PART ONE
KSHAR PURUSH
Now let us go thorugh the chart sequentially from bottom (Patal) to top (Paramdham).
1. Patal: At the bottom most of this Universe consisting of 14 worlds, is Patal. In this also, in its bottom portion there is an extensive layer of a portion of the Delusory waters. Because it is in the womb of the Universe, it is also called 'Ocean of womb-water' (garbhodak ocean). (The Delusory water is also called Delusory Ocean, in which Hiranyagarbha Maha Vishnu is born. A fractional part of the same Delusory water is called as this garbhodak ocean).
The expanse of the garbohodak ocean is very big. Scriptures say that there is a huge tortoise in this ocean, on whose back Shesh Nag is seated in the form of a Lotus. Using him as a couch, Mahavishnu's disposition (or Ego) form named Sankarshan, reclines as Sheshanarayan. He is carrying the entire 14 worlds like a mustard seed. A lotus-stalk has emerged from his navel region. Out of that lotus, the trinity, Brahmaji, Bhagavan Vishnu, and Bhagavan Shankar were born, It is out of this very Bhagavan Narayan's Soùham Soùham breath that the 4 Vedas manifested in a gross form.
Thirty thousand yojanas above Shesh Narayan, there is the habitation of Serpents. There is light of precious stones here. The 84 pits of Hell have also been accepted as being here.
Among the 7 Patals below, in two (Patal and Mahatal) there is the habitation of Serpents and in the other 5 Patals (Atal, Vital, Sutal, Talatal and Rasatal), there is the habitation of Demons.
2. Above these 7 Patals there are Seven worlds; among them the first world is called Bhooloka. It is also called as Mrityuloka. By virtue of being an Activity-prominent region, the jivas attain the higher or lower worlds in accordance with the merits earned here.
3. Sequentially above the Bhooloka are: the Bhuvarloka (world of manes), Svargaloka (residence of Gods and goddesses), Maharloka (the court of Justice of Dharmaraj), Janaloka (the region of Sanakadi and other Rishis such as Bhrigu, Angira, etc.), Tapaloka (the location of Tapasvis.)
4. Satya Loka: is called the residence of the Trinity - Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. Here there is Brahmapuri of Brahmaji, Kailash of Bhagavan Shankar, and in the middle Vaikuntha Dham of Bhagavan Vishnu. As the reward of the Bhakti or Sadhana done in Mrityuloka, jivas attain four kinds of liberation here (Salokya, Sameepya, Saroopya and Sayujya).
5. The Eight Coverings (Ashtavaran): (inside to outside sequentially)
The aforesaid 14 worlds are enveloped by 8 kinds of coverings. These have been called as the Lower-nature (Apara Prakriti) of Bhagavan. They are ten-ten times longer and broader than one another sequentially. The 8 coverings are as follows - Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect and Ego.
Earth: Enveloping the 14 worlds beginning with Sheshasayee Narayan in Patal upto Satloka, there is the 50 crore yojanas expansive Earth Covering. Its qualities are sound, touch, form, taste and smell. It is deemed to be yellow in color, and Brahmaji is its Deity.
Water: The water covering is considered to be ten times more expansive and above the Earth. Sound, touch, form and taste are its qualities. White is its color and Vishnu its Deity.
Fire: Above water and ten times more expansive is the Fire Covering. Red in color, its Deity is Shiva. Sound, touch, and form are deemed to be its three qualities.
Air: Above Fire and ten times more expansive is the Air Covering. Sound and touch are its two qualities. Green is its color, and Deity is Easwar.
Space: Above Air and ten times more expansive is the Space Covering. Sound is its only quality. Blue in color, its Deity is deemed as Sadashiv.
Mind: (Tamas Ahankar) - Above Space and ten times more expansive is the Mind Covering. There are countless colors and endless Lilas in this. Outwardly although the light of numerous Suns is evident, yet, from inside there is cimmerian darkness in it. It has many names such as Icchha Shakti, Mahaghor, Taamas, Ajnanroop, etc. Many people consider it as the Lord and worship it also.
Intellect (Raajas Ahankar):
Above the mind, and ten times more expansive is the Intellect form Raajas-Ego's covering. It is the storage-region of the Intellect. Many people consider it to be Brahman and worship it.There are countless Lilas of Maya in it.
Ego/Ahankar (Sattvik Ahankar):
Above the Intellect, ten times more expansive is this covering and is holding Pure Sattva qualities in it. Many subtle scenes are evident within it. Yogis actually visualise these also. That is why many people deem it as the Lord also !
6. Jyoti-swaroop and Gayatri:
This Jyoti-Swaroop is in Mahavishnu's Gross Waking state. In the scriptures it has been mentioned as Shabdabrahma, Pranavakshar, Shiv, Mrityunjay, Jyotiswaroop, Omityekaksharambrahma, Vyapak Brahma, Jiv Swaroop, Mahapurush, Ghat-Ghat vasi Ram, etc. It is called the Microcosmic Jyoti-swaroop. It is Pure Ego and the basis for Virat; and it is the junction (or knot) betwen Inertness and consciousness. It has five main powers. It is from it only that the 3 qualities Sat, Rajas and Tamas are born. Because she has control over the consciousnes existing in the hearts of the jivas of the world, she is also called the Lord (although in reality, Mahavishnu Narayan is called Easwar).
Omkar is itself the form of Pranav. Vishnu from A-kar; Brahma from U-kar; Shiva from M-kar; the entire Virat along with the Eight-coverings from the Dot; the Pranavakshar Naad (sound) nature Jyoti-swaroop from Sound (Naad); - thus, these five are the form of Pranav.
Gayatri :- In the Chart, Jyoti-swaroop and knowledge-power Gayatri are shown together. The four Vedas (Rigved, Yajurved, Samaved, and Atharvaved) are born from Gayatri.
7. Mahattattva:
Mahattattva is considered as Adi Narayan's subtle form. Its three natures are Falsity, inertness, sorrow. It is the root cause for Ignorance. It is very expansive with the three mysteries of Adhyatma, Adhidev, Adhibhoot.
8. Seven Voids (Saat Shunya):
This is the Desire-power and causal body of Adi Narayan; and its state is considred as Deep Sleep. It has two natures 'Iha' (Maya), and 'Aniha' (Brahman). The source of countless musical notes and melodies is also considered to be here only.
9. Adi Narayan:
Adi Narayan is considered as the Causeless Causal (Mahakaran) form, and his state as Turiya, because he is beyond the14 worlds along with the Eight coverings, or grossbody (Waking state), Mahattattva, the Subtle body (Dream state), and the Seven Voids, the Causal body (Deep Sleep state). In the Scriptures he is addressed as Mahavishnu, Maha Narayan, Adi Purush, Easwar (Karyabrahma), etc.He is deemed to possess four Dispositions, Viz. Aniruddha. Vaasudev, Sankarshan, and Pradyumna. By virtue of being Avyakrit Akshar's (Akshar Brahma's Ego form) dream's form, he is also called as Kshar Purush or Kshar Brahma. The creation of all the Jivas of the 14 worlds, takes place from here only.
10. Great Void (Maha Shunya):
This great void is the form Absorption. As explained above, Countless Universes are situated in this, and during the Mahapralay they all dissolve also in this only.
Pralay (Dissolution):
The marging-back of the objects of creation into their own cause, is called Pralay. They are of 4 types, Nitya, Naimittik, Prakritik and Maha Pralay or Atyantik Pralay.
i. Nitya Pralay:
The change that take place in creation every second, is called Nitya Pralay. Daily destruction of creatures and objects in the world, is called Nitya Pralay.
ii. Naimittik Pralay:
Dissolution taking place due to a special cause, is called Naimittik Pralay. Satya, Treta, Dvapar and Kali, these 4 Yugas are called a Chaturyuga. When one thousand such Chaturyugas pass away, it is One day of Brahmaji. When the day is completed, Brahmaji absorbs 10 worlds from Patal to Svarga withtin himself and goes to Sleep. This is called Naimittik Pralay.
iii. Prakritik Pralay:
According to his time-sequence, when Brahmaji's 100 years pass away, then, along with the entire paraphernalia of his gross and subtle forms, he merges back in to his original cause; this is called Prakritik Pralay. During the Prakritik Pralay, from Patal upto Mahattattva. i.e. the entire creation of Nature, gets merged (destroyed) !
iv. Maha Pralay (Final Dissolution):
Maha Pralay is also called Atyantika Pralay. During Maha Pralay, Akshar Brahma's (Avyakrit Akshar's) entire dream creation, the complete perishable world, Sagun, Nirgun, Shunya Nirakar, Gross subtle, causal, Causeless Cause, Mahavishnu, Mahashunya and all such perishable entities merge into their Sad-Avyakrit, i.e. The entire Perishable Universal-cosmos dissolving into Akshar is itself Mahapralay.