Lokāloka: The edge of the observable universe
One interesting and confusing aspect of the cosmology of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the presence of a cosmic chain of mountains around the observable universe. The Lokāloka. What are they?
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One interesting and confusing aspect of the cosmology of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the presence of a cosmic chain of mountains around the earthly and celestial planetary systems, dividing the universe into two parts. What are these cosmic mountains, and what is their nature?
Śukadeva Goswami mentions:
“By the supreme will of Kṛṣṇa, the mountain known as Lokāloka has been installed as the outer border of the three worlds — Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka and Svarloka — to control the rays of the sun throughout the universe. All the luminaries, from the sun up to Dhruvaloka, distribute their rays throughout the three worlds, but only within the boundary formed by this mountain. Because it is extremely high, extending even higher than Dhruvaloka, it blocks the rays of the luminaries, which therefore can never extend beyond it.
Learned scholars who are free from mistakes, illusions and propensities to cheat have thus described the planetary systems and their particular symptoms, measurements and locations. With great deliberation, they have established the truth that the distance between Sumeru and the mountain known as Lokāloka is one fourth of the diameter of the universe — or, in other words, 125,000,000 yojanas [1 billion miles]. (SB 5.20.34-38)
Outside of Puṣkaradvīpa, the island that anchors the orbit of the sun, there is an ocean of sweet water, which is as broad as the island itself. Beyond this ocean, there is another island, which extends all the way to the Lokāloka mountains that mark the boundary of the illuminated part of the universe.
This huge island is, in turn, divided into two areas. The internal part is inhabited land, the abode of many living entities, while the outer part is deserted. This mysterious, uninhabited land is described in the text as “adarśa-talopamā yasyāṁ prahitaḥ padārtho na kathañcit punaḥ pratyupalabhyate”.
What does it mean? The first quality is that the surface is perceived as being just like the surface of a mirror. This indicates one can’t properly see while there. The second is that although one can perceive an object held in one’s hand, as soon as this object is dropped, it cannot be found again by any means. The word kathañcit indicates that not only vision fails, but other senses, like touch, hearing, and taste, become unusable.
This indicates that this is not simply a place with a gold-like surface, but a place where ordinary sense perception fails. Due to this, it is indicated that no one lives there. This indicates that this mysterious golden land is a place where the conditions that sustain ordinary life cease to exist.
Outside of it are what is described as a cosmic range of mountains, the mysterious Lokāloka. These mountains are described as going high as Dhruvaloka. In other words, they encapsulate the whole inhabited area of the universe, both horizontally and vertically. It is clear that these are not ordinary mountains composed of rock, but some kind of structure composed of some very subtle form of matter or energy, rather than a solid barrier.
Beyond Lokāloka is Aloka-varṣa, a completely uninhabited region that is not reached by the light of the sun or any of the stars. Lokāloka is thus similar in concept to what is discussed in modern cosmology as the Cosmic light horizon, the very edge of the universe. Beyond that is an area beyond ordinary illumination, perception, and habitation. Beyond this area are the coverings of the universe, and beyond them is the Causal ocean (Kāraṇodaka), where Lord Mahā-Viṣnu resides.
In the pastime in which Arjuna brings back the sons of the brāhmaṇa who had been taken by Mahā-Viṣnu, Krsna guides Arjuna through this whole region, reaching the causal ocean, where Kṛṣṇa gives darśana to Mahā-Viṣnu Himself.
This episode is described in the Tenth Canto:
“Having thus advised Arjuna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead had Arjuna join Him on His divine chariot, and together they set off toward the west.
The Lord’s chariot passed over the seven islands of the middle universe, each with its ocean and its seven principal mountains. Then it crossed the Lokāloka boundary and entered the vast region of total darkness.
In that darkness the chariot’s horses — Śaibya, Sugrīva, Meghapuṣpa and Balāhaka — lost their way. Seeing them in this condition, O best of the Bhāratas, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the supreme master of all masters of yoga, sent His Sudarśana disc before the chariot. That disc shone like thousands of suns.
The Lord’s Sudarśana disc penetrated the darkness with its blazing effulgence. Racing forward with the speed of the mind, it cut through the fearsome, dense oblivion expanded from primeval matter, as an arrow shot from Lord Rāma’s bow cuts through His enemy’s army.
Following the Sudarśana disc, the chariot went beyond the darkness and reached the endless spiritual light of the all pervasive brahmajyoti. As Arjuna beheld this glaring effulgence, his eyes hurt, and so he shut them.
From that region they entered a body of water resplendent with huge waves being churned by a mighty wind. Within that ocean Arjuna saw an amazing palace more radiant than anything he had ever seen before. Its beauty was enhanced by thousands of ornamental pillars bedecked with brilliant gems.
Lord Kṛṣṇa offered homage to Himself in this boundless form, and Arjuna, astonished at the sight of Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu, bowed down as well.” (SB 10.89.46-52,57)
Lokāloka is described in the text as loka-traya-ante: situated at the end of Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, and Svargaloka, the physical realm that includes the lower, intermediate, and celestial planetary systems, extending up to Dhruvaloka, the polestar. From the description, this are appear to comprise what in modern cosmology is understood as our galaxy.
Beyond that, higher in the subtle vertical dimension, are the very subtle planetary systems of Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, and Satyaloka that are the abode of great sages. These abodes extend much beyond Dhruvaloka and are exponentially larger and further than Svargaloka and the rest. It appears that they form the rest of the observable universe, beyond our galaxy. Beyond them, there are the seven covering of the universe (each one exponentially larger than the previous) and beyond that, the Causal ocean (in which all the other universes float) and the impersonal brahmajyoti, and beyond that, the spiritual planets. The whole creation is thus many orders of magnitude larger than believed in modern cosmology, spreading much beyond the barriers of space and time.
“On the top of Lokāloka Mountain are the four gaja-patis, the best of elephants, which were established in the four directions by Lord Brahmā, the supreme spiritual master of the entire universe. The names of those elephants are Ṛṣabha, Puṣkaracūḍa, Vāmana and Aparājita. They are responsible for maintaining the planetary systems of the universe.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of all transcendental opulences and the master of the spiritual sky. He is the Supreme Person, Bhagavān, the Supersoul of everyone. The demigods, led by Indra, the King of heaven, are entrusted with seeing to the affairs of the material world. To benefit all living beings in all the varied planets and to increase the power of those elephants and of the demigods, the Lord manifests Himself on top of that mountain in a spiritual body, uncontaminated by the modes of material nature. Surrounded by His personal expansions and assistants like Viṣvaksena, He exhibits all His perfect opulences, such as religion and knowledge, and His mystic powers such as aṇimā, laghimā and mahimā. He is beautifully situated, and He is decorated by the different weapons in His four hands.
The various forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such as Nārāyaṇa and Viṣṇu, are beautifully decorated with different weapons. The Lord exhibits those forms to maintain all the varied planets created by His personal potency, yoga-māyā.
My dear King, outside Lokāloka Mountain is the tract of land known as Aloka-varṣa, which extends for the same breadth as the area within the mountain — in other words, 125,000,000 yojanas [one billion miles]. Beyond Aloka-varṣa is the destination of those who aspire for liberation from the material world. It is beyond the jurisdiction of the material modes of nature, and therefore it is completely pure. Lord Kṛṣṇa took Arjuna through this place to bring back the sons of the brāhmaṇa.” (SB 5.20.39-42)
It is described that Lokāloka is supported on four sides by four great elephants. However, just as Lokāloka is not an ordinary mountain, these are not ordinary elephants, nor do they serve as ordinary weights on the sides of the structure.
Just as Brahmā creates the demigods as predominating deities of the different forces that govern the cosmos, he also creates these four elephant-deities to embody the forces that maintain the whole universal structure. The names of these divine elephants give us some clues about these potencies.
Ṛṣabha means “the foremost” or chief, giving the idea of strength and power. Puṣkaracūḍa means “lotus-crested,” which indicates purity. Vāmana means “small” or “short”, giving the idea of fine control, or restraint, while Aparājita means “unconquered” or “invincible,” indicating control that can’t be challenged or overthrown.
We can see that after describing these four gaja-patis, the text describes the Supreme Lord, indicating that He is the real maintainer and overseer. He manifests in His spiritual form above the whole structure of the universe, surrounded by His personal expansions, assistants, opulences, mystic potencies, etc. This again indicates that He is the power behind all material creation, and that everything works under His control.
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