Bhuvanatrajjo

The term is derived from Sanskrit, with "bhuvanatraya" meaning "three worlds." This tripartite structure is a fundamental concept in Vedic and later Hindu and Buddhist cosmologies, signifying distinct planes of existence or consciousness.

A Buddhist profane layman will mention only three <li\dsions of every world, wliile a non-initiated Brahman will maintain that there are four. The four divisions of the latter are purely physical and sensuous, the Trailokya of the Buddhist are purely spiritual and ethical. The Brahmanical division may be found fully described under the heading of Vyahritif;, the diflference being for the present suflfici-titly shown in the following parallel : — Brahmanical Division of the Buddhist Division of th< h'> - Worlds. ffions. 1. "World of Desire. Kaniadhntii or 1. Bhur, earth. Kdmaloka. 2. Bhuvah, heaven, firmament. '2. World of form. l!Hi»i<Uini\i. 3. Swar, atmosphere, the sk\'. /o mi, * i i i i ■ ;/ •< i Tif I. . 11 • (O. The formless world. .h-(//H/(//»r////. 4. Mahar, eternal luminous essence. J All these are the worlds of post morli di states. For instance. Kdmalnkn or KAmadhatu, the region of ]\Iara. is that wliich median-al and modern Kabalists call the world of a.stral light, and the "world of shells". Kamaloka lias, like every other region, its seven diNnsions. the lowest of wliich begins on earth or invisibly in its atmosphere: the six otliers ascend gradually, the highest being the abode of those who have died owing to accident, or suicide in a fit of temporary insanity, or were otherwise victims of external forces. It is a place where all those who have died before the end of the term allotted to tliem. and whose iiigher jn-inciples do not. therefore, go at once into Devachanic state — sleep a dreamless sweet sleep of oblivion, at the termination of whieh 312 TIIEUSDIMIICAI, tlifv ar«' citliti- rclxti'ii iimiirdiatclN , m- pass ;:i-a(luall\ iiitt» the Dcvarlianic statt'. Iiuixnlhaht is the celestial world of form, or what we call

The concept of Bhuvanatrajjo, or the "three worlds," offers a cosmic blueprint that resonates deeply with the human aspiration for understanding our place within a larger reality. It is not merely an ancient cartography of the heavens and earth but a profound psychological and spiritual map. Mircea Eliade, in his seminal works on comparative religion, frequently highlighted how cosmologies serve as foundational structures for human experience, providing order and meaning to the chaos of existence. The division into three realms—often earth, atmosphere, and heavens, or desire, form, and formlessness—speaks to a fundamental human intuition of layered realities, of realms beyond the immediately tangible.

For the early Indic traditions, these divisions were not abstract philosophical curiosities but lived realities, influencing ritual, meditation, and ethical conduct. The Buddhist understanding, as hinted at by Blavatsky, emphasizes the ethical and consciousness-based nature of these worlds. Kamaloka, the world of desire, is deeply intertwined with the realm of Mara, the tempter, and the "astral light" or "shells" that cling to the unliberated consciousness. Rupaloka and Arupaloka represent progressively finer states of being, achievable through disciplined mental cultivation. This echoes the Hermetic principle of "As Above, So Below," suggesting that the macrocosm mirrors the microcosm, and our inner states of consciousness shape our perception of the universe.

In the context of modern spiritual seeking, Bhuvanatrajjo invites us to examine the "worlds" we inhabit, not just externally, but internally. Are we primarily bound by the "world of desire," driven by sensory gratification and attachment? Or can we cultivate the discipline to ascend into subtler states of awareness, where form begins to dissolve, and eventually, into a more formless, unconditioned awareness? This journey is not one of physical travel but of profound inner transformation, a reorientation of consciousness. The ancient cosmologists, in their intricate descriptions of these worlds, provided a framework for this inner pilgrimage, a testament to the enduring human quest for transcendence.