Loka
concept in Indian religions designating plane or realm of existence
Loka (Sanskrit: लोक) is a concept in Hinduism and other Indian religions, that may be translated as a planet, the universe, a plane, or a realm of existence. In some philosophies, it may also be interpreted as a mental state that one can experience. A primary concept in several Indian religions is the idea that different lokas are home to various divine beings, and one takes birth in such realms based on their karma.
Etymology
The term loka is derived from the Sanskrit verbal root lok, which means "to see", "to perceive", or "to look". In scriptural explanations, a loka is understood as a realm of experience.
Hinduism
Three lokas
A foundational arrangement of the lokas in Hinduism appear in the Vedic scriptures as trailokya or triloka, or the three realms (or worlds). The three worlds refer to: Bhurloka (Earth), Svarga (heaven), and Naraka or Patala (hell or the underworld).
Bhurloka
In the Narada Purana, Bhurloka is identified with the planet Earth, the world of human beings. It is described to be split up into seven regions, referred to as dvipas (islands). These regions are known as Jambudvipa, Plakshadvipa, Shalmaladvipa, Kushadvipa, Kraunchadvipa, Shakadvipa, and Pushkaradvipa.
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This entry incorporates text from “Loka” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.