Teen Lokas

The 03 Lokas: The Three Worlds of Existence in Indian Thought

The concept of the 03 Lokas or three worlds/planes of existence is a fundamental part of Indian philosophical and religious traditions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and others. It represents a cosmic view of the universe and reality that is vastly different from the conventional Western scientific materialistic worldview. The three lokas provide a framework for understanding the nature of existence, consciousness, and the journey of the soul or spiritual essence.

The three worlds in the lokatraya doctrine are:

1) Svargaloka/Devaloka - The celestial realms of the devas (gods/deities) and higher beings

2) Bhūloka/Martya-loka - The terrestrial realm of mortals (humans, animals, plants etc.)  

3) Patalaloka/Naraka-loka - The subterranean realms of nagas (serpents), asuras (demons) and the underworld

Let us explore each of these three lokas and their significance in more detail, drawing from the vast corpus of Indian spiritual texts and philosophical treatises.

Svargaloka - The Celestial Realms 

• The Svargaloka, also known as Devaloka, Suraloka or Brahmaloka, represents the celestial planes of existence that are considered to be abodes of the devas or gods and highly evolved spiritual beings. It is described as vastly superior to the human realms in terms of beauty, power, lifespan and spiritual attainment.

• In Hindu mythology and texts like the Puranas, Svargaloka is depicted as being comprised of various heavenly realms like Brahmaloka (abode of the creator Brahma), Vishnu-loka (abode of Lord Vishnu), Shiva-loka (abode of Lord Shiva), Indraloka (abode of Indra, the king of devas), and various other realms associated with specific deities. These are realms of immense beauty, lacking in suffering, and abounding in celestial pleasures and powers.

• The Buddhist conception describes the Devaloka as consisting of 27 realms inhabited by various deity classes like Brahmas, Indras, Yakshas, Kinnars etc. The highest of these is the Akanishta realm where Buddha resides after attaining Parinirvana. Similarly, the Jain texts describe heavenly realms like Saudharma belonging to the Jain tirthankaras and liberated souls.

• Fundamentally, Svargaloka represents the higher spiritual dimensions and planes of existence accessible to those beings who have accumulated tremendous spiritual merit through ethical conduct, austerities, detachment and meditation over many lifetimes. As per the Hindu Upanishads:

• "The radiant Brahman is the exalted support of Indra, the source of all powers of the devas, the Brahmaloka supreme, which the knowers of Brahman attain..." (Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.6)

• However, even these celestial realms are considered temporary and part of the cycle of births and deaths (samsara) in Indian thought. The beings here eventually exhaust their merits and have to be reborn in lower realms. Only by attaining the highest spiritual realization and liberation (moksha) can one transcend all realms of existence.

Bhūloka - The Terrestrial Realm

• The Bhūloka or Bhumi refers to the terrestrial plane of existence that includes the physical world that humans inhabit, along with other material realms of plants, animals and lesser life forms. It is the middle realm in the triad of lokas, surrounded by the celestial and subterranean realms.

• In Hindu cosmology, the Bhūloka is often described as being comprised of seven concentric island continents (saptadvipa) surrounding the axial mountain Meru or Sumeru, arranged in a vast ocean.  The innermost continent Jambudvipa is considered to be the realm where humans dwell. Other beings like animals, plants, supernatural  creatures like nagas, yakshas etc. are also considered part of the terrestrial realm.

• The Buddhist texts like the Abhidharmakosa describe the human realm as extending from the earth up to the Cāturmahārājikā realm which is the first of the celestial realms. Various hell realms below the earth make up the remaining part of the Bhurloka.  

• The Bhūloka represents the material dimension of existence where beings experience the results of their karmic actions and undergo the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth determined by their moral conduct. As the Bhagavad Gita states:

• "Here today, gone tomorrow, such is the nature of embodied beings, which are constantly subject to birth and death...Those with wisdom grieve neither for the living nor for the dead." 

• Only through spiritual discipline, self-knowledge and transcendence of material existence can a being achieve liberation from this realm according to Indian philosophy.

Patalaloka - The Subterranean Realms  

• The Patalaloka constitutes the third loka and refers to the realms existing below the surface of the earth, inhabited by supernatural beings like the nagas (serpents), asuras (demons), rakshasas (goblins) and others. It is often equated with the concept of Naraka or the underworld realms of embodied existence associated with great suffering.

• The Patala or nether worlds are described in great detail in Hindu mythology and Puranic texts like the Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana etc. Specific accounts narrate how various serpent races like Nagas, Kadrus and Mahoragas dwell in the seven subterranean realms of Atala, Vitala, Sutala and so on.

• The Buddhist texts mention the Narakas or hells as regions of intense suffering subsumed under the Bhurloka, where beings are reborn as a result of extremely negative karmas like causing harm to others, stealing, lying etc.[8] There are specific hell realms narrated like Raurava (of heated iron), Avichi (of uninterrupted suffering) and others.

• The Jain texts also extensively describe various hells or narak-loka under the earth with terrifying descriptions of tortures inflicted due to one's evil deeds. However, they describe these sufferingastemporary based on one's karmic accumulations rather than eternal damnation.

• The Patalaloka thus represents the dimension of existence characterized by ignorance, negativity, materialistic tendencies, and suffering resulting from them. It is often used as a rhetorical allegory to highlight the pains resulting from unethical conduct and need for spiritual upliftment.

• In summation, the doctrine of the 03 lokas in Indian thought provides a panoramic framework for conceptualizing the vast ranges of existence and consciousness. From the pinnacle of spiritual illumination in Svargaloka, to the middleworld of karma and embodied experiences in Bhuloka, and the realms of delusion and degradation in Patalaloka, it encompasses the entire spectrum of lived realities.

• More importantly, the 03 loka cosmology underscores that the world we experience is but one limited realm among an infinitude of dimensions and possibilities for the soul or spiritual essence. The ultimate goal lies in transcending all realms by developing spiritual wisdom and achieving the state of moksha or nirvana through self-realization and ethical perfection.

As famously expressed in the Bhagavad Gita:

"Having realized the Truth, you should not feel perplexed by seeing all these different manifestations in their separateness, for they are born of the same (Brahman)..." 

Through cultivating spiritual knowledge and mastering the delicate art of karma yoga or detached action, the wise one can attain freedom from the incessant cycles of rebirth across the various realms. This grand spiritual vision of multiple worlds and levels of existence formed the bedrock of Indian metaphysical thought and its vibrant traditions of philosophical inquiry and self-transformation.