Urdhva lokas

In Hindu cosmology, Urdhvaloka (Sanskrit: ऊर्ध्वलोक, romanized: Ūrdhvaloka), or upper spheres of the world, refer to seven ascending realms (or lokas) of existence. Thes seven realms: Bhurloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, and Satyaloka represent the upper half of the fourteen realm system described in Puranic literature, such as the Vishnu Purana and Brahmanda Purana.

Etymology

Urdhvaloka is a compound of two Sanskrit words, urdhva and loka. Urdhva means "upper" or "higher" and loka means "world" or "plane" thus urdhvaloka means upper world.

List of lokas

Bhuloka

The sphere of the Earth or Bhuloka (‘Bhu’ means ‘Earth’ and ‘loka’ means the surface of the Earth), comprehending its oceans, mountains, and rivers, extends as far as it is illuminated by the rays of the Sun and Moon; and to the same extent, both in diameter and circumference, the sphere of the sky (Bhuvaloka) spreads above it (as far upwards as to the planetary sphere, or Svargaloka).

Bhuvarloka

The region, where the siddhas and other celestial beings move, is the Earth's atmospheric sphere which also contains space which has its neighbouring planets in the Solar System along with stars and comets. It is also where arhats, siddhas, bodhisattvas, buddhas reside.

Svargaloka

The interval between the Sun and Dhruva, extending fourteen hundred thousand leagues, is inhabited by the devas, including devis with their king Indra and its references make it equivalent to the Svarga (heaven), while some Puranic references equate Svargaloka to the Solar System.

Maharloka

Above Dhruva, at the distance of ten million leagues, lies the sphere of saints, or Maharloka, the inhabitants of which dwell in it throughout a kalpa, or day of Brahma.

Janaloka

At twice that distance is situated Janaloka, where the Sanandana (Four Kumaras) and other pure-minded children of Brahma reside.