CREATIONS BY KRISHNA – 5 : FOURTEEN MATERIAL WORLDS – FULL DETAILS!
READ THE FIRST 4 PARTS OF THIS POST BEFORE READING THIS POST HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE.
FOURTEEN MATERIAL WORLDS IN EVERY UNIVERSE
THREE DIVISIONS OF EVERY UNIVERSE ARE:
“Hari-vamsha” States:
(1) URDHVA LOKA (HIGHER LOKAS) – People/ celestials with Higher Consciousness . Eg: Devas, Angels, Spirits and Manes.
(2) MADHYA OR BHU LOKA (MIDDLE LOKAS) – People with middle consciousness who have death. Eg: Humans and animals;.
(3) ADHO LOKA (LOWER LOKAS) – People with lower consciousness. Eg: Demons and Nagas
All these lokas are under the control of Maya devi (Durga Devi)
In the Universal Form (Vrat Ruph) of the Lord, Arjuna saw the body of Lord Krishna encompassing 14 different planetary dimensions!
Each Universe is shaped like an egg and within it exist the three levels of Lokas.
(A) SIX URDHVA-LOKAS or HIGHER / HEAVENLY PLANETS
Note:
One Yojana mentioned in this article AND IN ALL PURANAS is equal to about 13 km (8 miles) as said by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Some other traditional Indian scholars says that it is between 6.4 km and 8 km (4–5 miles).
(1) SATYA-LOKA
The HIGHEST planet in the Material Realm is the abode of Lord Brahma along with his consort Saraswati. Vaikuntha planets exist 26,200,000 yojanas ABOVE the Satyaloka.
(2) TAPO-LOKA
Abode of the four Kumaras named Sanat, Sanak, Sanandan, and Sanatan who are the first incarnations of Lord Vishnu and represent the Gyan-shakti (power of knowledge) of the Lord. Located 120,000,000 yojanas below the Satya-Loka.
(3) JANA-LOKA & MAHAR-LOKA
The next Loka lies 80,000,000 yojanas below the Tapaloka and is the abode of great rishis. 20,000,000 yojanas below Janaloka is the Maharloka which is another abode of great saints and sages.
(4) SWARGA-LOKA
The abode of the 33 Vedic gods ruled by Indra with Angels, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Maruts, Vasus and other divine beings at a height of 80,000 yojanas from mount meru. Its capital is Amaravati.
(5) BHUVAR-LOKA
Our Solar System and contains Five major planets plus the Sun-God and two planets outside the Solar System included in this – Dhruva Loka and Sapta-rishi Loka. The people have little more consciousness and divinity than the people of earth.
(i) DHRUV LOKA:
Exists 10,000,000 yojans below the Maharloka. It is described as the center of a bright ring of stars identified with our galaxy, Milky Way.
In every material universe, there is one Vaikunth planet with an ocean of milk where Lord Vishnu resides on an island called Shvetadvipa.
In our Universe, this planet is situated in the Eastern side of Dhruvaloka and is the abode of Lord Kshirodakshayi Vishnu!
It has the area of 200,000 square miles and covered with desire trees for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord who resides here with Goddess Lakshmi and other pure, transcendental entities.
(ii) SAPTA-RISHI LOKA:
The abode of the Seven Great Seers or the Sapta-rishis (Eg: Vashishta, Visvamitra) located 100,000 Yojans below the Dhruva-Loka.
(6) BHULOKA:
SOLAR PLANETS:
Consists of Solar planets viz. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn which are the abodes of the divine-beings called Budh, Shukra, Mangal, Brihaspati and Shanaichar respectively.
These planets are believed to be located at a respective distance of 2,00,000 Yojans each.
(i) SURYA-LOKA:
Located at a height of 1,00,000 Yojans above the Earth.
It is situated bang in the middle of the Bhuloka and Bhuvarloka, rotating through the time circle of the zodiac. Thus, it represents not only the center of the Solar System, but ALSO the center of the Universe!!
(ii) CHANDRA-LOKA:
Chandra/Soma / Moon influences the tidal processions and growth of vegetation and hence it is the life-giver for the living being in earth..
(iii) RAHU:
Rahu is the North node of the Moon’s orbit while its counterpart Ketu is the southern one. It is said to be situated 80,000 miles above the three previous Lokas and is responsible for causing the Solar and Lunar eclipses.
(iv) SIDDHALOKA, CHARANALOKA, & VIDYADHARALOKA:
These planets are spread from above the Antariksh to the orbit of the Moon.
Vidyadhars are winged-creatures corresponding to the western concept of Angels
Siddhas are advanced beings who do not need wings to fly on account of their mystic Yogic powers.
Chaarans spend most of their time traveling between the different planetary systems, eulogizing the Lord.
ANTARIKSH:
The sky called Antariksh is the lowest of the higher Lokas and exists immediately above the Earth realm and within it are the residences of Yakshas, Rakshashas, Pisachas, Ghosts, and other etheral beings.
(B) MADHYA-LOKA or MIDDLE PLANETS (BHOOMANDALA)
This comprises of SEVEN Planets:
Jambu dvipa – This may be our earth itself.
Other Six Planets where human-like living beings exist:
Plaksha dvipa,
Salmali dvipa,
Kusha dvipa,
Krauncha dvipa,
Shaka dvipa,
Pushkar dvipa
(C) SEVEN ADHO-LOKAS or LOWER PLANETS
They are seven lower planets 70,000 Yojans below the earth, that have all so much of opulences like higher planets, but, do not have sufficient spiritual consciousness. They do not get sunlight and hence are called dark planets.
Daityas, Danavas, Panis, Nivat-kavachs, Rakshasas, Kalkeyas, Nagas, Uragas,etc are residing there.
Seven lower worlds are:
Atal
Vital
Sutal – the abode of King Bali Maharaj.
Talatal
Mahataal – the abode of Nagas or the semi-human serpent.
Rasaatal
Pataal – the abode of Nagas or the semi-human serpent.
The King of the Nagas, Vasuki resides here in his capital Bhogavati is also living in the Naga lokas.
Other thanthe above lokas, below the lowest planet of Pataal, is the planet PITRU LOKA where the Manes or ancestors who are known as the Pitras live.
Beneath all these, and slightly above the Garbhodak ocean, a re the Naraklokas, or the hellish planets.
NARAK LOKA or HELLISH PLANETS
There are 28 different hells described in the Vedic literature and these planets are:
Raurav, Sukar, Rodha, Tal, Vishsan, Mahajwal, Taptakumbh, Lavan, Vilohit, Rudhiramabh, Vaitarni, Krimish, Krimibhojan, Asipatravana, Krishna, Lalabhaksha, Darun, Puyuvah, Pap, Vahnijwal, Adhahshira, Sandansh, Kalsutra, Tamas, Avichi, Swabhojan, Apratishthit and Aprachi.
Only those sinners who feel guilty in their conscience after committing their sins fall into these hells.
All these Hells are under the domain of Surya-putra Yamaraj where he delivers judgement according to the record kept by his assistant Chitra-gupta.
CONCLUSION:
Below these planets is the Garbhodak Ocean on which reclines the second form of Lord Vishnu – Shri Garbhodakshayi Vishnu, resting on the Eternal serpent, Ananta-Shesha, forms the bottom of the Universal Egg or the Brahmand.
We too can asses all these above lokas based on our karma. If you become free from karma and get the mercy of Krishna, you can go back to the topmost kingdom Gokoka.
If you like to cross all these lokas, do practice Krishna Consciousness and go back to our original place of living , ie, Krishna’s eternal kingdom – Goloka.