-saptaloka

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 Sapta loka & tala

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 SJC USA Conference, 2003 ♦ © Sanjay Rath

Sapta loka & Tala SJC USA Annual Conference, 2003  Venue: West Coast, San Jose, CA, USA Date: August 20, 2003 Presented by: Pt.Sanjay Rath Address: H-5 B.J.B Nagar, Bhubaneswar 751014, India  Tel: +91 674 243 6871, E-mail: srath@srat h.com, web: http://srath. co

Definitions Käla means time and the word puruña refers to the personification of God. Any personification needs the definition of space that is to be occupied by the body. The body of Kälapuruña is called Viräö (literally meaning meaning huge) and refers to the t he entire manifested manifested universe. Thus, Kälapuruña refers to the personification of God (Viñëu) in the fourth dimension d imension (time) (time) using the three dimensions of space where the body is the entire manifested universe. The personification of God in the twelve sign zodiac is the Kälapuruña whereas the personification of God in the 27 constellations is called the nakñatra puruña. The complete definition of the Kälapuruña is given in the Bhagavat géta 1, Bhägavata Puräëa and various other literatures. The next step would be to define time. Time has been defined as (a) a linear progression of the state of being and (b) a cycle that repeats infinitely and comprises various sub-cycles. This will be discussed in greater detail in the paper on Time to be presented in the SJC Workshop (7 September 2003) in the east coast. Suffice is to say that time is defined for this planet earth as a Samvatsara which is the period of sidereal progression of the Sun around the zodiac. The period p eriod from the spring equinox to the fall equinox, adjusted to the revolution of the solar system (ayanämça) represents on half of the zodiac from Aries to Virgo and defines the upper body of the Kälapuruña called the loka (spiritual planes of increasing purity and bliss and understood as the heavens). The period from the fall equinox to the spring equinox (adjusted using ayanämça) represents the lower limbs of the Kälapuruña called the tala (spiritual planes of decreasing purity and increasing suffering). The word tala literally means lower and refers to a fall or decrease in spiritual strength.

Loka & tala The Sun is the soul (ätma) of the Kälapuruña and is exalted at 10 degrees of Aries and debilitated in 10 degrees of Libra. The space from Aries 10 0 to Libra 10 0 represents the seven lokas while the space from Libra 10 0 to Aries 10 0 represents the seven talas. The body parts are based on the Bhägavata puräëa. Here, the first and seventh sign has both a loka and a tala in it thereby accommodating the fourteen planes within the twelve signs of the zodiac. Table 1: Kälapuruña: Extent of loka/tala & body

Loka 1 Satya 2 Tapas 3 Janas 1

Extent Aries 10 0-300 Taurus Gemini

Body center Crown of head Forehead Mouth

Tala Atala Vitala Sutala

Extent Libra 100-300 Scorpio Sagittarius

Body center Hips or Upper thigh2 Lower thigh Knees

 BG. Chapter-11: The universal form  Although various literature have expressly confirmed that the seven lower planes (tala) are Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talätala, Mahätala, Rasätala and Pätala, as is also confirmed by the commentary of Çré Prabhupäda under SB 2.1.26, yet we find that the name Mahétala has been used to describe the first lower plane (Hip region/upper thigh) and Atala and Vitala are then combined into one plane. 2

Slide # 2

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 Sapta loka & tala

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 SJC USA Conference, 2003 ♦ © Sanjay Rath

Mahar Cancer Neck Talätala3 Capricorn Shanks Svar Leo Mahätala Aquarius Ankles 4 Bhuva Virgo Rasätala   Pisces Foot (heels to toes) 0 0 0 0 Bhu Libra 0 -10 Pätala Aries 0 -10 Under foot Since the animate beings are made in the mould of the Kälapuruña, they will have these very spiritual planes reflected within their astral bodies. The entire universe is within us and to seek God we need to look within ourselves and not without. 4 5 6 7

Seven Cakra: There are seven cakra in every being that are a reflection of the spiritual planes.

The illusion We see the Sun ushering the day in the east at dawn, rising to the heavens by noon and setting in the west every evening. What we behold is the Sun moving in a retrograde (anti-zodiacal) manner from the first house at sunrise to the tenth house at midday and finally to the seventh house at sunset. Yet we know that the Sun can never retrograde and the real truth is that the lagna moves in a zodiacal direction as the Sun is relatively stationery. This apparent truth of the visible movement of the Sun (akin to that of Rähu) is called mäya or the illusion and is the principle of the Sürya-CandraRähu cakra5. What we see is not the truth but the apparent truth, reflecting on which, the intelligent man can realize the truth. The effect of this illusion has been illustrated in the Sürya-Candra-Rahu cakra (P raçna Märga) where the Sun moves in a retrograde manner starting with Sagittarius and covering one sign per hour and the Moon is always placed in the seventh house from the Sun. This Moons constant placement in the seventh house from the Sun is based on the full Moon principle defining the Vedic month (starting and nomenclature as well). The illusion or apparent truth is a mirror image of the real truth. When the Sun rises, the apparent truth and truth are the same i.e. both are in the first house. However, as the day passes the illusion increases until sunset when again the truth and illusion are together. These points of su nrise and sunset are equated symbolically to the birth and death because it is only at this point that the illusion ceases. This has been explained well in the Dakñiëämurti stotra.

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