Brahmaloka

Brahmaloka · brahma-loka, “the world of Brahmā”

Brahmaloka is the world of Brahmā, the Pitāmaha (grandsire) of the worlds. The Vāmana Purāṇa names it the best of all lokas, as Janārdana is the best of the devas. It is radiant, served by maharshis and filled with the sound of the Vedas; there Brahmā sits in his sabhā (assembly hall), and there the devas take refuge when the asuras drive them from svarga. It is imperishable and hard to reach: Indra reached it by the puṇya of a hundred aśvamedha yajñas, and some tīrthas of Kurukshetra give it to those who bathe or dwell in them.

Source: Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapters 12, 36, 52; Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 3

Brahmā’s sabhā

When Bali had taken the three worlds, Kaśyapa went with the devas to Brahmā‘s abode. On divine vehicles that go wherever one wishes they reached the radiant Brahmaloka in a moment. Brahmā’s sabhā resounds with the Sāma chant and the humming of bees; the Ṛgveda reciters chant the mantras in krama, pāda and akshara order, and dvijas learned in śikshā and every vidyā give their discourses.

In the middle of the sabhā sits Brahmā, guru of the suras and asuras, on the most excellent seat, honoured by Brāhmī and Śrī. Daksha, the Pracetases, Pulaha, Marīci, Bhṛgu, Atri, Vasishṭha, Gautama and Nārada serve him, and in bodily form the elements, prakṛti and mahat, the four Vedas, dharma, artha and kāma, the grahas, the Vasus, Sūrya and Candra, the days and nights, the months and the seasons.

Source: Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 3

The path to Brahmaloka

Searching the worlds for Śrī Hari, Prahlāda saw, above Meru and the cities of the eight dikpālas, Vairāja, the abode of Brahmā (Chapter 51).

When the daitya Dhundhu wished to go there to conquer the devas, the daityas told him the path is very hard. First comes Maharloka, where a glance of the maharshis burns up daityas; then Tapoloka, six crore yojanas away, where no daitya can bear the breath of the Sādhya devas; then Satyaloka, thirty crore yojanas away, shining like a thousand suns, whose lord is Brahmā, where the sound of the Vedas makes the devas blossom and the daityas shrivel. Śukrācārya told him that Indra had reached Brahmaloka by the puṇya of a hundred aśvamedhas. Dhundhu began his own hundred on the Devikā, and Vāyu carried the scent of their smoke to Brahmaloka (Chapter 52).

Source: Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapters 51–52

Those who went to Brahmaloka

  • When Sūrya fell burning from the fire of Śiva‘s eye, the ṛshis, yakshas, nāgas, bhūtas and all beings went there to tell Brahmā (Chapter 16).
  • Kuṭilā, under Brahmā’s śāpa, became water and was about to flood Brahmaloka, until the Pitāmaha bound her with the four Vedas (Chapter 25).
  • Agni, unable to bear the tejas of Śiva, went with the devas to Brahmaloka (Chapter 31).
  • At Bhagavān Śiva’s word the tapasvī Maṅkaṇa set up a mūrti in Kurukshetra and went to the imperishable Brahmaloka (Chapter 36).
  • King Savana, son of Priyavrata, rose from the funeral pyre with his wife Sudevā and went to Brahmaloka (Chapter 46).
  • Driven from svarga by Bali‘s asuras, Indra and the devas went to Brahmaloka, where Indra told Brahmā that Bali had taken his kingdom (Chapters 48–50).
  • When the merchant Sudharma offered piṇḍas at Gayāśira for the pretas, they all left the preta state and went to Brahmaloka (Chapter 53).

Source: Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapters 16, 25, 31, 36, 46, 48–50, 53

Tīrthas that give Brahmaloka

  • Brahmodumbara: bathing in this tīrtha of Brahmā surely gives Brahmaloka (Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 15).
  • Auśanasa: bathing there destroys the pāpas of all births and gives Brahmaloka, from which there is no return (Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 18).
  • Kuru tīrtha: the rājarshi Kuru asked that those who dwell at this tīrtha with śraddhā and bhakti attain Brahmaloka (Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 20).

Source: Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapters 15, 18, 20

Sources

  • Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapters 12, 16, 25, 31, 36, 46, 48–53
  • Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapters 3, 15, 18, 20