Madhyaloka, Madhya-loka: 14 definitions

Introduction:

Madhyaloka means something in Jainism, Prakrit, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

[«previous next»] — Madhyaloka in Jainism glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Jainism

Madhyaloka consists of many continent-islands surrounded by oceans, first eight whose names are :-

  1. Jambūdvīpa – Lavanoda (Salt-ocean)
  2. Ghatki Khand – Kaloda (Black sea)
  3. Puskarvardvīpa – Puskaroda (Lotus Ocean)
  4. Varunvardvīpa – Varunoda (Varun Ocean)
  5. Kshirvardvīpa – Kshiroda (Ocean of milk)
  6. Ghrutvardvīpa – Ghrutoda (Ghee ocean)
  7. Ikshuvardvīpa – Iksuvaroda (Ocean of Sugarcane Juice)
  8. Nandishwardvīpa – Nandishwaroda

Jambūdvīpa is at the centre of Madhyaloka, or the middle part of the universe, where the humans reside.

Mount Meru is at the centre of the world surrounded by Jambūdvīpa, in form of a circle forming a diameter of 100,000 yojanas.

Source: Google Books: Jaina Iconography

Madhyaloka (मध्यलोक).—The middle world (madhya-loka), a rather circular body, consists of numerous concentric dvīpas or island continents with intervening oceans separating any two of them. In its center is the Mount Meru, golden and surrounded by the Jambūdvīpa, the latter being encircled by the lavaṇoda ocean. Then comes the dhātaki-khaṇḍa-dvīpa and the vāruṇīvara-samudra, the kṣīravara and the kṣīroda, the ghṛtavara and the ghṛtoda, the ikṣuvara and the ikṣuvaroda, the nandīśvara and the nandīśvaroda. Human beings are found only in the first two dvīpas and the first half of the third one. At the end of countless continents and oceans is the great ocean known as the Svayambhuramaṇa.

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Madhyaloka (मध्यलोक) refers to the “middle world”, according to chapter 2.2 [ajitanātha-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.

Accordingly:—“in the Middle World (i.e., madhyaloka) there are countless continents and oceans, with auspicious names Jambūdvīpa, Lavaṇa, etc.; the divisions of each being twice as large as those of the preceding one; each one surrounding the preceding one like a sheath. The last of these is the great ocean named Svayambhūramaṇa. [...] In the interior of Jambūdvīpa Meru, golden, round like a sthāla, is buried 1,000 yojanas in the ground at its base, is 99,000 yojanas high, and 10,000 yojanas in diameter at the surface of the earth. [...]”.

Source: Shodhganga: A cultural study on the jain western Indian illustrated manuscripts

Madhyaloka (मध्यलोक).—Madhya-loka or the “middle world” is horizontal and always shown is full face-like a disk or plate or an immense cymbal or denoted by the central parts of the man’s abdomen where human beings live.

The middle world (madhya-loka) is the only one of the three worlds where it is possible for men to be born, Even there, rebirth and death are restricted to a relatively small area.

Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 3: The Lower and middle worlds

Madhyaloka (मध्यलोक).—according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra 3.7, what constitute the middle-world (madhya-loka)? Continents with auspicious names like Jambūdvīpa and oceans with auspicious names like Lavaṇasāgara (Ocean Salt) constitute the middle world. Lavaṇa means salt. There are innumerable continents and oceans in the middle world.

What are names of most known continents of the middle world? Jambūdvīpa, Dhātakīdvīpa, Puṣkaradvīpa (Puṣkaravaradvīpa), Vāruṇīvaradvīpa, Kṣīravaradvīpa, Gṛhatavaradvīpa, Ikṣuvaradvīpa, Nandīśvaradvīpa, Aruṇavaradvīpa, Kuṇḍalavaradvīpa, Saṅkhavaradvīpa, Rucakavaradvīpa and so on innumerable continents till the last one known as Svayambhūramaṇa are names of the famous continents of the middle world.

What are the names of the famous oceans of the middle world? Names of the famous oceans of the middle world are; Lavaṇa, Kālodadhi, Puṣkaravara, Vāruṇīvara, Kṣīravara, Ghrhatvara, Ikṣuvara, Nandīśvara, Aruṇavara, Kundalavara, Saṅkhavara, Rucakavara and so on innumerable oceans till the last one known as Svayambhūramaṇa.

General definition book cover
context information

Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

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Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Madhyaloka in Marathi glossary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

madhyalōka (मध्यलोक).—m S (Central world.) The earth.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

madhyalōka (मध्यलोक).—m The earth.

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

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Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Madhyaloka in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Madhyaloka (मध्यलोक).—the middle of the three worlds; i. e. the earth or world of mortals. °ईशः, °ईश्वरः (īśaḥ, °īśvaraḥ) a king.

Derivable forms: madhyalokaḥ (मध्यलोकः).

Madhyaloka is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms madhya and loka (लोक).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Madhyaloka (मध्यलोक).—m.

(-kaḥ) The earth, the dwelling of mortals. E. madhya middle, and loka world; placed in the middle between heaven and hell; also with kan added madhyalokaka .

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Madhyaloka (मध्यलोक):—[=madhya-loka] [from madhya] m. the middle world, earth, abode of mortals

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Madhyaloka (मध्यलोक):—[madhya-loka] (kaḥ) 1. m. The world.

[Sanskrit to German]

Madhyaloka in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

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Kannada-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Madhyaloka in Kannada glossary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Madhyalōka (ಮಧ್ಯಲೋಕ):—[noun] the world in which we live, considered to be at the centre in the universe.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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