour today, would it be the pink of contentment or the green of restlessness? This work invites you to realize that you hold the brush to your own internal ‘heaven’ or ‘hell’ through the choices you make in this moment.