Chapter 15: The Pathway to the Divine
Adi finally realized how intricately everything was interwoven—the existence devoid of self, the existence with self, and the great revelations of life like Karma and free will. One could not exist in the absence of the other. They were interdependent forces, cycling endlessly in a cosmic dance. His enlightenment was unfolding, but it was not just about his own soul's journey. It was also a revelation of the universe itself—its vastness, its structure, and the subtle, unseen forces that governed it.
The memories flooding his consciousness were those of his past lives, stretching across lifetimes beyond counting. Yet, they were more than just recollections; they were glimpses of the universe itself—visions of different planes of existence, vast realms where beings of unimaginable forms and powers dwelled. He saw entities that defied human comprehension, beings who possessed knowledge and abilities beyond the scope of mortal understanding. Yet, what struck him most was the realization that he had once been among them. The memory of his time with the divine had faded, but now it was slowly returning.
As he walked this path, the gateway to the divine began to reveal itself. However, the road was unimaginably long, so arduous that even the gods themselves would hesitate before undertaking the journey. When speaking of gods, it was not about omnipotent creators but rather about beings who had transcended their mortal limitations through tapas, meditation, and the relentless pursuit of truth. They were travelers on the path of divinity, ascending higher yet never immune to the pull of Karma. For even the gods were bound by its laws—their actions determined their continued rise or eventual fall back into the cycle of birth and death. (Reference from Hindu Scriptures)
The Lokas: Realms of Existence
Adi's vision expanded, showing him the great cosmic structure described in the Vedic scriptures. He saw the vast Lokas, the different planes of existence where various beings resided. These were not mere allegories or myths but structured realms that existed beyond the material world.
Bhū Loka (Earthly Realm) – The plane of human existence, where life is bound by physical and karmic laws. It was a realm of struggle and learning, where mortals lived their countless lives, accumulating karma and striving for liberation.
Bhuvar Loka (Astral Realm) – The domain of spirits and celestial beings who were neither fully liberated nor bound. Here, energy flowed more freely, and consciousness had greater mobility, but karma still dictated their fates.
Sva Loka (Heavenly Realm) – The plane of Indra and other deities, where those with virtuous karma experienced bliss. Yet, even this joy was temporary, for karma determined when they would fall and be reborn elsewhere.
Mahar Loka (Higher Realm of the Rishis) – The realm of great sages and ascetics who had cultivated immense wisdom and power through meditation. Here, time stretched beyond human understanding, and knowledge flowed like an endless river.
Jana Loka (Realm of Enlightened Beings) – A place where souls that had reached higher states of consciousness resided, continuing their journey toward divinity.
Tapa Loka (Realm of Great Meditation) – The domain of beings who existed solely in contemplation and ascetic practice, gathering the energy necessary to ascend further or merge with the ultimate truth.
Satya Loka (Brahma Loka, The Realm of Truth) – The highest of all planes, the seat of Brahma, where only those on the cusp of liberation resided. Here, karma held the least sway, and the ultimate dissolution into the infinite was possible.
Yet, for every realm above, there were realms below, each darker than the last:
Atala – A realm ruled by powerful but self-indulgent entities, where material desires still controlled existence.
Vitala – The domain of dark sorcery and beings consumed by greed and ambition.
Sutala – A place of immense knowledge but also bound by ego and self-importance.
Talātala – Where beings were trapped by deception, unable to perceive higher truths.
Mahātala – The plane of primal instincts, where violence and domination dictated existence.
Rasātala – A realm of suffering, where beings experienced the consequences of lifetimes of destruction and chaos.
Pātāla – The lowest of all realms, a place where souls were entirely disconnected from the light of consciousness, trapped in a cycle of endless torment and rebirth.
The Divine and the Bound
Adi now understood the paradox—Karma did not spare even the divine. Those who had attained great power and ascended to godhood were still bound by their deeds. Their divine status was not eternal; it depended on the continued balance of their actions. If they failed, if they became arrogant or attached to their positions, their fall was inevitable. And so, they too struggled, striving to free themselves from karma's web, just as mortals did.
For Adi, this realization was profound. There was no fixed state of being. Even the greatest of beings, those who wielded divine power, were still travelers, still seekers, still bound by the cosmic laws. Their victories and ascensions were temporary, as were their falls. The universe moved in cycles, and no being—not even the gods—were exempt.
He now saw the truth with piercing clarity. Breaking free from karma was not simply about rising in the cosmic hierarchy, for even the highest realms were impermanent. True liberation lay beyond all Lokas, beyond all cycles of rebirth, and even beyond the gods themselves. It lay in a state where action was without attachment, existence was without ego, and being and non-being merged into one.
And so, Adi walked forward, knowing that the path ahead was long. The memories of his past selves, the glimpses of divine realms, and the truths he had uncovered were only the beginning. He had seen the vastness of existence and the infinite possibilities of the soul. Yet, he also understood that knowledge alone was not enough. He had to live it, embody it,ando become it.
The path to the divine was before him, but it was one that even the gods feared to tread.