What Are The 14 Lokas Or Worlds According To Hindu Mythology

Three Lokas

01 Urdhva Loka - the realms of the gods or heavens

02 Madhya Loka – the realms of the humans, animals and plants

03 Adho Loka – the realms of the hellish beings or the infernal regions

Planetary system names

01 Satya-loka

02 Tapa-loka

03 Jana-loka

04 Mahar-loka

05 Svar-loka

06 Bhuvar-loka

07 Bhu-loka

08 Atala-loka

09 Vitala-loka

10 Sutala-loka

11 Talatala-loka

12 Mahatala-loka

13 Rasatala-loka

14 Patala-loka

1 Satya-loka: Brahma’s loka. Satya-loka planetary system is not eternal. Abode of Truth or of Brahma, where atman are released from the necessity of rebirth.

2 Tapa-loka: Abode of tapas or of other deities. Ayohnija devadas live here.

3 Jana-loka: Abode of the sons of God Brahma.

4 Mahar-loka: The abode of great sages and enlightened beings like Markendeya and other rishies.

5 Svar-loka: Region between the sun and polar star, the heaven of the god Indra. Indra, devatas, Rishies, Gandharvas and Apsaras live here: a heavenly paradise of pleasure, where all the 330 million Hindu gods (Deva) reside along with the king of gods, Indra.

6 Bhuvar-loka (aka Pitri Loka): Sun, planets, stars. Space between earth and the sun, inhabited by semi-divine beings. It is a real region, the atmosphere, the life-force.

7 Bhur-loka: The Vishnu Purana says that the earth is merely one of thousands of billions of inhabited worlds like itself to be found in the universe.

1 Atala-loka: Atala is ruled by Bala – a son of Maya – who possesses mystical powers. By one yawn, Bala created three types of women – svairiṇīs , who like to marry men from their own group; kāmiṇīs, who marry men from any group, and the puḿścalīs.

2 Vitala-loka: Vitala is ruled by the god Hara-Bhava – a form of Shiva, who dwells with attendant ganas including ghosts and goblins as the master of gold mines. The residents of this realm are adorned with gold from this region.

3 Sutala-loka: Sutala is the kingdom of the pious demon king Bali.

4 Talatala-loka: Talātala is the realm of the demon-architect Maya, who is well-versed in sorcery. Shiva, as Tripurantaka, destroyed the three cities of Maya but was later pleased with Maya and gave him this realm and promised to protect him.

5 Mahatala-loka: Mahātala is the abode of many-hooded Nagas (serpents) – the sons of Kadru, headed by the Krodhavasha (Irascible) band of Kuhaka, Taksshaka, Kaliya and Sushena. They live here with their families in peace but always fear Garuda, the eagle-man.

6 Rasatala-loka: Rasātala is the home of the demons – Danavas and Daityas, who are mighty but cruel. They are the eternal foes of Devas (the gods). They live in holes like serpents.

7 Patala-loka: The lowest realm is called Patala or Nagaloka, the region of the Nagas, ruled by Vasuki. Here live several Nagas with many hoods. Each of their hood is decorated by a jewel, whose light illuminates this realm.

Satyaloka/Brahmaloka – Satyaloka is believed to be the place where Brahma dwells. Once one reaches the Brahmaloka, he is immediately relieved from the constant birth and death cycle. While generally people believe in Brahmaloka as being the highest loka, Shiva worshipers believe that Shivaloka is the highest loka and Vishnu worshipers believe that Vishnuloka is the highest loka. Since Lords Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu form the Holy Trinity, each of these worlds belong in the same plane, as being the highest loka.

Tapaloka – It is believed that the Ayohnija devatas have their abode here. It is also believed that Sanat, Sanaka, Sananda and Sanatana, the four Kumaras, have their abode here.

Maharloka – It is believed that the most enlightened sages like Markandeya, rest at this loka. Other enlightened rishis also live here.

Swarloka – It is believed that this is the abode of Lord Indra and all the 330 million Hindu Gods. This loka is the loka of ultimate pleasure and is situated between the pole star and the sun.

Bhuvarloka/Pitriloka – It is believed that the solar system that we know of, constitutes this world. It is the space between the Sun and the Earth, where the stars reside.

Bhuloka – Bhuloka is the world that we currently live in, along with plants and animals and millions of other living things. It is believed that the earth is just one among many other inhabited worlds (Vishnu Purana)

Atala is ruled by Bala - a son of Maya - who possesses mystical powers. By one yawn, Bala created three types of women - svairiṇīs ("self-willed"), who like to marry men from their own group; kāmiṇīs ("lustful"), who marry men from any group, and the puḿścalīs ("those who wholly give themselves up"), who keep changing their partners. When a man enters Atala, these women enchant him and serve him an intoxicating cannabis drink that induces sexual energy in the man. Then, these women enjoy sexual play with the traveller, who feels to be stronger than ten thousand elephants and forgets impending death.

Vitala is ruled by the god Hara-Bhava - a form of Shiva, who dwells with attendant ganas including ghosts and goblins as the master of gold mines. Here he enjoys sexual union with his consort Bhavani and their sexual fluids flow as river Hataki here. When fire - fanned by wind - drinks from this river, it spits the water out as a type of gold called Hataka. The residents of this realm are adorned with gold from this region.

Sutala is the kingdom of the pious demon king Bali. The dwarf Avatar of Vishnu, Vamana tricked Bali - who had conquered the three worlds - by begging for three paces of land and acquired the three worlds in his three paces. Vamana pushed Bali to Sutala, but when Bali surrendered to Vishnu and gave away all his belongings to him, Vishnu in return made Bali, richer than Indra, the god-king of heaven. Bali still prays to Vishnu in this realm.

Talātala is the realm of the demon-architect Maya, who is well-versed in sorcery. Shiva, as Tripurantaka, destroyed the three cities of Maya but was later pleased with Maya and gave him this realm and promised to protect him.

Mahātala is the abode of many-hooded Nagas (serpents) - the sons of Kadru, headed by the Krodhavasha (Irascible) band of Kuhaka, Taksshaka, Kaliya and Sushena. They live here with their families in peace but always fear garuda.

Rasātala is the home of the demons - Danavas and Daityas, who are mighty but cruel. They are the eternal foes of Devas (the gods). They live in holes like serpents.

Patala or Nagaloka, is the lowest realm and the region of the Nagas, ruled by Vasuki. Here live several Nagas with many hoods. Each of their hood is decorated by a jewel, the light of which illuminates this realm.