Saturday, September 10, 2016

UPPER AND LOWER WORLDS

भूः भुवः सुवः महः जनः तपः सत्यम् are the seven worlds mentioned as ‘upper worlds’.अतलः वितलः सुतलः तलातलः महातलः रसातलः पातालः are the seven ‘Lower worlds’.

Seven upper worlds are divided into three categories. 1) Artificial (made), 2) intermediary and 3) Natural. Lower triad भूः भुवः and सुवः come under artificial or world that are created. महः is the intermediary world between the two triad i.e. (भूः भुवः सुवः) and (जनः तपः सत्यम्). Upper triad जनः तपः and सत्यम् is explained as natural or not created.

भूः is said as -
पादगम्यन्तु यत्किञ्चिद्वस्त्वस्ति पृथिवीमयम्  ।
स भूर्लोकः समाख्यातो विस्तरोस्य मयोदितः ॥ (V.P.2-7-16)
Whatever could be walked and in the form of Earth is known as भूलोकः।
पञ्चाशत्कोटिविस्तारा सेयमुर्वी महामुने । (V.P.2-4-96)
विस्तार एष कथितः पृथिव्या भवतो मया । 
सप्ततिस्तु सहस्राणि द्विजोच्छ्रायोपि कथ्यते ॥ (V.P.2-5-1)
This Earth spreads in 50,00,00,000 Yojanas and her height is 70,000 Yojanas 9one Yojana is approximately 7.2 Kilometers).


भुवर्लोकः is explained as
भूमिसूर्यान्तरं यच्च सिद्धादिमुनिसेवितम् ।
भुवर्लोकस्तु सोप्युक्तो द्वितीयो मुनिसत्तम ॥ (V.P.2-7-17)
The space between the Earth and the Sun where Siddhas and Munis (semi-divine and sages) live is called as the second world i.e. भुवर्लोकः।

स्वर्लोकः is said as
ध्रुवसूर्यान्तरं यच्च नियुतानि चतुर्दश ।
स्वर्लोकः सोपि गदितो लोकसंस्थानचिन्तकैः ॥ (V.P.2-7-18)
The space between the star Dhruva and the Sun is the third world called as स्वर्लोकः by the thinkers of structure of the worlds. This world is spread in 1,40,000 Yojanas (one Yojana is approximately equal to 7.2 kilometers).

These three worlds भूः भुवः and सुवः could be obtained by performing ‘yaga’ etc. It is said –
त्रैलोक्यमेतत्कथितमुत्सेधेन महामुने ।
इज्याफलस्य भूरेषा इज्या चात्र प्रतिष्ठिता ॥ (V.P.2-7-11)
These three worlds are obtained by ‘yagas’ etc.

महर्लोकः is explained as –
कृतकाकृतयोर्मध्ये महर्लोक इति स्मृतः ।
शून्यो भवति कल्पान्ते योत्यन्तं न विनश्यति ॥ (V.P.2-7-20)
ध्रुवादूर्ध्वं महर्लोको यत्र ते कल्पवासिनः ।
एकयोजनकोटिस्तु यत्र ते कल्पवासिनः ॥ (V.P.2-7-12)
This is an intermediary world between the two triads upper and lower triads i.e. (भूः भुवः सुवः) and (जनः तपः सत्यम्). This intermediary world becomes empty during each ‘kalpa’, however, not completely destroyed. This world exists between the star ‘dhruva’ after the end of ‘svarloka’ and this world spread in 1,00,00,000 Yojnas (one Yojana is approximately 7.2 kilometers).

जनलोकः is explained as –
द्वे कोटी तु जनो लोको यत्र ते ब्रह्मणः सुताः ।
सनन्दनाद्याः प्रथिता मैत्रेयामलचेतसः ॥ (V.P.2-7-13)
‘Janaloka’ begins at the end of ‘maharloka’ and spreads in 2,00,00,000 Yojanas (one Yojana is approximately 7.2 kilometers) where children of Brahma – Sanandana etc., live who are known for their pure-hearted.

तपोलोकः is explained as –
चतुर्गणोत्तरे चोर्ध्वं जनलोकात्तपः स्थितः ।
वैराजा यत्र ते देवाः स्थिता दाहविवर्जिताः ॥ (V.P.2-7-14)
This ‘tapoloka’ exists after ‘janaloka’ approximately in the distance of 8,00,00,000 Yojanas (one Yojana is approximately 7.2 kilometers) where the gods known as ‘vairAjas’ live without thirst.

सत्यलोक is said as –
षड्गुणेन तपोलोकात्सत्यलोको विराजते ।
अपुनर्मारका यत्र ब्रह्मलोको हि संस्मृतः ॥ (V.P.2-7-15)
This world known as ‘satya’ exists after ‘tapoloka’ in a distance of 48,00,00,000 Yojanas (one Yojana is approximately 7.2 kilometers) where live the non-birth gods and this world is also known as ‘brahmaloka’.

This is the description available about various lokas. Lower worlds are also seven in number. They are अतलः वितलः सुतलः तलातलः महातलः रसातलः and पातालः । They each spreads in 10,000 Yojanas
दशसाहस्रमेकैकं पातालं मुनिसत्तम ।
अतलं वितलं चैव नितलं च गभस्तिमत् ॥
महाख्यं सुतलं चाग्र्यं पातालं चापि सप्तमम् ॥ (V.P.2-5-2)

Here, it is said that in all the worlds some kind of beings (divine or non-divine) exist, however, one should not conclude that humans exist. The nature of those beings, their food habits, sustaining capability with with what kind of air or other things are to be explored.  

Thus, the description of this world and other worlds are available in various Puranas. Here, I have quoted from Vishnu Purana only. The scientific aspects of this description are to be unearthed. Such accurate description cannot be a mere imagination, it must have scientific base. It is up to us to research and to bring to light.
*******

  






No comments: