Lokas and Talas
Question by I. D. — In Fundamentals of the Esoteric Philosophy, pp. 403-4, it is stated in regard to our position in the scale of Lokas and Talas that as we are in the Fourth Globe of our Chain we are in the fourth loka and fourth tala, Mahar-loka and Rasatala. "But, again, we are in the Fourth Round of our Planetary Chain. Therefore we have this bi-polar principle emphasized by the Fourth Round quality, i. e., Mahar-loka and Rasatala again. We are, furthermore, in the Fifth Root-Race of the Fourth Planet on the Fourth Round. Therefore our Root-Race, though evolving on that fourth Globe and in that fourth Round, is represented by the fifth of each column; Swar-loka and Talatala." [See Column p. 399.] Now I would like to ask: If we are in the Fifth Root-Race, why is it that in the scale of the Races we should be in a lower loka and tala (i. e., Swar-loka and Talatala) rather than the one superior to the Fourth-Round loka and tala; i. e., why are we not in Janar-loka and Sutala?
G. de P. - — Lokas and Talas should always be considered as twins, that is to say, one loka should always be considered with its corresponding tala, as for instance, Satyaloka and Atala. These are inseparable and represent the positive and the negative, the high and the low, the spiritual and the material — on any plane; and so on down the scale with increasing increments of unfolding; first, pure spirituality in the arupa-worlds. Now catch this thought: The highest twins, Satya-loka and Atala, represent as so placed a cosmic plane, that is to say each set of twins represents a cosmic plane: from spirit to physical matter. There is the answer to your question.
If you will look at the diagram of the seven globes of our planetary chain as given by H. P. B. in The Secret Doctrine, you will see that Globe D is represented as being in the seventh cosmic plane. That is why we are in Bhur-loka and Patala: on the lowest of the seven manifested cosmic planes. We are, however, in the Fourth Round, on the fourth globe counting by sevens; but in the Fifth Race. Now then, make your adjustments. Just as in the seven principles, so in the cosmic planes: each cosmic plane is sevenfold, tenfold, or twelvefold, according to the way you look at the matter. Satya-loka-Atala is sevenfold, which means that this cosmic plane (plane one on the diagram) has all the other lokas and talas but in the satya-loka-atala condition: they are all represented in the highest cosmic plane, held there in seed, not yet unfolded.
Satya-loka | 1 | Atala |
Tapar-loka | 2 | Vitala |
Janar-loka | 3 | Sutala |
Mahar-loka | 4 | Rasatala |
Swar-loka | 5 | Talatala |
Bhuvar-loka | 6 | Mahatala |
Bhur-loka | 7 | Patala |
This gives the picture of a universe unfolded, in cosmic planes; otherwise called lokas and talas, two by two — or twins.
Bhur-loka and Patala: this twin is sevenfold also; therefore Bhur-loka-Patala has its subordinate or sub-seven lokas and talas: it is the same all down (or up) the scale. We are in Mahar-loka-Rasatala because we are in the Fourth Round; but in the scale of the Races we are in Swar-loka-Talatala because we are in the Fifth Race.
Question (I. D.) — When the Seventh Round is over, by that time shall we have developed the whole possibility of evolution — shall we have unfolded all within us?
Answer (G. de P.) — We shall have unfolded everything within us and in due order as far as this completed evolution permits. I hope you will get this idea: it will save a great deal of mental work. The highest loka contains its Bhur-loka-Patala because each twin is sevenfold. So this series of double-column worlds represents not only the seven cosmic planes, but the seven degrees of evolutionary unfoldment.
Man is not fully complete until he has unrolled everything within him: in other words, every quality, force, energy, substance, power, attribute that he has locked up. That is the answer to that part of your question. And it is a marvelous study. I don't blame anyone for being simply mixed up, because it is indeed 'wheels within wheels,' but yet it is such a wonderful study. The great key is analogical reasoning: hold to that firmly and it will guide you out of the maze.
I might add in conclusion that I would not fasten the attention too rigidly — with too much (what is the word?) literalism — upon these lokas and talas as applied to the globes. Emphatically they do apply; but be careful. Now for instance, if you have the picture of the seven globes of a chain as H. P. B. gives them — Globe A, B, C, D, E, F, G — and then say Globe A is Satya-loka-Atala, Globe D — the fourth — Mahar-loka-Rasatala, then from this we shall have to say that Bhur-loka-Patala is Globe G. That is not so; for, as a matter of fact, there are twelve globes. I would suggest to you to ponder over this thought for a while as a question to be answered by and by.
Remember first then: seven cosmic planes, in due order, each one unrolled from its preceding one and preceding ones: thus Satya-loka-Atala unrolled from themselves the next and succeeding twins — Tapar-loka-Vitala; and these two unrolled the third twins — Janar-loka-Sutala; the three unrolled the next twins — Mahar-loka-Rasatala: and so on down the seven.
Bhur-loka-Patala has all the qualities of those that went before: it contains them all relatively unrolled, and relatively unfolded, as a flower unfolds from the seed. Thus also does a man through evolution become perfect by bringing out what is within these principles. Complete man, spiritual man, will be living in spiritual Bhur-loka-Patala or Satya-loka-Atala, but as a cosmic plane.
Question (C. J. R.) — But the difficulty is that we are in the Fifth Race, and we are more divine; and yet we seem to be farther down than up!
Answer (G. de P.) — I see where the difficulty comes: you are confusing evolutionary unfoldment per se with cosmic planes per se. Consider these different cosmic planes [indicating diagrams] as the septenary degrees in world-evolution and world-building. They also figurate the septenary degrees in evolutionary unfolding of the entities peregrinating in and through these planes. Yet the two classes of ideas, while interlocked in significance, and interblending in activity, must be kept separate in the mind as distinct things.
Now, particularly with regard to your question: we as a class of peregrinating entities have reached our individual evolutionary stage of unfoldment in what we call the Fifth Root-Race on this Globe D, the fourth according to H. P. B.'s reckoning in our Planetary Chain. Thus it is that we are using this present loka and tala, which we call this aspect of our Earth, but yet we as traveling entities are in our fifth racial stage of unfolding in this particular couple of lokas and talas. Hence, as a racial consciousness, we have attained the fifth in the series, i. e, swar-loka-talatala, although the Globe Earth being on the lowest or seventh cosmic plane, is itself a manifestation of bhur-loka-patala.
Connected with this last idea we must likewise remember that our Earth itself is only in its fourth stage or Round of development, and thus we have-it also manifesting the qualities of the fourth in the above series, to wit, mahar-loka-rasatala.
Now all this will be easily explained if you will kindly remember that each of these couples is itself sevenfold, so that for instance, the bhur-loka-patala has all the same seven series of couples, from satya-loka-atala down to bhur-loka-patala in itself.
Thus it is with reference to my remark concerning the stage of the Earth, we have it manifesting bhur-loka-patala, because it is in the seventh cosmic plane; yet it is manifesting likewise the mahar-loka-rasatala as subordinate planes of the bhur-loka-patala.
I will confess that it was with some reluctance that I allowed these thoughts on the lokas and talas to be printed in one or more of my books. It has let me in for a lot of trouble, and I have been explaining ever since! But it has been good, in a way, and therefore I do not really regret it.