| According to
Hindu dharma, when a person dies, his gross physical body (physical body) is left behind
and the soul with the subtle body (consisting of the mind, intellect, sense organs, motor
organs, and vital energies) goes to a different plane of existence. Such a plane of
existence is called "loka" in Sanskrit. Although
popular belief is that there are three lokas (svarga, martya and patala), the scriptures
speak of fourteen lokas, including the earthy plane (Bhuloka).
The lokas are :
Satyaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Svarloka, Bhuvarloka,
Bhurloka, Atalaloka, Vitalaloka, Sutalaloka, Rasatalaloka, Talatalaloka,
Mahatalaloka, and Patalaloka.
Among these, first six are considered the higher
lokas, and
the last seven are considered to be lower lokas. The adjectives higher and lower in this
context are used in comparison to the conditions found in Bhuloka. In the higher
lokas,
in ascending order, there is more and more enjoyment or spiritual bliss compared to what
is usually found on this earthy plane.
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