Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India

encyclopedia

PERCEPTIONS

LOKA

Swarga

Go forth, go forth on those ancient paths on which our ancient

fathers passed beyond. There you shall see the two kings, Yama and

Varuna, rejoicing in the sacrificial drink.

Unite with the fathers, with Yama, with the reward of your

sacrifices and good deeds, in the highest heaven. Leaving behind all

imperfections, go home again, merge with a glorious body.

—

Rig Veda

hymn to the dead man (Wendy Doniger O' Flaherty)

Bhoo-Loka

(Earth)

Swa-Loka

Jana-Loka

Tapa-Loka

Sathya-Loka

(Heaven of Indra, between

Sun and the polar star)

The purpose of life

or creation is to

grow consciously towards

the Divine, our Source —

as the flower unfolding

its beauty to "the sun.

—

Prabhushri.

Loka

: A world, a division of the universe.

Triloka (three worlds) are heaven, earth

and hell.

There are also other interpretations, e.g.,

at the end of each

Kalpa,

or day of Brahma,

the first three worlds are destroyed.

Hierarchy of

Lokas

as enumerated by

Sankhya

and

Vedaanta

schools

"Planes of Existence"

'Om Mani Padme Hum'

is a great Bud-

dhist

mantra

, that reveals six planes of ex-

istence or consciousness. In this mantra

there are six syllables that correspond to

the six planes of existence, viz.

deva-loka,

asura-loka, nara-loka, trison-loka, preta-

loka, bikku-loka.

A person using this mantra

'Om Mani

Padme Hum',

relates himself to all these

lokas

and sends thoughts of compassion to

them. Through this mantra he also relates

himself to the whole universe and sends

love and goodwill to other fellow beings in

this universe.

’Om Mani Padme Hum'

The correspondence is as follows

'Om' - Deva loka,

the sphere of angels or

gods and goddesses.

'ma' - Asura loka,

realm of demons.

'ni' - Nara loka,

sphere of human beings.

'pad' - Trison loka,

the sphere of animal na-

tures..

'me' - Preta loka,

the ghost land.

'hum'- Bikku loka,

realm of utter darkness."

—

Haridas Chaudhuri

"The Essence of Spiritual Philosophy"

Bhuva-Loka

Mahaa-Loka

(Abode of Bhrigu (Vedic sage)

and other saints supposed to be

co-existent with Brahma)

(Abode of Brahma's sons,

Sanaka, Sananda, Sanat-

kumara)

(Space between Earth and Sun,

regions of Munis, Siddhas)

(Abode of deities — Vairagis are semi divine beings or

Manes unconsumable by fire, and capable of translation

to Satya-Loka). Manes are described in Kasi-Khanda as

ascetics, mendicants, anchorites and penitents, who have

completed a course of rigorous austerities.

(Brahma-Loka) abode of Brahma.

Translation to this world exempts

beings from the process of rebirth.

Saptaloka

Seven steps to heaven