What are the 3 Worlds?

[Guest guest]

I read this on a lot of sites but not sure what the 3 worlds refer to. I know the physical world, and I assume world 2 is the astral world. So what is the 3rd world? I don't think they mean Vaikuntha, since I have heard about the 3 worlds being destroyed, and Vaikuntha cannot be destroyed.

[Avinash]

There are 14 worlds. (Please add the suffix 'loka' to each name given below, e.g. Bhu here means Bhuloka).

One world is Bhu(i.e. Earth). Above Bhu are Bhuvar, Suwar, Mahar, Jana, Tapa, Satya.

Below Bhu are Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talatala, Mahatala, Rasatala, Patala.

 

As as you can see there are 6 worlds above Bhu and 7 below. Add these 6 and 7 and add 1 for Bhu and you get total 14.

 

This is one classification. According to another classification, all the 7 worlds below Bhu are counted as one. Similarly, all the 6 wordls above Bhu are counted as one. Then, we have there wordls:-

1)Bhu 2)Below Bhu 3)Above Bhu.

[Gaea]

another explanation i heard is that (depending on context i guess) the 3 worlds refer to time rather than physical places - past, present and future.

[gHari]

http://vedabase.net/sb/1/7/31/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/3/10/9/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/3/11/26/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/1/9/33/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/3/2/21/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/3/8/11/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/3/9/16/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/3/11/28/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/3/11/29/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/5/20/37/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/5/22/summary/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/5/26/5/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/6/9/21/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/8/17/26/en

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/8/24/33/en

[theist]

 

I read this on a lot of sites but not sure what the 3 worlds refer to. I know the physical world, and I assume world 2 is the astral world. So what is the 3rd world? I don't think they mean Vaikuntha, since I have heard about the 3 worlds being destroyed, and Vaikuntha cannot be destroyed.

 

I have heard the term 3 worlds used in referrence to the heavenly plantetary systems, the middle planetary systems, and the lower or hellish planet systems. Which corresapond to the three modes of nature whose interplay results in the manifestation of universal phenomenon.

 

heaven -- mode of goodness or sattva

middle -- mode of pasion or rajarsic

hellish -- mode of ignorance or tamas

 

This referrs to the predominant mode as in reality they are mixed to varying degrees.

 

Earth is a middle system planet which means we inhabitants can choosew to cultivate heavenly qualities and rise up in our next birth or descend by hellish qualities. We can remain in the middle for some time more also.

 

This is a great benefit in that cultivating goodness from a passionate state is easier than from a tamasic state. But the reverse is also true. it is easier to fall into ignorance from passion than it is from goodness. So the middle planets can be see as transit points from which we can make large changes in our fate. It's a great responsibility and oppurtunity.

[Kulapavana]

it is not just the planet Earth alone that is part of the bhu-loka. everything we see in the sky is part of it as well. in a physical sense we do not see the svah (higher world) - we only see the shadow of it cast into our world.

 

and you can enter the lower world not by a spaceship travel, but by entering a special gate within the earth.

[Guest guest]

 

 

and you can enter the lower world not by a spaceship travel, but by entering a special gate within the earth.

 

special gate? do you mean something like an interdimensional portal?

 

correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the Naga race lives in the lower planetary system? I have heard that people have seen reptilian beings (shapeshifters as well) coming out of the inner earth. You can read these accounts online. They must come and go thru these special gates, you speak of.

[Guest guest]

The three worlds:

 

top

middle

bottom

 

The universe have 3 basic divisions.

 

Heaven

Earth

Hell

[Kulapavana]

 

special gate? do you mean something like an interdimensional portal?

 

correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the Naga race lives in the lower planetary system? I have heard that people have seen reptilian beings (shapeshifters as well) coming out of the inner earth. You can read these accounts online. They must come and go thru these special gates, you speak of.

 

yes, the Nagas enter our world through special portals in the earth. there are many accounts of such portals in the shastras, especially Puranas and Mahabharata. usually Nagas will open these gates with special tools from their side.

 

some other beings enter our world through similar portals as well. there are stories of Kimpurushas for example, who used fire portals opened for them on certain days by people wanting to trade with them. the fire must be kept going all night or they can't make it back to their world.

 

similar accounts come from all over the world, not just India.

[Guest guest]

 

yes, the Nagas enter our world through special portals in the earth. there are many accounts of such portals in the shastras, especially Puranas and Mahabharata. usually Nagas will open these gates with special tools from their side.

 

some other beings enter our world through similar portals as well. there are stories of Kimpurushas for example, who used fire portals opened for them on certain days by people wanting to trade with them. the fire must be kept going all night or they can't make it back to their world.

 

similar accounts come from all over the world, not just India.

 

Yes, I have heard stories about these portals from the Hopi Indians (Native American Tribe) as well. Supposedly there are portals in the state of California, in the USA, that lead to the realm of inner earth beings.

 

Can you tell me some of the puranas that speak about these portals?

[Kulapavana]

 

Can you tell me some of the puranas that speak about these portals?

 

one of the best accounts comes from the Markandeya Purana in conjuncion with the raids on humans by a certain Naga king. He was using a special iron spear to open the portal to our dimension. There is also a very good description of the Universe in that Purana, that paralels Bhagavatam account nicely, but is much more clear. even the Bhu-mandala is described better, as a series of completely separate realms (worlds). I have a very old Indian translation of this text but perhaps you can find something on line too.

[Guest guest]

 

one of the best accounts comes from the Markandeya Purana in conjuncion with the raids on humans by a certain Naga king. He was using a special iron spear to open the portal to our dimension. There is also a very good description of the Universe in that Purana, that paralels Bhagavatam account nicely, but is much more clear. even the Bhu-mandala is described better, as a series of completely separate realms (worlds). I have a very old Indian translation of this text but perhaps you can find something on line too.

 

Thank you very much for the info! I will look to see if I can find a translation online. If I do, will post a link.

[saidevo]

We, humans, are divided by religion. Nevertheless, every human soul evolves in a cycle of births and rebirths caused by karma. Religions interpret such things differently, but in my opinion, Hinduism gives the best, logical and scientific explanation of the lokas that a soul inhabits after death and before another rebirth. Theosophy has extracted these truths in Hinduism and given a modern, holistic worldview.

 

The gayatri mahamantra speaks of the three worlds in its opening line:

aum bhur bhuva suvaha. The pranayamam mantra speaks of the seven worlds Avinash has indicated:

 

Om Bhuhu, Om Bhuvaha, Ohum Suvaha, Om Mahaha,

Om Janaha, Om Tapaha, Ohum Satyam.

Om tat savitur varenyam, bhargo devasya dhimahi,

dhiyo yo nah prachodayat.

Om apo jyoti raso amritam brahma bhurbhuvasuvarom

 

Here is a brief of the seven worlds that pranayamam mantra speaks of:

7. Bhur-loka: The lowest of the seven, the Bhumi we live or physical world we live. Its influence extends little farther than our atmosphere.

 

6. Bhuvar-loka: The middle of the three worlds bhu, bhuvar, suvar. This is the astral world we go to with our astral body to live with, after death of our physical body. The ethereal realm or sphere between the earth and the sun, this world is also the abode of the munis. The term bhuvar indicates air and atmosphere.

 

5. Svarloka: svarga or the heaven-world. The sphere of influence of svarloka is said to reach to the pole star. This is the mental world we live with our mental body, after the death of our astral body. We come to this world mainly to enjoy the good karma we have accumulated in previous births.

 

4. Maharloka: the abode of certain classes of pitris, certain of the manus, and the seven rishis, as well as of orders of celestial spirits and gods. Its sphere of influence is exoterically said to extend to the utmost limits of the solar system. This is the Intutional, casual or buddhic world.

 

3. Janarloka (also called Janoloka): Exoterically said to extend beyond the solar system, it is the abode of the kumaras belonging to a high plane, but one nevertheless inferior to those living in taparloka. The siddhas are stated to have their spiritual dwellings or rest periods in janarloka. This is the spiritual or atmic world.

 

2. Taparloka: Often called the mansion of the blessed in Hindu literature. It is considered to be the abode of vairaja-deities, agnishvattas, Sons of Brahma, the highest classes of manasaputras and kumaras. In Theosophy, this world is known as the monodic world or anupadaka.

 

1. Satyaloka: the innermost and closest to the radiating spiritual center, and yet extends its influence through and beyond all the inferior lokas. The three higher worlds Janarloka, Taparloka and Satyaloka are together known as Brahmaloka. Satyaloka is the abode of jivanmuktas, souls that are liberated for the remainder of the entire solar manvantara from the cycle of spiritual transmigrations through the various spheres of being. This is the divine or aadi world.

 

Normal human souls in their cycle of reincarnation shuttle between the three worlds bhu, bhuva and suvaha.

 

Corresponding to the seven worlds, human souls are clothed in seven sheaths or bodies or principles. They fall into two categories: the upper triad (atma-buddhi-manas) and the lower quartet (the lower mental body or kama rupa, the astral body or linga sarira, the etheric double or prana sarira, and the physical body). The sutrarma of the human soul comprises the three principles atma-buddhi-manas, which retain all our good and bad karma for future reincarnations.

 

I am not a scholar of Hinduism; and I am not Sanskrit-literate. The above facts have been compiled by me from Hinduism and Theosophy sources. I have presented them here in the hope that they might be useful to the readers.

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