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The transcendental
world of eternity, knowledge and bliss is the abode of the
Supreme Lord. He manifests unlimited eternal forms in the
following divisions:
Goloka Vrindavana and Mathura,
Dvaraka and
Ayodhya,
Vaikuntha, Kailasa, Brahmajyoti (Spiritual Worlds), Karana Ocean
and Material Universes (Material Worlds).
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Goloka: Krishna is the
origin of everything spiritual and material. He resides at the
center of the spiritual lotus of Goloka, the topmost eternal
abode. Goloka is divided into three sections according to the
intensity of Love for Krishna: Goloka, Dwaraka and Ayodhya, and
Vaikuntha.
Goloka Vrindavan: Krishna is
engaged in his most intimate pastimes in the pristine, rustic
environment of a farm community encircled by forested areas.
Vrindavan is a place of natural opulence which includes
extremely fragrant flowers, beautiful peacocks and parrots. In
this rural setting, Krishna engages in his most intimate
pastimes without any pomp or material opulence. In Vrindavan all
five rasas (mellows) are present in their complete fullness.
Mathura is the capital city of Krishna’s family dynasty where
his grandfather is the king.
Dwaraka: The
inhabitants of Dwaraka see Krishna in His loving feature as a
king who is revered with opulence. He has over 16,108 wives and
at least ten children with each wife and his dynasty is called
the Yadus. Krishna enjoys unparalleled opulence. He executes all
duties as an ideal householder and king.
Ayodhya:
Lord Rama is a plenary expansion of Krishna and Sita is an
expansion of Lakshmi. The Lord acts as an ideal king and perfect
husband
Vaikuntha: Vaikuntha is the area of
the eternal spiritual world where Krishna’s expansions in his
four-armed forms of Narayana are worshipped with awe and
reverence. Narayana possesses all the opulences of Krishna
except his intimate youthful, conjugal pastimes in Goloka.
Kailasa: The abode of Lord Shiva is on the rim
of Vaikuntha. Lord Shiva is on both sides of the boundary of the
material and spiritual worlds. In his aspect as Sadashiva, he is
not influenced by the modes of material nature. As Lord Shiva,
who is a Guna avatar (controller of the mode of ignorance) in
the material world, he is slightly influenced by the material
nature.
Material Worlds: Material Worlds
are known as Martya loka (worlds of death) in which there are
three levels: heavenly planets, middle planets where the Earth
is located and the Lower planets more commonly known as hell.
There are fourteen planetary systems divided into these three
categories. In the higher planets, the mode of goodness is
predominant. In the middle planet, there is mixed goodness with
passion and ignorance and they fluctuate. In the lower planets,
ignorance dominates goodness and passion. |
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