Brahmand-Cosmic Egg
Brahmand (Devanagari: ब्रह्माण्ड ISO15919: brahmāṇḍa) means an egg-shaped space that consists of many lok (Devanagari: लोक ISO15919: loka). Many of these lok support life.
The world is amazingly gigantic. Modern science has shown that there are billions of stars in one galaxy and billions of galaxies in each universe. Further, there are billions of universes. So now new words have merged such as multiverse, metaverse etc. Also, the modern science is trying to find life outside of earth.
Vedic holy scriptures reveal the God's plan. They state that Maya, the material energy of Brahm-Supreme God revealed an infinitely large material world called sansar. The process of revelation is called creation.
In this sansar there are countless cosmic eggs called brahmand.
Each brahmand is governed by the holy Trinity
Each brahmand has three governors
- Lord Brahma is the creator,
- Lord Vishnu sustains it.
- When the life span of brahmand is over then it is destroyed by Lord Shankar.
Just as the Vedic scriptures talk of pralay, the modern day scientists also believe that one day the world will get destroyed.
Our brahmand is the smallest of all brahmands. It was created by Chaturmukhi Brahma (Devanagari: चतुर्मुखी ब्रह्मा ISO15919: caturmukhī brahmā) means Lord Brahma with four faces. The size of this Brahmand is four billion Vedic miles.
There are Brahmas with 12 faces, 500 faces, 5000 faces and some Brahma’s have millions of faces. The size of a brahmand is directly proportional to the number of faces of Brahma.
Loka
The Atharva Ved and Puranas further depict that altogether in a brahmand there are fourteen major lok (Devanagari: लोक ISO15919: loka). These lok are stacked up in the planetary space.
These lok could be divided into three different categories i.e.
- Urdhva Lok (Devanagari: उर्ध्वलोक ISO15919: urdhvaloka) means upper planets. These planets are above the planet Earth. That is why the name upper planets.
- Madhya Lok ((Devanagari: मध्यलोक ISO15919: madhyaloka) means Middle Planets. The earth or Bhoo lok is also known as Madhya lok (middle planet) and is included in Urdhva lok also.
- Adho Lok ((Devanagari: अधोलोक ISO15919: adholoka ) means lower planets. These planets are below the planet Earth. That is why the name lower planets.
The entire structure of all these 14 loks makes one brahmand.
Urdhva Lok
The following 7 material planets are called urdhav lok or upper planets. In the physical space these lok are stacked one above the other with bhoo lok being the lowest and brahmlok is on the top. Our planet earth is also included in these 7 planets. Some of these lok are subtle whereas as others are gross therefore they can be experienced with our senses.
Bhoo Lok
Bhoo lok (Devanagari: भू लोक ISO15919: bhū loka) is the Earth we live on. This is the gross planet so it can be experienced by our senses.
It is referred to by many other names
- Earth
- human planet,
- mirtu lok (Devanagari: मृत्यु लोक ISO15919: mr̥tyu loka),
- manushya lok ( Devanagari: मनुष्य लोक ISO15919: manuṣya loka).
This earth is home of uncountable jeev who have a wide variety of shapes, forms and habitats.
Classification by habitat
Based on the habitat, jeev can be categorized into 3 categories
- Jalchar (Devanagari: जलचर ISO15919: jalacara): Living beings which live in the water e.g. fish, turtle, sea weeds etc
- Bhoochar (Devanagari: भूचर ISO15919: bhūcara): Living beings which live on the earth e.g. human, dog, cat etc
- Khechar (Devanagari: खेचर ISO15919: khecara) Living beings which live in the sky e.g. birds.
Classification by the mode of birth
Another classification of living beings on earth is based on mode of birth
Bhuvah lok
Bhuvah lok (Devanagari: भुवःलोक ISO15919: bhuvaḥ loka) is the space between earth and the sun and is also called Pitrilok (Devanagari: पितृलोक ISO15919: pitr̥loka).
This lok is a collection of many celestial abodes. Amongst all those abodes, 5 are well known namely
- Dhruva lok,
- Sapt Rishi lok,
- zodiac stars (Nakchhattra Lok),
- Chandra lok (moon) and
- Soorya lok (sun).
The Sapt Rishi lok is the abode of seven famous Rishis and it is situated 200,000 yojan below Dhruva lok. Sapt Rishi lok revolves around Dhruva Lok.
Many spiritually elevated beings dwell in this lok. They help the celestial-gods in various ways. Depending on how well they serve the beings in higher planets, they might attain place in Swa lok (heaven). If they excessively indulge in luxuries of that planet they will be sent one level lower to bhoo lok in the form of human being.
Svar lok
King of celestial abodes Indra lives in the Svar lok (Devanagari: स्वर लोक ISO15919: bhuvaḥ loka) is located between the sun and pole star at the peak of Meru Mountain.
Meru mountain is situated at the center of the brahmand, at the height of 80,000 yojan. Svar lok is lok of maximum opulence.
Though this lok is also made of Maya yet it is subtle and cannot be perceived by our senses. Those who perform virtuous deeds prescribed by the Vedas they attain residence in this lok for a limited time. The duration of residence in this lok is determined by God according to the amount of the good deeds the jeev has performed.
The king of heaven is Surendra or Indra (Devanagari: इन्द्र ISO15919: indra). He is the lord of rains. Apsaras (celestial nymphs and dancers), Vasus, Gandharvas (Devanagari: गन्धर्व ISo15919: gandharva) the masters of celestial music, Varun the god of ocean, Kuber the king of Sumeru Mountain (mountain of gold) etc many devi (goddesses) and devata (gods) live in this lok.
The celestial devi-devatas who live here don't have any physical afflictions like illnesses or aging. There body is ever youthful, beautiful, fragrant and strong. They walk above the ground, they don't cast a shadow, their eyes don't blink, they don't need to eat and don't need to excrete.
They can procure any material object by resolving to get it. They are endowed with many super natural powers, have space crafts and mystical weaponry e.g. Thunderbolt (vajra) of Indra.
At their will they can appear anywhere. They can even appear in multiple forms at the same time. These celestial beings, even the most ordinary devi or devatas, are thousands of times superior than humans in scientific as well as in spiritual pursuits.
Yet, they have a huge disadvantage. They don't have the right to perform fruit-yielding karma.
Maha lok
The expanse of Maha lok (Devanagari: मह लोक ISO15919: maha loka) is 10,000,000 yojan. It is place of sages and seers such as Bhrigu and Narad Ji etc.
Jana lok
Jana lok (Devanagari: जन लोक ISO15919: jana loka) exists above Mahar lok and the expanse of Jana lok is 20,000,000 yojan. It is the abode of the eternal illustrious sages e.g. Kumaras.
Tapo Lok
Tapo lok (Devanagari: तपो लोक ISO15919: tapo loka) is further four times bigger in size than Jana lok. Videh (bodyless) Viraja and many other devatas reside in this lok.
Satya Lok
Satya lok (Devanagari: सत्य लोक ISO15919: satya loka) is the highest material planet. This planet has the most luxuries possible in the material realm.
This is also called Brahmlok (Devanagari: ब्रह्मलोक ISO15919: brahmaloka) which Lord Brahma, the creator of the world is the Lord of this planet.
His consort Goddess Saraswati and other spiritually elevated souls reside in this planet.
During Maha pralay the inhabitants of Satya Lok, enter the divine abode of Maha Vishnu i.e. Vaikunth Lok which is situated 26,200 yojan above Satya Lok. And, after recreation of the entire brahmand they return to this lok.
Vaikunth Lok
This is NOT counted in the upper planets.
Brahmand is created by the cosmic energy of God called Maya. Whereas Vaikunth lok is divine. Still, Vaikunth lok (Devanagari: वैकुण्ठ लोक ISO15919: vaikuṇṭha loka) resides inside a brahmand.
This lok is an ocean of divine milk called ksheer sagar. This is the abode of Kchheerodshayee MahaVishnu. It is located towards the eastern side of Dhruva Lok.
Since it is divine it cannot be annihilated even at the time of Maha pralay.
Lord Vishnu dwells here with Maha Lakshmi and His divine associates. All living beings in Vaikunth are divine and the lok itself is divine means it is not made of panch mahabhoot.
Adho Lok
These following 7 material planets are called adho lok (Devanagari: अधो लोक ISO15919: adho loka ) or lower planets because they are below the Earth in the physical space.
Atal
Bala (बल), a son of demon Maya (मायासुर) is the ruler of the Atal (Devanagari: अतल ISO15919: atala). Maya is architect for demons.
Bala is endowed with amazing mystic powers. He created three kinds of women in Atal Lok only by yawning.
i. Sveirini (Devanagari: स्वेरिनि ISO15919: sverini): these are self-willed women. They marry men from other Sveirini families and stay loyal to their chosen partner.
ii. Kamini (Devanagari: कामिनि ISO15919: kāmini): these are lusty women. They marry men from any group but stay loyal to their chosen partner.
iii- Pumschali (Devanagari: पुमश्चलि ISO15919: pumaścali): These are promiscuous women. They offer an intoxicating drink to the incumbent men in this lok. This increases sexual energy in those men. Then they enjoy sexual play with these women. The men who drink intoxicating juice and play with these women attain strength of ten thousand elephants.
Vital
Vital (Devanagari: वितल ISO15919: vitala) is ruled by God Hara-bhava (हर-भव), a form of Lord Shiva. Har-bhava is the Lord of Goldmines. He dwells here with attendant ganas including ghosts and goblins .
He enjoys sexual play with Bhavani and their sexual fluids flow as river Hataki (हाटकी) in Vital. When fire fanned by wind, drinks from this river, it spits the water out as a type of gold namely Hatak (हाटक). The residents of Vital are well adorned with this gold.
Sutal
King Bali, grand son of Prahlad, rules over Sutal (सुतल) lok. Once, when Bali became so powerful that he conquered the three worlds. To attain even more power he performed a fire-sacrifice (yagya).
Lord Vishnu appeared there in the form of a dwarf Brahmin lad. This descension of the Lord is referred to as Vaman. the Lord appeared to ruin Bali's plans by tricking him. Bali had resolved to give alms to everyone who come to him right after his daily yagya. Lord Vaman arrived at the doorstep of King Bali right after the yagya. As a 5 year old brahmin lad, the Lord begged for three strides worth of land.
Bali's Guru Shukracharya’s warned him to not entertain the request of this boy. King Bali ignored it and gladly granted that wish. Lord Vishnu's two strides encompassed the entire brahmand. For the third stride king Bali humbly offered his head to God. Bali's complete surrender pleased Lord Vishnu. As the reward of Bali was made him the king of Sutal and more opulent than Indra, the king of heaven.
Talatal
Maya the demon architect is the king of this Talatal (Devanagari: तलातल ISO15919: talātala). He was expert in necromancy. He achieved this realm by the grace of Lord Shiva.
Mahatal
Mahatal (Devanagari: महातल ISO15919: mahātala) belongs to the serpents with many fangs like a hood. Kuhuka (कुहुक), Takchhak (तक्षक), Kaliya (कालिया), and Sushena (सुशेन), the well known powerful and hot-tempered serpents dwell here with their respective families. They are always scared of Garuda powerful Eagle and ride of MahaVishnu.
Rasatal
Rasatal (Devanagari: रसातल ISO15919: rasātala) is the main abode of demons. They are the eternal enemy of celestial beings known as devatas.
Paataal
Paataal (Devanagari: पाताल ISO15919: pātāla) is lowest planet. It is also called Naglok (नागलोक ). It’s ruler is Vasuki (वासुकि). Hoods of all the serpents (Nags) are naturally decorated with the luster of precious jewel on their fangs. These jewels illumine the entire Naglok. Their opulence is unimaginable.
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