loka:

place; realm, as the deva loka, the realm of the gods

(See also: loka, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

loka: (Sanskrit) "World, habitat, realm, or plane of existence."

From loc, "to shine, be bright, visible." A dimension of manifest existence; cosmic region. Each loka reflects or involves a particular range of consciousness. The three primary lokas are Bhuloka, Antarloka and Sivaloka.

(See also: Loka, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Loka

(Sanskrit) World, place, location.

(See also: Loka, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Pitri Loka is also known by the name of Chandraloka, wherein the forefathers, or Pitris, live. This is also a heaven. Those who perform sacrifices and charitable deeds with selfish motives (Ishtapurtam), such as digging wells, building rest-houses and laying out parks or gardens for the public, enter this Loka. The ruler of this world is Lord Yama, son of Surya. The Jivas come back to this world after the fruits of their actions have been exhausted.

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Pitri Loka

Lord Yama is the King of justice. His city is built of diamonds and jewels. It is effulgent and impregnable. It is full of palaces and mansions. It has four gateways. It is surrounded by high ramparts. It measures a thousand Yojanas. Chitragupta, the recorder of fate of all human beings, also dwells in this city of Justice. He records the good and evil of men. This marvellous city was created by the architect of the universe (Visvakarma) by the power of his Yoga

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: The City Of Justice

According to Sage Vasishtha in the Yoga-Vasishtha a human can after death be defined to belong to one of six different levels, from the greatly sinful to the greatly virtuos. Depending on the level, the life after death will differ…

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Experience Of Pretas

The celestial Sabha of Varuna is matchless. Its dimension is exactly like that of Yama. It is adorned with white walls and arches. It is built by Visvakarma under the waters; it is surrounded on all sides by many celestial trees made of gems and jewels and producing excellent fruits and flowers. Many plants with blue, yellow, black, white and red blossoms have formed themselves into excellent bowers. Hundreds and thousands of beautiful and variegated birds of various species always pour forth their melodies within them.

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Varuna Loka

The greatly effulgent assembly-hall of Vaisravana (Kubera) is one hundred Yojanas in length and seventy Yojanas in breadth. It was built by Kubera himself by his ascetic powers. It is like the peak of Kailasa (mountain) and it outshines the brilliancy of the moon herself. Being supported by the Guhyakas, it looks as if it is attached to the firmament. Being adorned with celestial-made large palaces of gold, it displays great beauty.

The death and dying and the life after death has always fascinated man. This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Kubera Loka

In Vaikuntha all persons dwell having the form of Vishnu and propitiate Him by means of Dharma which is not prompted by the desire of any fruit

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Vaikuntha Loka

The celestial Sabha of Sakra (Indra) is full of lustre and it was obtained by him as the fruit of his actions. It was made by Indra himself as effulgent as the Sun. Its breadth is one hundred Yojanas; its length is one hundred and fifty Yojanas; it is five Yojanas in height. It can go anywhere at will.

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Indra Loka

There is no such thing as eternal damnation or eternal hell-fire for the sinners. It cannot be. It is a theory that has long been exploded. Eternal damnation is an ungodly doctrine, a terror and nightmare for ages. To make people desist from doing wicked actions a terrifying description of hell is given.

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Asurya Loka

Lord Yama, the king of justice, gives fitting punishment to the sinners. Then the cruel messengers take them to hell and torture them. Again and again the messengers beat the sinners with spears, maces and pestles.

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: The Way To Yama Loka

Kine form high and excellent energy. The gift of kine is highly spoken of. Those good men, who, shorn of pride, make gift of kine, are considered as doers of righteous deeds and as givers of all articles. Such men acquire the highly sacred region of kine.

The death and dying and the life after death has always fascinated man. This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Goloka

When man becomes disgusted with the world around him through miseries, sorrows, disappointments, failures, loss of property, diseases, and death of dearest relatives, he thinks that he would go to some place where there would be all happiness for ever without any misery or pain, where he would live with his forefathers with a perfect body. So he creates heaven or Svarga. How can there be eternal happiness in a finite plane conditioned in time and space?

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Heaven Or Svarga

Hells are not imaginary fiction as ordinarily conceived of by the modern rationalistic mind. The empiricist believes only in experience of sense-contact and feels himself unable to rise above the dictates of the intellect. But it does not mean that man has reason to overlook facts beyond his comprehension

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Hell Or Naraka

There are varieties of hells that a Jiva has to experience in accordance with the Karmas which he does through sin and passion. Twenty-nine kinds of regions of sufferings are described in the Bhagavata, when Jivas are said to be born due to their Karmas

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Karmas And Hells

The assembly-hall of Yama, the son of Vivasvan, was built by Visvakarma. That effulgent Sabha covers an area of one hundred Yojanas. It has the splendour of the Sun; it yields everything that one may desire to have from it. It is neither very cold nor very hot. It delights the heart.

The death and dying and the life after death has always fascinated man. This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Yama Sabha

There are seven planes. They are Bhuloka (earth plane), Bhuvarloka (Antariksha or the astral plane), Svargaloka (heaven or the mental plane), Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka (Brahmaloka or the world of Brahma, the Creator).

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: The Seven Planes

People wish to know the exact period that elapses from the time of leaving the body and being born again. Does the soul take a new body in one year? Does it take ten years? How long does one live upon the subtler planes before reappearing on the earth-plane? These are some of the questions. Now, there is no definite period of time in this matter. In main two factors decide this issue viz., the nature of the individual Karma and the last impression before death.

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: The Stay In Supra-Physical Planes Between death and rebirth

Maharloka: (Sanskrit) "Plane of greatness."

From mahas, "greatness, might, power, glory." Also called the Devaloka, this fourth highest of the seven upper worlds is the mental plane, realm of anahata chakra.

See: loka.

(See also: Maharloka, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)