Guest guest Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 What is it like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahnava Nitai Das Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Devi loka described in the scriptures is this material world of birth and death. The real abode where Devi resides is Shiva Loka or Kailasha. She is never seperate from Mahadeva. Generally there are three realms described, Devi Dhama (consisting of unlimited universes, fourteen bhuvanas, etc.), Mahesha Dhama (Lord Shiva's spiritual abode situated between material realm and Vaikuntha), and Hari Dhama (Vaikuntha, abode of Lord Vishnu). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 Devi loka described in the scriptures is this material world of birth and death. The real abode where Devi resides is Shiva Loka or Kailasha. She is never seperate from Mahadeva. Generally there are three realms described, Devi Dhama (consisting of unlimited universes, fourteen bhuvanas, etc.), Mahesha Dhama (Lord Shiva's spiritual abode situated between material realm and Vaikuntha), and Hari Dhama (Vaikuntha, abode of Lord Vishnu). Devi lokam, Sivalokam and Vaikuntam are different references to the same general place. THe differences are only perspectives of degrees of heavenly planes. In reality, all are one. Upon death, one can either be in devi lokam or shiva lokam or vaikuntha. The result of where one ends up is determined by the actions of their life and the perspectives of their beliefs. Good shaivites believe they go to shiva lokam. Good shaktas believe they go to devi lokam upon death. and good vaishnavites believe the same for vaikuntha. Since all (Devi, shiva and vishnu) are only different aspects and different ways of looking at the one tru existing brahman, in the same manner - devi lokam, shiva lokam and vaikuntha are different aspects and differnt ways of looking at the one true plane of existance (which is called heavan by the christians) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 3, 2006 Report Share Posted April 3, 2006 What is it like? Where ever you go you will have to come back till liberation. Puranic heavens are temporary resting place of the soul between rebirths. In vedic terminology this is called pitri (ancestor) or deva (gods) loka. Puranas of various leanages call it by various names. I don't know for sure if vaishnavas hold reaching a heaven to be the ultimate goal. If yes, then probably their ultimate heaven will a dualistic representation of moksha and not pitri loka. But otherwise refuge in lokas are not permanent. 2 pence,and imho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahnava Nitai Das Posted April 3, 2006 Report Share Posted April 3, 2006 Devi lokam, Sivalokam and Vaikuntam are different references to the same general place. No, they are factually completely different locations. According to Puranic cosmology the entire existence is divided between spiritual (antaranga shakti) and material (bahiranga shakti), with the divider between them being tatastha shakti. The material realm is known as Devi Dham, the divider is known as Mahesha Dham (Shiva Loka), and the spiritual realm is known as Hari Dham (Vaikuntha). From Brahma Samhita: goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya devi maheśa-hari-dhāmasu teṣu teṣu te te prabhāva-nicayā vihitāś ca yena govindam ādi-puruṣaḿ tam ahaḿ bhajāmi SYNONYMS goloka-nāmni — in the planet known as Goloka Vṛndāvana; nija-dhāmni — the personal abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tale — in the part underneath; ca — also; tasya — of that; devi — of the goddess Durgā; maheśa — of Lord Śiva; hari — of Nārāyaṇa; dhāmasu — in the planets; teṣu teṣu — in each of them; te te — those respective; prabhāva-nicayāḥ — opulences; vihitāḥ — established; ca — also; yena — by whom; govindam — Govinda; ādi-puruṣam — the original person; tam — Him; aham — I; bhajāmi — worship. TRANSLATION Lowest of all is located Devī-dhāma [mundane world], next above it is Maheśa-dhāma [abode of Maheśa]; above Maheśa-dhāma is placed Hari-dhāma [abode of Hari] and above them all is located Kṛṣṇa's own realm named Goloka. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who has allotted their respective authorities to the rulers of those graded realms. PURPORT The realm of Goloka stands highest above all others. Brahmā looking up to the higher position of Goloka is speaking of the other realms from the point of view of his own realm: the first in order is this mundane world called Devī-dhāma consisting of the fourteen worlds, viz., Satyaloka, etc.; next above Devī-dhāma is located Śiva-dhāma one portion of which, called Mahākāla-dhāma, is enveloped in darkness; interpenetrating this portion of Śiva-dhāma there shines the Sadāśivaloka, full of great light. Above the same appears Hari-dhāma or the transcendental Vaikuṇṭhaloka. The potency of Devī-dhāma, in the form of the extension of Māyā, and that of Śivaloka, consisting of time, space and matter, are the potency of the separated particles pervaded by the penumbral reflection of the subjective portion of the Divinity. But Hari-dhāma is ever resplendent with transcendental majesty and the great splendor of all-sweetness predominates over all other majesties in Goloka. The Supreme Lord Govinda by his own direct and indirect power has constituted those respective potencies of those realms. The differences are only perspectives of degrees of heavenly planes. In reality, all are one. Heavenly planes are temporary and mundane. They have no connection to these three realms, which exist on a much higher scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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