Present by the invitation of King Yudhiṣṭhira to participate in the great sacrifice were all the exalted demigods, including Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Indra, the King of heaven, accompanied by their associates, as well as the predominating deities of the higher planetary systems, including Gandharvaloka, Siddhaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Nāgaloka, Yakṣaloka, Rākṣasaloka, Pakṣiloka and Cāraṇaloka, as well as famous kings and their queens. All the respectable sages, kings and demigods who assembled there agreed unanimously that King Yudhiṣṭhira was quite competent to take the responsibility of performing the Rājasūya sacrifice; no one was in disagreement on this fact. Everyone thoroughly knew the position of King Yudhiṣṭhira; because he was a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, no accomplishment was extraordinary for him. The learned brāhmaṇas and priests saw to it that the sacrifice by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was performed in exactly the same way as it had been in bygone ages by the demigod Varuṇa.
Tapoloka
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 7 - 12
The word trai-vidyāḥ refers to the three Vedas-Sāma, Yajur and Ṛg. A brāhmaṇa who has studied these three Vedas is called a tri-vedī. Anyone who is very much attached to knowledge derived from these three Vedas respected in society. Unfortunately, there are many great scholars of the Vedas who do not know the ultimate purport of studying them. Therefore Kṛṣṇa herein declares Himself to be the ultimate goal for the tri-vedīs. Actual tri-vedīs take shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and engage in pure devotional service to satisfy the Lord. Devotional service begins with the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and side by side trying to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth. Unfortunately those who are simply official students of the Vedas become more interested in offering sacrifices to the different demigods like Indra and Candra. By such endeavor, the worshipers of different demigods are certainly purified of the contamination of the lower qualities of nature and are thereby elevated to the higher planetary systems or heavenly planets known as Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, etc. Once situated on those higher planetary systems, one can satisfy his senses hundreds of thousands of times better than on this planet.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 2
From the forefront of the chest up to the neck of the universal form of the Lord are situated the planetary systems named Janaloka and Tapoloka, whereas Satyaloka, the topmost planetary system, is situated on the head of the form. The spiritual planets, however, are eternal.
SB Canto 3
These pratibimba living entities, as parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, have inherited different proportions of His original qualities, and in terms of their inheritance of these qualities, they appear as different species of life and are accommodated in different planets according to the plan of Brahmā. Brahmā is the creator of the three worlds, namely the lower planets, called the Pātālalokas, the middle planets, called the Bhūrlokas, and the upper planets, called the Svarlokas. Still higher planets, such as Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka and Brahmaloka, do not dissolve in the devastating water. This is because of the causeless devotional service rendered unto the Lord by their inhabitants, whose existence continues up to the end of dvi-parārdha time, when they are generally liberated from the chain of birth and death in the material world.
When the great sages and thinkers who are residents of Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka heard the tumultuous voice of Lord Boar, which was the all-auspicious sound of the all-merciful Lord, they chanted auspicious chants from the three Vedas.
The word māyāmaya is very significant in this verse. Māyā means "mercy," "specific knowledge" and also "illusion." Therefore Lord Boar is everything; He is merciful, He is all knowledge, and He is illusion also. The sound which He vibrated as the boar incarnation was answered by the Vedic hymns of the great sages in the planets Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka. The highest intellectual and pious living entities live in those planets, and when they heard the extraordinary voice of the boar, they could understand that the specific sound was vibrated by the Lord and no one else. Therefore they replied by praying to the Lord with Vedic hymns. The earth planet was submerged in the mire, but on hearing the sound of the Lord, the inhabitants of the higher planets were all jubilant because they knew that the Lord was there to deliver the earth. Therefore Brahmā and all the sages, such as Bhṛgu, Brahmā's other sons, and learned brāhmaṇas, were enlivened, and they concertedly joined in praising the Lord with the transcendental vibrations of the Vedic hymns.
The vibhūti, or opulences, offered by māyā are of many varieties. We have experience of different varieties of material enjoyment even on this planet, but if one is able to promote himself to higher planets like Candraloka, the sun or, still higher, Maharloka, Janaloka and Tapoloka, or even ultimately the highest planet, which is inhabited by Brahmā and is called Satyaloka, there are immense possibilities for material enjoyment. For example, the duration of life on higher planets is far, far greater than on this planet. It is said that on the moon the duration of life is such that our six months are equal to one day. We cannot even imagine the duration of life on the highest planet. It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā that Brahmā's twelve hours are inconceivable even to our mathematicians. These are all descriptions of the external energy of the Lord, or māyā. Besides these, there are other opulences which the yogīs can achieve by their mystic power.
SB Canto 4
The devastation indicated in this verse is the partial devastation of the lower planets within the universe when Lord Brahmā goes to sleep. The higher planetary systems, beginning with Maharloka, Janaloka and Tapoloka, are not inundated at the time of this devastation. The Lord is the creator, as indicated in this verse, because the energies of creation are manifested through His body, and after annihilation, He conserves all the energy within His abdomen.
The two ears are situated on the northern side and the southern side. The ear on the southern side is very strong and is always anxious to hear about sense enjoyment. The ear on the northern side, however, is used for taking initiation from the spiritual master and for gaining promotion to the spiritual sky. The right ear, or the ear on the southern side, is called Pitṛhū, which indicates that it is used for attaining the higher planetary systems known as Pitṛloka, but the left ear, which is known as Devahū, is utilized for hearing about even higher planetary systems, such as Maharloka, Tapoloka and Brahmaloka—or yet even higher planets, situated in the spiritual universe, where one becomes more inclined to be permanently situated. This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (9.25):
One who is interested in being happy on this planet as well as after death generally wants to be elevated to the Pitṛlokas. Such a person can use the right ear for hearing Vedic instructions. However, one who is interested in going to Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, the Vaikuṇṭha planets or Kṛṣṇaloka may take initiation from the spiritual master in order to be elevated to such lokas.
There are three planetary systems—upper, middle and lower. Those influenced by the mode of goodness are given places in the upper planetary systems—Brahmaloka (Satyaloka), Tapoloka, Janaloka and Maharloka. Those influenced by the mode of passion are given places in the Bhūrloka and Bhuvarloka. Those influenced by the mode of ignorance are given places in Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talātala, Mahātala, Rasātala, Pātāla or the animal kingdom. Qualitatively the living entity is the same as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but because of his forgetfulness he gets different bodies in different planetary systems. At the present moment human society is overly influenced by the mode of passion, and consequently people are engaged in working in big factories.
Sometimes devotees desire to enjoy material happiness also; therefore, by the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotee is given a chance to enjoy the material world before his final entrance into the spiritual world. Sometimes a devotee is transferred to a heavenly planet—to Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Siddhaloka and so on. However, a pure devotee never aspires for any kind of material happiness. The pure devotee is consequently transferred directly to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, which is described here as param. In this verse Vidura asks Maitreya, the disciple of Bṛhaspati, about the different achievements of the Pracetās.
SB Canto 5
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura estimates that Dhruvaloka, the polestar, is 3,800,000 yojanas above the sun. Above Dhruvaloka by 10,000,000 yojanas is Maharloka, above Maharloka by 20,000,000 yojanas is Janaloka, above Janaloka by 80,000,000 yojanas is Tapoloka, and above Tapoloka by 120,000,000 yojanas is Satyaloka. Thus the distance from the sun to Satyaloka is 233,800,000 yojanas, or 1,870,400,000 miles. The Vaikuṇṭha planets begin 26,200,000 yojanas (209,600,000 miles) above Satyaloka. Thus the Viṣṇu Purāṇa describes that the covering of the universe is 260,000,000 yojanas (2,080,000,000 miles) away from the sun. The distance from the sun to the earth is 100,000 yojanas, and below the earth by 70,000 yojanas are the seven lower planetary systems called Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talātala, Mahātala, Rasātala and Pātāla.
SB Canto 8
As the Lord took His second step, He covered the heavenly planets. And not even a spot remained for the third step, for the Lord's foot extended higher and higher, beyond Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and even Satyaloka.
When the Lord's footstep exceeded the height of all the lokas, including Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka, His nails certainly pierced the covering of the universe. The universe is covered by the five material elements (bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ kham (BG 7.4)). As stated in the śāstra, these elements are in layers, each ten times thicker than the previous one. Nonetheless, the nails of the Lord pierced through all these layers and made a hole penetrating into the spiritual world. From this hole, the water of the Ganges infiltrated into this material world, and therefore it is said, pada-nakha-nīra janita jana-pāvana (Daśāvatāra-stotra 5). Because the Lord kicked a hole in the covering of the universe, the water of the Ganges came into this material world to deliver all the fallen souls.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Here the word anti means "near," indicating that even in the higher planetary systems near Brahmaloka, like Maharloka, Janaloka and Tapoloka, the festival of glorification of Lord Kṛṣṇa was going on.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
By mystic yoga, great austerities and the renounced order of life, the pure destinations of Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka are attained. But by devotional yoga, one achieves My transcendental abode.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Renunciation Through Wisdom
The higher planetary systems in this material world are Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Svargaloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, and up to Satyaloka, or Brahmaloka. Whichever of these planets one rises to in his next life, one must finally return to earth. What to speak of the next life, even in this life the high position one attains after considerable hard work—such as king, emperor, minister, governor, or president—is lost after some time, and one is thrown back to a mean and humble status. Only leaders who have experienced this kind of humiliation can know the trepidation that accompanies it. But if at any stage of life the grossly foolish miscreants described in the Gītā decide to render devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, they can escape the ferris wheel of karma.
Sri Isopanisad
As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (8.22), He can be approached only by unalloyed devotional service and not by the processes of jñāna (philosophy), yoga (mysticism) or karma (fruitive work). The karmīs, or fruitive workers, can elevate themselves to the Svargaloka planets, which include the sun and the moon. Jñānīs and yogīs can attain still higher planets, such as Maharloka, Tapoloka and Brahmaloka, and when they become still more qualified through devotional service they can enter into the spiritual nature, either the illuminating cosmic atmosphere of the spiritual sky (Brahman) or the Vaikuṇṭha planets, according to their qualification. It is certain, however, that no one can enter into the spiritual Vaikuṇṭha planets without being trained in devotional service.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā (BG 14.18). There are three planetary systems, triloki: the higher planetary system, the middle planetary system, and the lower planetary system. So we are at the present moment Bhūrloka, Bhūrloka, middle planetary system. Above this there is Bhuvarloka. Above that there is Svarloka, there is Janaloka, there is Tapoloka, there is Maharloka, there is Satyaloka, there is Siddhaloka, there is Brahmaloka. What do they know, the modern astronomers? They do not know anything. They do not know what is there in the moon planet, they do not know what is there in the sun planet, in the Venus—nothing. Still they are going on very much proud.
But if you read Vedas, you get all the information of the universe. Not only this universe—beyond the universe. Beyond the universe. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). T
Of course, in Vedic language, it is called heaven, and in other languages it is also called heaven. But there are many planets. Beyond the heaven, there are many good planets. There are seven planetary systems. This is called Bhūrloka. Then, above this, there is Bhuvarloka. Then there is Svargaloka. Then there is Tapoloka. Then there is Maharloka. Then there is Satyaloka. Just like so many planetary systems there are. The one planetary system, that is called Siddhaloka. Even in this material world, with this material body, they are so perfect that here you go from one place to another, or one planet to another... Of course, that has not been successful. But it is not very difficult for living beings to achieve that success. Because we have got information in the Bhāgavata that in the Siddhaloka the inhabitants there, with this very body, they go from one planet to another without any instrument, without any sputnik, without any aeroplane, or without anything. (laughter) Yes.
In this life we are preparing ourself for the next life. How it is? Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25), bhūtejyā yānti bhū... Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. You have to prepare yourself.
So leaving aside the black side, you take the bright side that you are trying to go to the higher planetary system, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka. So you have to prepare yourself.
They are going to, trying to go to the moon planet but according to our calculation they have never gone to the moon planet. They have never gone because, we find in the śāstras, the moon planet is situated 1,600,000 miles above the sun. And they calculate that 93,000,000's of miles the sun is situated. So 93,000,000 plus another 1,600,000 it becomes 95,000,000 miles. How one can go ninety-five millions of miles in four days? So accordin
If you prepare yourself as the karmīs do, to be elevated to the higher planetary system, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka. That is very good, but Kṛṣṇa says, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, there is no guarantee. You have to come back here again. Kṣīṇe puṇye punar martya-lokaṁ viśanti.
These are the statements of Bhagavad-gītā. We should study Bhagavad-gītā very nicely. We can understand. But mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25). If you prepare your life to become a perfect pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then you go to Kṛṣṇa. What is the difference between going to the Brahmaloka and Kṛṣṇaloka?
If you act just like a qualified brāhmaṇa, sattva-sthā, sattva-sthā means brāhmaṇa—then you get your promotion in the higher planetary system ūrdhvam. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. If you act like a brāhmaṇa, then get your promotion to the higher planetary system, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, Siddhaloka. There are so many planets. The people do not know. There is no such education. But we have got this knowledge from the Vedic literature. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18). If you have got the qualification of rajo-guṇa, creative energy, then you remain in the middle planetary system, Bhūr, Bhuv
So those who are karma-kāṇḍīya, they are interested, next life in the heavenly planet or higher standard of life. So that is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you associate with the modes of goodness, then you are promoted to the higher planetary system, beyond heavenly planets. Janaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka, Satyaloka, Siddhaloka, Brahmaloka. So that is possible. But our problem is not to promote ourself to go to the heavenly planet or higher than that, Janaloka, Satyaloka, Maharloka, or Brahmaloka. Kṛṣṇa advises ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). He does not encourage that "You go to the Brahmaloka." No. He never encourages. He says, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you become promoted to the Brahmaloka, then again you have to come back. Kṣīṇe puṇye punar martya-lokaṁ viśanti. As soon as your puṇya, the duration of life, is finished, then you have to come back again. This is going on.
Kṛṣṇa says that bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor of all the lokas. Lokas means where the people or living entities live. So there are so many planets. Everywhere there are living entities. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. There are Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. Seven, fourteen planetary system. Then down: Tala, Atala, Vitala, Talātala, Pātāla, Rasātala. There are so many. This is only one universe. There are millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Koṭi, we Indians understand, millions. There are millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). And each and every universe there are millions of planets, and each planet is different from the other.
If you want to go the the higher planetary system where the material happiness is thousands and thousands time more comfortable than on this planet... Just like Svarlokas, Svargaloka, Svargaloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka. There are many different planetary system up and down also. So if you want to go to that, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18), if you prepare yourself, contacting the modes of goodness, then you are promoted to higher planetary system. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ: (BG 9.25) "You can go to the Pitṛlokas or you can remain within this planet, planetary system. And if you like, you can come to Me also." "As you can go to the higher planetary system or remain here..." That is all preparation. Bhūtejyā. Yānti deva...yājinaḥ. "Similarly, if you," mad-yājinaḥ, "if you become My worshiper, then you come to Me." Kṛṣṇa said.
So those who are after going to the better planets, sun planet, moon planet, and heavenly planet... There are many. Svargaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka. They are in Sanskrit names.
So here it is mentioned, trai-vidyā soma-pāḥ pūta-pāpāḥ. They, after preparing themselves to be transferred in other planets, they become free from all sinful reaction. The higher planet, as you go, you have to become free from sinful action. The lower grade life and higher grade life in this material world means those who are proportionately less sinful, they are promoted in higher planets. You cannot be free from sinful reaction in this material world. There will be some portion, some percentage.
There will be some portion, some percentage. So the higher grade life and lower grade life means those who are proportionately greater sinful, they have got lower grade life, and those who have got greater pious life, they get higher grade life in higher planets, in Brahmaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka. Tapoloka means those who have performed here severe penances, and they are transferred there in Tapoloka. In Tapoloka, when there is destruction, annihilation of this material world, in the Tapoloka there is no destruction. They get information, "Now annihilation has begun." There is a great fire, and they still feel that heat, and at that time they transfer themselves to the spiritual sky. That mention we have got. So yajñair iṣṭvā svargatiṁ prārthayante.
So these materialists... Anyone, even if you go to the higher planets, still, you are materialist. Even you go to the highest planet, Brahmaloka, where the duration of life you cannot calculate, still there is death.
The demigods have their different places in this material world. All the planets, heavenly planets... There are seven planetary systems up and seven planetary systems down. So this is called bhūrloka, earthly planet, and there are many planets on this system. So bhūrloka, bhuvarloka, janaloka, tapoloka, then brahmaloka, satyaloka, like that—so many planets there are. So there are different kinds of living entities and different kinds of comforts. They are highly intelligent, more intelligent than the human being. Therefore they are called demigods, almost God. So here Kṛṣṇa says, "Those who are trying to worship the demigods, they'll go to the planets of the demigods." Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). Pitṛ-vratāḥ. There is a form of worship of the forefathers. So there is a particular planet. The worshiper of the forefathers, they go there. Pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
A tiger has got a particular type of body, it has got his own standard of living. Elephant has got a particular type of body, and it has got its standard of living. Similarly, there are higher beings also, in the higher planetary system. They are called Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka. In the Brahmaloka the duration of life is so long that you cannot imagine even calculating twelve hours' time there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Most of you have read Bhagavad-gītā, and it is stated there, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Sahasra-yuga-paryantam. One yuga... This is Kali-yuga. At the present moment it is called Kali-yuga. Before this... This Kali-yuga has passed only five thousand years, and the duration of life of this Kali-yuga is 432,000's of years. Only we have passed five thousand. Before this Kali-yuga there was another yuga, which is known as Dvāpara-yuga. Before that, there was Tretā-yuga.
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. Kṛṣṇa says tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). If you like you can go back to home, back to Godhead. That is possible.
If you are working rajo-guṇa, then you are preparing a body for rajo-guṇa. Similarly, sattva-guṇa. Everything is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. What is the different result? Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. Those who are working in sattva-guṇa, they will go to the higher planetary systems. There are Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, Satyaloka, Siddhaloka. You'll go there. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18). And if you want to remain in the middle planetary system, then that is rajo-guṇa. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. And those who are working in tamo-guṇa, jaghanya, most abominable behavior, they will go to the animal kingdom or the lower planetary system. This is the process. As you are contaminating, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). Sat and asat-janma.
There are three kinds of the modes of material nature, and as you associate with the three kinds of material nature, you prepare your next body. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you associate with sattva-guṇa, then you are promoted to the higher planetary system: Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka. But these rascals, they do not know; still they make an estimate. And what is that estimate? Wherever they go they find only rocks and sands. That's all. There are so many lokas. Each loka is full of living entities, and these rascals are simply taking photograph of rocks and sands. Just see their position. And they are passing on as scientist. How misleading these things are, and how people are being misled. You see.
Therefore at least, you may enjoy material life, but you should keep yourself to the standard of brahminical culture. Then there is guarantee that you don't degrade yourself; you get higher status of life in the higher planetary system: Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka. Then you will get... But if you keep yourself as it is, then you will remain in this planetary system. This is called bhūr-loka. Bhūr-loka. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat-savituḥ. You have gāyatrī-mantra. This is called bhū-loka. Bhuvar-loka. Then, above this, there is bhuvar-loka; then, above this, the heavenly planets. There is system. And if you keep yourself in the association of the modes of ignorance, or foolishness, then you go down. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ (BG 14.18). Jaghanya-guṇa. Tāmasika means abominable character.
There are arrangement. Svargaloka. Bhūr bhuva... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi... This is gāyatrī. There are three lokas: bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ. So svaḥ, heavenly, they've no some information, there is heavenly planet. Actually there is. There are... Svargaloka is not so very comfortable. Above the Svargaloka there is Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka, like that, seven lokas. So who will go there? Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you are situated in the modes of goodness, then you can be promoted to the higher planetary systems. And madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ, and if you are in the modes of passion, then you'll remain within this bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, three worlds. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ, and if you are simply in darkness, you do not know how to enjoy spiritual life or material life, just like cats and dogs, then you are degraded. You take the body of trees, plants, lower animals, insects, worms of the stool, and so many things.
And there are other planets also. This is Svargaloka. There are seven planetary systems upwards, and seven planetary systems downwards. Now we are living in the Bhūrloka, middle. Then above this, there is Bhuvarloka. Above this, there is Svarloka. Above this is Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka. So this āroha... You cannot go to the Brahmaloka, although there is śāstra... Or you cannot go to the sun planet also. You are seeing every day, but go there. But you have no right. You cannot go.
So therefore this process, that "I shall go by my strength. I shall know by dint of my own knowledge, research work," these are all rascaldom. It is not possible. So what to speak of understanding God? You cannot understand even what is in your presence, the material world, and spiritual is beyond the sky. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20). That is another sky. You have no estimation of this sky.
Those who are taking to the karmīs' life or jñānīs' life, even jñānīs' life. Jñānīs' life means higher type of forms of body. Just like... So long... Here the jñānīs have got a very nice body, brahminical body, pure, cleansed, and beautiful, knowledge. The higher development, they can go still up, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Siddhaloka, Brahmaloka. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā (BG 14.18). The more you are in sattva-guṇa, you get higher level of living in higher planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā (BG 14.18). Those who are on the modes of goodness of material nature, they go higher and higher, higher and higher. But Kṛṣṇa says, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, that is also not security, that you get rid of the four principles of material life, birth, death, old age, and disease. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Again coming down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa... Even if you go to the impersonal Brahman effulgence, from there also, you have to come back.
If one is in the modes of goodness, then he can understand gradually what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, in the modes of passion and ignorance, nobody can understand what is God. Not only that. Even from material prosperity, if one is situated in the modes of goodness, then he can be elevated to the higher planetary systems-Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, Satyaloka. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). So these are needed. So anyway, even if you go to the Brahmaloka, that is not also perfection. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). There is no benefit. Because there also the four principles of miserable condition, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), they are there, even in the Brahmaloka. Brahmā also dies. Brahmā also takes birth. You know it. Brahmā, he also took birth from the lotus flower generated from the navel of Viṣṇu. So there was birth. And when Brahmā will die, whole material cosmic manifestation will be finished.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu says to Rūpa Gosvāmī that we are wandering in this way, brahmāṇḍa, whole universe. There are different types, or forms, of body, 8,400,000. And there are millions and trillions of planets, up and down. Oṁ bhūr... Bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ. Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka. Then Tala, Atala, Vitala, Pātāla, Rasātala... There are so many planetary systems. Caturdaśa-bhuvana. This universe is called fourteen different planetary systems, and we are wandering in these different planetary systems. If we are pious, then we are promoted to the higher planetary system, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, Satyaloka. There are so many... Siddhaloka. And if we are impious, then we are downtrodden. We go down more and more. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18).
These are all personal comforts, bhukti, a better standard of material enjoyment. To go to the heavenly planet means a better standard of, thousand times better, millions times better than this planet. As you go up and up... This is Bhūrloka. Then Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, so many lokas. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you increase your modes of goodness, then you gradually promoted more and more comfortable situation. If you go to the Siddhaloka, immediately you become a perfect yogi. The yogis are trying to get some power, material power, aṇimā laghimā prāpti-siddhi. If one gets this prāpti... Prāpti-siddhi means whatever he likes he can get immediately. That is cal... And people become after him, "Oh, here is God. He is creating rasagullā." (laughter) You see? Yes. One yogi in Benares, he... Anyone who would come to him, immediately he will present two rasagullā in a pot.
You should know that each and every planet is full of different types of living entities, and in the higher planetary system, the standard of living may be very... Not maybe. It is mentioned, thousands and thousands of times better than this planet. They... This is called Bhūrloka, then Bhuvarloka, then Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka—these are different higher planetary system—and each loka, the standard of happiness is thousand times better than the earth. This is the position. And Kṛṣṇa says, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ. And similarly down, there are different lokas—Tala, Atala, Talātala, Vitala, Sutala, like that. This is the constitution. But here Ṛṣabhadeva says that anywhere you go, the threefold miseries of material existence, that will continue. You cannot get free. Even Brahmaloka, the Brahmā, he is subjected to die. He is also undergo the principles of death, and what to speak of others. Nobody will exist here.
They do not care. Insignificant. That śloka of Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he realized this, that kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. The liberation of becoming one with the Supreme is called kaivalyam, kevalādvaitam, oneness. So for a devotee it is as good as the hell. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. And then? What about heavenly planets, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka? Ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Tri-daśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāya. In Bengal there is one word, ghorabdin (?), means "no value." Just like horse. Horse never give any egg, but it is said, "It is as good as the egg of horse." That means "There is no such thing, insignificant." So ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Ākāśa-puṣpāyate means it has no value. Simply imagination. Actually that is the fact. Suppose if you go to Svargaloka, become Indra. So that is not permanent by pious activities you can become Brahmā, Indra, and so many demigods. You can hold that post. But ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino arjuna. Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, what is the benefit? Again you have to come back.
So this is called pravṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-mārga means advancing in sense gratification.
So there are different grades. From the animal life we come to human life, and if we like, we can go to the higher planetary system, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapaloka. There are many planetary system above the sun. We have already discussed, above the sun... The moon planet is above the sun. The moon planet is not so near. So Kṛṣṇa says that even if you go to the highest planetary system, Brahmaloka... That is many thousands years you can live and gratify your senses to higher standard than in this... Suppose you are drinking here in golden pot; there you will get in diamond pot. That will be the change, not that the taste will change. The taste, the same. The dog's pot and man's pot and demigod's pot, within the material world, the taste is the same, and ultimately, you have to die. That's all. That you cannot stop.
This material world is not like that: you get one position and it will continue. No. A little discrepancy, immediately deteriorate your position. So you have to maintain it.
So if you want to maintain yourself within this Bhurloka... There are above this Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka. There are so many planetary system. And down also, Tala, Atala, Vitala, Pātāla, Talātala, like that. If you want to go down, you can go down. If you want to go up, you can go. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva... Everything is there; you can do that. Ordinary, anyone can understand that in the human society if you want to become high-court judge, you can become. And if you want to become a criminal in the prisonhouse, you can become. Everything is open. Not that government says that you become a criminal and he prefers somebody, "You become a high-court..." No.
At least, if you remain on the platform of goodness, then you can be promoted to the higher planetary system. Svarga, begins... Higher planetary system begins from the sun, moon, and there are others, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka, like that, up to Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. So this is the chance. So now you make your selection. Either you go in the upper planetary system or remain where you are or go down in animal life also.
So this is the chance. We should not neglect. So if we misuse this human form of life like animals, then we are punishable. Then you have to go to the Yamarāja and he'll judge what kind of body you'll get. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). Just like if you are criminal, then you are put into the magistrate's court and the magistrate decides what kind of punishment you must be given.
They may get promotion to the heavenly planet. That much. They are not devotees. They are not eligible for entering into the kingdom of God. Therefore Nārada says, "What is the benefit?" Suppose if one performs a ritualistic ceremony and is elevated to the heavenly planet, Satyaloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka. There are so many higher planets, up to Brahmaloka. But Kṛṣṇa says, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino. He has to come back again. But once you understand Kṛṣṇa in fact—janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9)—once you remember Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's form, in pure devotion, he immediately becomes liberated. The karma-kāṇḍīya, they cannot understand this. Therefore pure devotion should be freed from the contamination of karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, sakali viṣera bandha.
So anyway, even if we go, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna... (BG 8.16). It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, this is Svargaloka. And above that... Bhūr, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ. You have got the Gāyatrī, oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya. There are other higher planets also: Svargaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. There are fourteen status of different planetary systems. Catur-daśa-bhuvana. And the topmost is the Brahmaloka. So even if you go there, there is no relief. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). You have to come back again.
Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja is very serious that visargaḥ, stop this visargaḥ. Go back, directly to Kṛṣṇa. Don't go even in this, any planetary system within this material world. We have got description of this planetary system, but there is also fight between the demons and the daityas. There is also not peace.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya pāraṁ paraṁ jigamisor bhava-sāgarasya. Bhagavad-bhajana means to go on the other side of the ocean of nescience, not in this material world. Anyone who is desiring to be promoted to the heavenly planet, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka... There are so many higher planetary systems. But a bhagavad-bhakta, devotee, knows that they are unnecessary. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Again we have to come back. Kṣīṇe kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti (BG 9.21). So this botheration is not very much liked by the pure devotee. Pure devotee does not... Even if he's offered such... Of course, a pure devotee (is) never offered such material benefits. Because Kṛṣṇa says, "The pure devotee, after giving up this body..." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Punar janma means to take birth in one of the planets, or in one of the species of, out of eight million four hundred thousand species of life. That is called punar janma.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
He was so big. And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is very nice explanation of the incarnation of hog. The... And They were being praised. The incarnation of hog was being praised from higher planets. The higher planets, three higher planets, they are resided by most pious men. They are called Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka. These three higher planets, they are considered to be the most pious place within this material world. So they were praying, and when the incarnation of hog was sprinkling water by, I mean to say, shaking His body, and the sprinkle of the water was dropping in those three lokas, planets, and they were thinking themselves that "We are becoming purified," although they are considered to be the most pious and purified residents of this material world, still they prayed that "We are becoming purified." So Kṛṣṇa or His devotee, they're independent. They are not under the rules and regulation of this material world.
He is not Viṣṇu-tattva. Just see how much a living being can be powerful. 'Now, Brahmā was created by this Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and Brahmā in his turn, he created all these planetary systems." There are fourteen status of planetary system, caudda bhuvana: Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, and similarly, there are fourteen planetary systems all over this universe.
- 'viṣṇu'-rūpa hañā kare jagat pālane
- guṇātīta viṣṇu-sparśa nāhi māyā-sane
"Now, this Viṣṇu has nothing to do. He is not affected by this material contamination." That is the power of Viṣṇu. Just we are living entities. When we come into this material world, we become contaminated, we become affected by the influence of this material nature.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: 'Now my flag is on the dust,' (laughter) and go back with little pebbles, 'Oh, we have gone.' " No. Moon-reaching day, holiday. Nixon, another rascal. Great rascal. Holiday. And what do you want there? Patanty adhaḥ. After so much endeavor, trying to go to the moon planet, they are failing. And what to speak of other planets? What to speak of the Brahmaloka, Tapaloka, Jana...? They are there. We are seeing every day, at night, there are so many. Who is going there? The nearest planet, which is about 200,000 miles, I think it is so, from here, the moon planet, and they cannot go. And what to speak of other planets? There are many. They do not..., cannot calculate how far they are, but we see every night there. So how imperfect knowledge they are. That is my point. And still they are going as scientists. Lokasya ajānataḥ. They are so fools and rascal, still they are passing on as scientists, big men, learned men. No. None of them. This is our challenge. None of them. And who is learned? Learned is Vyāsadeva. Learned is Kṛṣṇa.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: And she also practices austerities. And then the husband, when he is fully mature, he sends wife back to his elderly children to take care of her and he takes sannyāsa. So this is spiritual advancement, and in sannyāsa life, one is absolutely dedicated for the service of God. So in this way his life becomes perfect. And according to his perfection, he gets next birth in higher planetary system. In the upper planets, planetary system, there is Svargaloka up to the third-class man. And then, above that, there are Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapaloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. And beyond that, there is spiritual world. So in this way life becomes perfect. If you want, you can go to the spiritual world. Spiritual world means no more accepting this material body. And so long we are in this material world we repeat one body after another. And if we degrade ourself to become criminals, then we degrade to the hellish planets down this universe.
Prabhupāda: Why not? In Bhāgavata there is all information.
Indian man (4): About the other earthly planets also?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. All, every each and every planet, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka, what kind of men are living there, what they are doing—everything is there. Svargaloka.
Indian man (4): But do they not come here sometimes to visit us or we cannot go there?
Prabhupāda: But you cannot see them. Your philosophy is unless you see, you don't believe. That is your philosophy. But you do not consider what you can see. That is the defect of this imperfect world, that people do not think that they are imperfect. With all imperfectness, they think they are perfect. That is the defect. Therefore it is said, andha. One is blind, and he is becoming the leader of other blind men. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31).
Correspondence
1970 Correspondence
Regarding the end of devotees of Lord Jesus Christ, they can go to heaven, that is all. That is a planet in the material world. A devotee of Lord Jesus Christ is one who is strictly following the ten commandments. Now just like in the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" this is a moral instruction for the sinful man. Similarly Lord Buddha also emphasized ahimsa paramadharma "the highest religion is nonviolence." So these instructions are for the sinful men. When one is pious, instead of being sinful, he is promoted to the higher planetary systems like Janaloka, Mahaloka, or Tapaloka and they are above the planet Svargaloka. So persons who are cleansed of sinful life become eligible for spiritual life. From the instructions of Lord Jesus Christ we find that the stress is given to make men free from sinful life—such as "Thou shalt not kill" "Thou shalt not covet"—like that. Therefore the conclusion is that the devotees of Lord Jesus Christ are promoted to the heavenly planets which are within this material world.
| Page Title: | Tapoloka |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 20 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=1, SB=15, CC=0, OB=3, Lec=32, Con=3, Let=1 |
| No. of Quotes: | 55 |