Madhyaloka

Madhyaloka comprises of one Rajju as length breadth and one Lakh yojanas height. The number of Dvîpas (islands) and oceans in it equals the number of hair in twenty-five kodåkodi uddhåra Palyas, i.e. the number is uncountable in simple words.

Island and oceans form alternate rings with Jambýdvîpa (the island of Jambý), the only disc of land mass, at the centre. The islands are stretched over Citråbhými which is one thousand yojanas higher than Vajråbhými embraced by all the oceans. The alternate positions of islands and oceans in their proper order are given as under :

LIST OF INNERMOST SERIES OF  ISLANDS AND OCEANS

DIMENSIONS OF ISLANDS AND OCEANS

Diameter of Jambýdvîpa is one lakh yojanas. Diameter of the Lavanasamudra is two lakh yojanas, double the diameter of Jambýdvîpa. Likewise the diameter goes on doubling subsequently till the diameter of Krauncavara Samudra is computed.

After these islands and oceans, thirty two in total number, there exist innumerable islands and oceans which precede the last series of sixteen islands and sixteen oceans whose names starting from the last ocean Svayambhýramana ocean backward to the first island Mana³sila Dvîpa are stated as given below :

LIST OF OUTERMOST SERIES OF ISLANDS AND OCEANS

Ocean Island

WHAT AND WHERE DESCRIPTION IN THE ISLANDS

Jambýdvîpa, Dhåtakîkhanða Dvîpa and half of the third Puskaravara Dvîpa make a system of Aðhåî Dvîpas (two and a half islands) on whose Bhogabhými and Karmabhými the human beings do take birth. In Puskaravara Dvîpa, there exists a ring type Månusottara Parvata (mountain) beyond which human beings do not live at all.

Then beginning from rest of the half of Puskaravara Dvîpa right upto the half of of Svayambhýramana Dvîpa , only Tiryañchas (sub-human) reside. These Tiryañcas are the product of Bhogabhýmis. They are born in pairs, live for an Utkârsta (maximal) life of one Palya and obtain the rank of a Deva after death. In this context, it is stated in Jambýdvîpa Pannattî Uddesa, as :

“In the innumerable islands, except Jambýdvîpa, Dhåtakîkhanða Dvîpa, half of the Puskaravara Dvîpa and half of the Svayambhýramana Dvîpa, the animals with five senses, the Tiryañcas, with a life of one Palya, do take birth. They are 2000 Dhanusas long, built with delicate limbs, Mandakasåîs and reapers of fruits. They are born in pairs.

They took food on alternate days. After death, they reach the Suraloka. They are not reborn anywhere else as enunciated by the omniscients.” (Jambýdvîpa-Pannattisaµgaho, 11th uddesaka).

In the Svayambhýramana Dvîpa, there exists Svayamprabhå Parvata just similar to Månu¼ottara Parvata On this side of it, there live Tiryañcas who are product of Bhogabhými. These Tiryañcas do not include animals with two senses, three senses and four senses who are the product of Karmabhými and live on the other side of the Svayamprabhå Parvata.

REAL JINA TEMPLE

Real Jina Temples, 458 in number, exist over the land stretched from Jambýdvîpa upto Rucakavara Dvîpa , the thirteenth in number.

WHERE AND WHAT TYPE OF WATERIN OCEANS

The water of Lavanasamudra tastes, like its name indjcates i.e. saltish, the taste of Lavana (common salt). Likewise the water of Vårunîvara Samudra tastes like the Madya(wine), of Ghâtavara Samudra like Ghee (heated butter) and of Ksîravara Samudra like Dýdha (milk). The water of the Ksîravara Samudra is used for Janmåbhiseka of Tîrthankaras.

The water of Kålodadhi Samudra, Pu¼karavara Samudra and Svayambhýrama¿a Samudra tastes like the ordinary water.

The taste of water of all the rest of oceans is similar to the taste of Iksurasai.e. sugarcane.

The watery animals abound in Lava¿asamudra, Kålodadhi Samudra and Svayambhýrama¿a Samudra only and in no other ocean.

Thus, the brief description of Madhyaloka ends.