Gross Universe:The Gross Universe is dissolved completely at the end of 309,173 billion solar years. All of creation.

is then merged into Supreme Brahman - the bliss of the Self is achieved with Sayujya. There is also partial dissolution at the end of each kalpa, where the heat of the sun burns all life and then the waters flood, this occurs every 4.3 billion years. In between kalpas (the cosmic night) all creatures (mobile and immobile) are absorbed and kept safe within Visnu. Everything is born again in the day and life proceeds as before almost as a copy of the past. Even within a kalpa at the end of each of fourteen manvantaras there is flooding and destruction of property and nature, this occurs every 306,720,000 years. Some of the planets in this universe are not effected by kalpas, these are the worlds of the Siddhas and sons of Brahma within Maharloka. Indra lives in Svarloka or Satyaloka. The seven sages live in Ursa Major.The Brahmacarins live in Brahmaloka.The great Siddhis live in Bhuvarloka. In Svargaloka, the gods, the Adityas, the Maruts, the Vasus, the twin Asvins, Vishvedevas, Rudras, Sadyas, Nagas, Khagas etc. stay. The fourteen worlds of Brahma and the fourteen worlds of Visnu comprise the entire Gross Universe : the worlds ending with Karanasatya, of the Karanabrahma (Brahma the cause) evolved out of the subtle elements (earth, fire, water, air, ether); Smell, taste, form touch and sound are stationesd beyond it. In all these fourteen worlds, the subtle smell etc. give the due form. The fourteen worlds of Karanavisnu are stationed there. Thus only in the sentient worlds of Visnu do sattvik sentient beings reside. These worlds are thus protected by Visnu, beyond Satya. The Gross Universe is supported by the serpent Sesa. He is glorified as Visnu and supports the Earth on his back; Ananta the lord of the Bhutas stands at the root of Patala, the lowest of the seven lower Naga worlds of Brahma. The Gross Universe lies completely within water, that is within the Subtle Universe. It is subtle because it is never dissoluted unlike the Gross Universe that is withdrawn into an infinitely small point, called a point of singularity, the Shakti of Brahman. The Subtle Universe lies within the Causal Universe that is the Absolute Reality. It is a Cosmic Sun that is the timeless, causeless, spaceless, formless power, existence and non-existence that sustains all form, but is detached from it; but because of its existence within everything atom, molecule and quantum it is present everywhere at all points of time and space and the sustainer of all causes of the changing forms within it. During moon cycles when the Paramatman is in contemplation and meditating upon his Atman, Parasakti commands his Lordship to evolve the Gross Universe from the Nada and the Bindu which spawn the Purusa and Prakrti then from the ether, then from the wind , then from the fire, then from the waters, then from matter ; AUM is the extent of the Universe : the A is the creator, Brahma, of the fourteen worlds, the U is the protector,

Visnu, of the fourteen and the fourteen worlds, the M is the destroyer, Rudra, of these worlds at the end of Brahmas life. The Brihati of 36,000 syllables of the Nada permeates, gives splendour and completes the evolution. The Gross Universe is 2.2267 billion light years in diameter. Subtle Universe:The Subtle Universe is the support of the Gross Universe and is supported by Sesa, or Ananta as he is known to the Siddhas; he is gloified as Visnu . Therein just above the Gross Universe is the world called Ksama, where is the city of Vaikuntha, the abode of Visnu. The Subtle Universe contains the twenty- eight worlds of Rudra, is presided over by him and his abode is the farthest world within called Suciloka. There in Suciloka on Mount Kailasa is his abode. The Subtle Universe is never destroyed. The Subtle Universe is ten times larger than the Gross Universe or 22.267 billion light years in extent Causal Universe:The Causal Universe is comprised of the Gross Universe, the Subtle Universe, the Isha Region, the Ahimsa Region and the Kalatita Expanse. It has no boundarys, is infinite and can be described as the Cosmic Sun. A description of the Regions follow: Isha Region : This region contains fifty-six worlds. It is intermediate. Only great souls could possibly reside here. The region of Isha is encompassed by the elements and the principle of Mahat. It is eight times larger than the Subtle Universe or 178.136 billion light years in extent.

Ahimsa Region : This is the region where Karmabhoga enjoyment is a result of activity. Then beyond that point is Jnanabhoga (enjoyment due to knowledge). Beneath that point is Karmamaya and beyond that point is Jnanamaya. The explaination of Karmamaya is : Ma means Laksmi i.e. Karmabhoga- that is Maya. The same is said for Jnanamaya. Ma means Laksmi i.e. Jnanabhoga attainment of the same is Maya. Beyond that point is Nityabhoga (perpetual enjoyment). Beneath that point is Nasvarabhoga (evanescent enjoyment). Beneath that is evanescence and beyond that is freedom. The bondage of nooses is only beneath that point. There is no bondage beyond that point. Those who perform actions with desire alone, hover beneath that point.

The enjoyment of rites performed with no desire is said to be beyond that point. Those who are devoted to the worship of womb, hover beneath that point. The worshippers of the phallic emblem who are unaffected by desire can go beyond that point. Worshippers of deities other than Siva, hover beneath that. Those who are devoted to Siva alone can go beyond that point. Crores of Jivas live beneath that point. There is a great fire-wall above the same. Persons bound by worldly existence remain beneath that point and those who are liberated go beyond that. Those who worship the natural substances hover beneath that. Those who worship the entity of Purusa go beyond that point. Saktilinga is beneath that point but Siva-linga is beyond. The unmanifest linga is beneath that point but the manifest one is beyond.The conceived linga is beneath and the unconceived one is beyond. The external linga is beneath that point and the internal one is beyond. The Saktilokas numbering 112 are beneath that point. The Bindurupa is beneath that point and the Nadarupa is beyond. The Karmaloka is beneath that point and the Jnanaloka is beyond that. Obeisance which is beyond that point quells pride and egotism. The word Jan means evanescence. The word Jnana, therefore, means that which wards off evanescence. Those who worship elements hover beneath that point. And those who worship spiritual things go beyond that point. The Brahmacaryaloka accepted by Siva in the Ahimsa Region is beyond the other worlds below. There in the Jnankailasa that has five coverings (Avaranas), the primary phallic form of Siva is stationed in the company of primary energy of Siva. It has five zones and five Brahmakalas. This is called the abode of Siva, Sivalaya, the supreme Atman. There alone stays Paramesvara in the company of Parasakti. The Kalachakra consists of five wheels, one being over the other: Brahma Chakra, Visnu Chakra, Raudra Chakra, Isvara Chakra and Siva Chakra. Gradually after Japa, Penance etc. one reaches the Sivaloka outside the fifth covering (sheath-Avarana). Kalatita Expanse: This endless, spaceless, formless, timeless, infinite, boundless expanse , the Sivaloka beyond the Brahmacaryaloka is the abode of the Supreme Self, the Mahatman, the Imperishable Spirit- Satchidananda, where brilliant, splendorous, effulgent Jivas who with Kala backed by Siva, and in the name of Cakresvara , is united with Time; this Sayujya , mergence with the Paramatma, is the goal of every living being in the entire Universes. This is where the five Mandapas of Siva and the sanctum sanctorium , the auspiciouc place of the phallic form of Siva resides. No one can realise the

flourishing power of Siva stationed at the back of Nandi, Nandishvara sits outside and says the Japa of the Panchanchara Mantra. The Divine Worlds of the Mahadevas: Sanatkumara said:The world Vaikuntha is beyond the world of Brahma. It is here that Visnu is stationed and it shines with great brilliance. Above it is the extremely wonderful world of Kaumara. The general Karttikeya, the brilliant son of Siva shines here. Beyond that shines the excessively divine world of Uma, where-Sakti-Siva, the mother of the of three deities shines. She is the Prakrti, greater than the greatest, with the attributes of Rajas, Sattva and Tamas. But the goddess Sivai herself is devoid of attributes, free from aberrations. The eternal Sivaloka is above that. Here lord Siva, the great Brahman, shines. He is indestructible, excessively divine and endowed with great brilliance. He is the lord of all, greater than the three attributes. He is the progenitor of the three deities. There are no worlds above it. The Goloka is near it. Mother cows named Sushila are there. They are favourites of Siva. The progenitor of that world is Krsna. He is established there at the behest of Siva, by Siva himself who moves about as he pleases due to his power. O Vyasa, Sivas region is wonderful and beautiful. It has no support. It shines with different objects. It cannot be specifically described. Our mind and thoughts recede as we approach this infinite expanse of Bliss.
Om Nama Sivaya

From: Siva Purana, Vol. I- Vidyesvarasamhita, Chapter 17; Vol. III - Umasamhita, Chapter 15, 19; Cosmic Sun quotation by Sri Sivaya Subramuniya Swami ivern! 04 Asvina 2004