Indraloka

Expressions researched:
"Indra-loka" |"Indraloka"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 8.16, Purport:

All kinds of yogīs-karma, jñāna, haṭha, etc.—eventually have to attain devotional perfection in bhakti-yoga, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, before they can go to Kṛṣṇa's transcendental abode and never return. Those who attain the highest material planets, the planets of the demigods, are again subjected to repeated birth and death. As persons on earth are elevated to higher planets, people on higher planets such as Brahmaloka, Candraloka and Indraloka fall down to earth. The practice of sacrifice called pañcāgni-vidyā, recommended in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad, enables one to achieve Brahmaloka, but if, on Brahmaloka, one does not cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he must return to earth. Those who progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the higher planets are gradually elevated to higher and higher planets and at the time of universal devastation are transferred to the eternal spiritual kingdom.

BG 9.18, Purport:

Gati means the destination where we want to go. But the ultimate goal is Kṛṣṇa, although people do not know it. One who does not know Kṛṣṇa is misled, and his so-called progressive march is either partial or hallucinatory. There are many who make as their destination different demigods, and by rigid performance of the strict respective methods they reach different planets known as Candraloka, Sūryaloka, Indraloka, Maharloka, etc. But all such lokas, or planets, being creations of Kṛṣṇa, are simultaneously Kṛṣṇa and not Kṛṣṇa. Such planets, being manifestations of Kṛṣṇa's energy, are also Kṛṣṇa, but actually they serve only as a step forward for realization of Kṛṣṇa. To approach the different energies of Kṛṣṇa is to approach Kṛṣṇa indirectly. One should directly approach Kṛṣṇa, for that will save time and energy. For example, if there is a possibility of going to the top of a building by the help of an elevator, why should one go by the staircase, step by step? Everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa's energy; therefore without Kṛṣṇa's shelter nothing can exist. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme ruler because everything belongs to Him and everything exists on His energy.

BG 10.24, Purport:

Indra is the chief demigod of the heavenly planets and is known as the king of the heavens. The planet on which he reigns is called Indraloka. Bṛhaspati is Indra's priest, and since Indra is the chief of all kings, Bṛhaspati is the chief of all priests. And as Indra is the chief of all kings, similarly Skanda, or Kārtikeya, the son of Pārvatī and Lord Śiva, is the chief of all military commanders. And of all bodies of water, the ocean is the greatest. These representations of Kṛṣṇa only give hints of His greatness.

SB Canto 1

SB 1.3.12, Purport:

The administrative posts occupied by the demigods for maintaining the regulations of the material world are offered to the highly elevated pious living beings. When there is a scarcity of such pious living beings, the Lord incarnates Himself as Brahmā, Prajāpati, Indra, etc., and takes up the charge. During the period of Svāyambhuva Manu (the present period is of Vaivasvata Manu) there was no suitable living being who could occupy the post of Indra, the King of the Indraloka (heaven) planet. The Lord Himself at that time became Indra. Assisted by His own sons like Yāma and other demigods, Lord Yajña ruled the administration of the universal affairs.

SB 1.9.8, Purport:

Āṅgirasa: He is the son of Maharṣi Aṅgirā and is known as Bṛhaspati, the priest of the demigods. It is said that Droṇācārya was his partial incarnation. Śukrācārya was the spiritual master of the demons, and Bṛhaspati challenged him. His son is Kaca, and he delivered the fire weapon first to Bharadvāja Muni. He begot six sons (like the fire-god) by his wife Candramāsī, one of the reputed stars. He could travel in space, and therefore he could present himself even in the planets of Brahmaloka and Indraloka. He advised the King of heaven, Indra, about conquering the demons. Once he cursed Indra, who thus had to become a hog on the earth and was unwilling to return to heaven. Such is the power of the attraction of the illusory energy. Even a hog does not wish to part with its earthly possessions in exchange for a heavenly kingdom. He was the religious preceptor of the natives of different planets.

SB 1.12.21, Purport:

Arjuna prayed to the lord in all humbleness, and the lord, being pleased with him, presented him the paśupata weapon. He acquired many other important weapons from different demigods. He received daṇḍāstra from Yamarāja, paśāstra from Varuṇa, and antardhana-astra from Kuvera, the treasurer of the heavenly kingdom. Indra wanted him to come to the heavenly kingdom, the Indraloka planet beyond the moon planet. In that planet he was cordially received by the local residents, and he was awarded reception in the heavenly parliament of Indradeva. Then he met Indradeva, who not only presented him with his vajra weapon, but also taught him the military and musical science as used in the heavenly planet. In one sense, Indra is the real father of Arjuna, and therefore indirectly he wanted to entertain Arjuna with the famous society girl of heaven, Urvaśī, the celebrated beauty.

SB 1.14.37, Purport:

Satyabhāmā: One of the principal queens of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa at Dvārakā. After killing Narakāsura, Lord Kṛṣṇa visited the palace of Narakāsura accompanied by Satyabhāmā. He went to Indraloka also with Satyabhāmā, and she was received by Śacīdevī, who introduced her to the mother of the demigods, Aditi. Aditi was very much pleased with Satyabhāmā, and she blessed her with the benediction of permanent youth as long as Lord Kṛṣṇa remained on the earth. Aditi also took her with her to show her the special prerogatives of the demigods in the heavenly planets. When Satyabhāmā saw the pārijāta flower, she desired to have it in her palace at Dvārakā. After that, she came back to Dvārakā along with her husband and expressed her willingness to have the pārijāta flower at her palace. Satyabhāmā's palace was especially bedecked with valuable jewels, and even in the hottest season of summer the inside of the palace remained cool, as if air-conditioned. She decorated her palace with various flags, heralding the news of her great husband's presence there.

SB 1.18.13, Purport:

When there are some similar points, it is possible to compare one thing to another. One cannot compare the association of a pure devotee to anything material. Men who are addicted to material happiness aspire to reach the heavenly planets like the moon, Venus and Indraloka, and those who are advanced in material philosophical speculations aspire after liberation from all material bondage. When one becomes frustrated with all kinds of material advancement, one desires the opposite type of liberation, which is called apunar-bhava, or no rebirth. But the pure devotees of the Lord do not aspire after the happiness obtained in the heavenly kingdom, nor do they aspire after liberation from material bondage. In other words, for the pure devotees of the Lord the material pleasures obtainable in the heavenly planets are like phantasmagoria, and because they are already liberated from all material conceptions of pleasure and distress, they are factually liberated even in the material world.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:

Don't try to promote yourself in any other planet. Just like they are trying to go to the moon planet, similarly, somebody is trying to go to the heavenly planet or Brahmaloka or Indraloka, Candraloka. That you can go. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti (BG 9.25). You can go, but all of them are infected with the sufferings, namely the birth, death, and old age, and disease. So bhūta-bhṛn na ca bhūta-stho mamātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ. So God gives you chances, whatever body you want. He does not prepare Himself, but yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). His agent is this māyā, material energy. And the material energy is conducted under His order. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10).

Lecture on BG 9.24-26 -- New York, December 12, 1966:

Now, what is the difference between going to other planets and to the planet where Kṛṣṇa is? That will be explained. The... That is explained in a different place that yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama: (BG 15.6) "The supreme platform, supreme planet is that, where going, nobody returns to this material world." Yad gatvā na nivartante. Nivartante means..., na nivartante, "does not return." Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). That we... Already we have discussed, that gata-gatim. Within this material world, even if you go (to) the higher planets, the planet of the moon, planet of the sun planet or heavenly planet, the Indraloka, Candraloka, so many there are, then, after finishing your result of pious activities, you have to come back again. Punar āvartinaḥ. So we are sometimes going up, sometimes coming back again in this material world, sometimes going down.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

Rāvaṇa also wanted to make a staircase to go directly to the heavenly planet. Just like we are. At the present moment, we are trying to go directly to the moon planet by sputnik. But it has failed. It is not possible. In that way we cannot go. If we want to go to another planet, the process is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: yānti deva-vratā devān piṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). If you want to go to the higher planetary system, then that particular devata, Indraloka, Candraloka. The moon planet is Candraloka. That is also considered as one of the heavenly planets. So you have to prepare yourself by karma-kāṇḍīya activities. Then you can go there by... After this body is finished, you immediately transfer to certain planet where you want to go.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

Just like if you pass medical examination, there is possibility of your becoming a medical officer to get a service in the government medical service board, but still, it must be selected by the medical board and so on, so on. There are so many condition. Similarly to get the next body, that is not your selection. That selection depends on superior authority. Karmaṇā daiva netreṇa jantur dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1). That we do not know, that next life. Neither we endeavor what is next life. We have to accept a next life after giving up this body.

Therefore we must be prepared for that purpose. So preparation means In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). If you prepare yourself to go to the higher planetary system, Candraloka, Sūryaloka, Indraloka, Svargaloka, Brahmaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka—there are so many, hundreds. If you want to go there, then you prepare in that way. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ. So if you want to go to the Pitrloka, you can go there. If you want to go to the higher planetary system, in the devaloka, you can go there. And if you want to remain here, you can remain here. And if you want go to go to the loka, Goloka, Vṛndāvana, mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25). You can go there. Back to home, back to Godhead. That is possible.

Lecture on SB 3.26.28 -- Bombay, January 5, 1975:

So there are innumerable forms and innumerable names, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33), but they are all one. There is no difference, advaita. This is the conception of spiritual understanding, because these forms, each form, has got a separate planet. Just like here in this material world, each demigod has got a separate planet. The demigod Candradeva... He is also demigod. So he has got a separate planet which is called Candraloka. Similarly Sūryaloka, Varuṇaloka, Vāyuloka, Indraloka, many. There are hundreds and thousands of demigods, and they have got their different planets. Similarly, the Lord in the spiritual world has got multiforms, and the each and every form is the predominating Deity of the Vaikuṇṭha planets. The spiritual planets are called Vaikuṇṭha planets. The material planets, they are not Vaikuṇṭha; they are kuṇṭha. Here, in these planets, anyone living, he is always full of anxiety, kuṇṭha. In the Vaikuṇṭha planets there is no such thing as anxiety. That is the difference between the spiritual and material planets. Vaikuṇṭha planets means without any anxiety. Here everyone is full of anxiety, whatever he may be. He may be Lord Brahmā or he may be Mr. Ant, small, very insignificant. Everyone is full of kuṇṭha.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:

Now, Kṛṣṇa does not say what kind of body you are going to get. That will depend on your work. Just like this is described as the dress. Now, if this dress is spoiled or torn, you have to purchase another dress. That will depend on your purchasing power. Similarly, after this dress is spoiled, no more usable, you have to purchase another body. That may be a dog's body or a god's body—that depends on your purchasing power. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā that yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). There are deva-lokas, Indraloka, Candraloka, Brahmaloka, so many, millions of years' age, a thousand times better standard of life. That also you can get. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ. And if you are in the karma-kāṇḍīya, then you can go to the pitṛ-loka. And bhūtejyā yānti bhūtāni: and if you remain a materialistic person, you remain here. And mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām: and if you worship Kṛṣṇa, if you become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then you go to Kṛṣṇaloka. So why should we waste our time? Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you go, promoted to the Brahmaloka, still, you have to wander within these so many planets, so many bodies.

Lecture on SB 5.5.25 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1976:

So wherever Supreme Personality of Godhead is there, that is Vaikuṇṭha. Just like īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Īśvara, the Supreme Lord, is there in every living entity's heart. So the hog, dog, they have got also heart. There is also Kṛṣṇa. So does it mean that He is living with hog and dog? He is living in Vaikuṇṭha. Etad īśanam īśasya. This is called īśasya īśanam. Wherever He may live, He lives in Vaikuṇṭha. Similarly, the devotee, he lives with Nārāyaṇa, so there is no question of hell and heaven. He is in Vaikuṇṭha. If Kṛṣṇa is living in Vaikuṇṭha, the devotee is also living in Vai... He is concerned with Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa. Therefore they are not afraid. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). Nārada Muni, he is traveling everywhere. He is going to hell; he is going to heaven. He is going to Vaikuṇṭha to see Nārāyaṇa. And he's chanting, nārada muni bhājāy vīṇā rādhikā ramaṇa, that's all. Because he is chanting for... His business is to enlighten. If he goes to naraka, hell, he will advise them, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." And if he goes to Indraloka he will advise the same thing. And if he goes to Svargaloka, or any loka, that is Nārada Muni's business. Similarly, those who are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should not be afraid of this hell and heaven. Wherever they should go, they will simply preach, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." This is their business.

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Vrndavana, December 7, 1975:

We are poor country. Of course, we have no such opulence. But the standard, the janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), is there, not that they are sitting idly and food is coming automatically. No. They have to struggle. So either you be in the heavenly planet or in the lowest planet, the struggle is there. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). So long we'll be in the material world, you have to... Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino 'rjuna. Even you go to the Brahmaloka or Indraloka, Candraloka... They are trying to go to the Candraloka. They are trying to go to the Candraloka, but they do not know where is Candraloka. They are going and coming, going and coming. So one must know it that "Even if I go to the Brahmaloka by our material power, that is also punar āvartino arjuna. That is bhavam āśritaḥ." So we should try to avoid the material existence and come to our original life, eternal life, blissful life, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). That is really solution of the problem, ksemāya. Kuśalaḥ ksemāya. So long this human body we have got, and especially young men, don't spoil it. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:

Those who are desiring to enter into the higher planetary system where demigods live, Candraloka, Sūryaloka, Indraloka, Varuṇaloka, Vāyuloka, Brahmaloka, Dhruvaloka, Bhūr, Bhuvar, Svar, there are different millions of..., vibhūti-bhinnam. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). In the brahma-jyotir of Kṛṣṇa, there are innumerable planets. The spiritual portion, there are innumerable Vaikuṇṭhas. Vaikuṇṭha means... Kuṇṭha means anxiety. Where there is no anxiety, simply pleasure, that is our life. Here also we want a very happy life without any anxiety. That is our tendency. We try to make a very nice comfortable house, a very good bank balance, all secure so that I can live there very comfortably. That competition is going on. But that is not possible here. Here saṁsāra-dāvānala. This saṁsāra, it is meant for suffering. Dāvānala, just like forest fire. Nobody sets in the forest fire, but it takes automatically. So however you may try to live here comfortably, happily, peacefully, eternally, it is not possible. That is the difference between this temporary material manifestation and eternal, eternal Vaikuṇṭhaloka, spiritual world.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.80-95 -- San Francisco, February 10, 1966:

And, if your economic wants are fulfilled, then you can fulfill your sense enjoyment very nicely. We want economic development—why? Because we want to... Ordinary man, who is in the material world, he wants to fulfill his sense... He has got so many demands of his senses, either in this world or in the other world. Suppose a man is trying by his, following the religious principle to go to other planets. What is the purpose of going to other planets, heavenly planets? It is for having a better facility for sense enjoyment. Just like, according to Hindu conception, the heavenly planet, Indraloka, it is said there are very beautiful women and very beautiful gardens, and they can drink soma rasa and enjoy life for ten thousands of years, and their one day is equal to six months of this planet. So opulence, life, enjoyment, far, far greater than this; therefore they want to go to the heavenly planets. Similarly... These are facts. These are not, I mean to say, stories, or fiction. These are facts. Similarly, in the Koran also there is such injunction that if one follows the principles of Koran, in the next life they'll go to Hur(?), the land of the Hu(?), the same beautiful woman. Because we have got this material idea, sense gratification, and the last word in the sense gratification is sex life. That's all.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:

If you go to the planet where Kṛṣṇa lives, then you haven't got to come back again. Otherwise, in other planets, in the heavenly planets, kṣīṇe puṇye punar martya-lokaṁ viśanti. You can live there, just like you can live in a foreign country so long your visa continues. Simply... Similarly, you can go to the higher, heavenly planets, but you can live there up to the point of visa, puṇya. By pious activities you can go to the higher planetary systems, but by impious activities you go to the lower planets. Adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. Adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ, jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā (BG 14.18). So even if you go to Brahma-loka, Indra-loka—ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartinao 'rjuna (BG 8.16)—you have to come back again. But, yad gatvā na nivartante, tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). If you go to that planet, yad gatvā na nivartante, one does not require to come back again. "That is My real abode." Tad dhāma paramam. Every dhāma is Kṛṣṇa's, but that is the parama dhāma, supreme dhāma. Just like the king. The kingdom belongs to the king, but still he has got his special royal house, palace. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of all planets, sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29), but He still has got His own planet. That is called Gokula Vṛndāvana.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So if someone actually went there, they would see all this life. It's not that you have to have a special vision to see it.

Prabhupāda: But you have to qualify yourself.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: To get there. But once getting there, I mean it's plainly visible to the eyes.

Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda gave the example that Arjuna, he was qualified, so that he went to Indraloka planet one time, and he saw with his eyes the cities, the palace of Indra.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, he was tempted. Arjuna was tempted when he went to Indraloka. But he closed his eyes.

Prabhupāda: No, descriptions are there of Indraloka. The pavements with pearls.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Wow.

Prabhupāda: That is described, in the eighth chapter you'll find, er, Eighth Canto.

Rāmeśvara: In the Seventh Canto they described the palace of Indra, because Hiraṇyakaśipu had lived there. How he was living there, and the walls of his palace are studded with jewels. There's a nice description. What to speak of an ocean of milk, there's so many things they cannot imagine. (break) (walking)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The buses, you know the windows, some of the windows are broken a little bit—you saw them. Do you think they will look good in the parade? It's all right if the windows are not all...

Prabhupāda: Who is going to see? (break)