लोक [ loka ] [ loká ] m. ( connected with [ roka ] ; in the oldest texts [ loka ] is generally preceded by [ u ] , which accord. to the Lit. Padap. = the particle 3. [ u ] ; but [ u ] may be a prefixed vowel and [ uloká ] , a collateral dialectic form of [ loka ] ; accord. to others [ u-loka ] is abridged from [ uru- ] or [ ava-loka ] ) , free or open space , room , place , scope , free motion Lit. RV. Lit. AV. Lit. Br. Lit. ĀŚvŚr. (acc. with √ [ kṛ ] or √ [ dā ] or [ anu- ] √ [ nī ] , " to make room grant freedom " ; [ loke ] with gen. " instead of " )

  intermediate space Lit. Kauś.

  a tract , region , district , country , province Lit. ŚBr.

  the wide space or world (either " the universe " or , " any division of it " , esp. " the sky or heaven " ; 3 Lokas are commonly enumerated , viz. heaven , earth , and the atmosphere or lower regions ; sometimes only the first two ; but a fuller classification gives 7 worlds , viz. Bhū-loka , the earth ; Bhuvar-loka , the space between the earth and sun inhabited by Munis , Siddhas ; Svarloka , Indra's heaven above the sun or between it and the polar star ; Maharloka , a region above the polar star and inhabited by Bhṛigu and other saints who survive the destruction of the 3 lower worlds ; Janarloka , inhabited by Brahmā's son Sanat-kumāra ; Tapar-loka , inhabited by deified Vairāgins ; Satya-loka or Brahma-loka , abode of Brahmā , translation to which exempts from rebirth ; elsewhere these 7 worlds are described as earth , sky , heaven , middle region , place of re-births , mansion of the blest , and abode of truth ; sometimes 14 worlds are mentioned , viz. the 7 above , and 7 lower regions called in the order of their descent below the earth -- A-tala , Vi-tala , Su-tala , Rasā-tala , Talā-tala , Mahā-tala , and Pātāla ; cf. Lit. RTL. 102 n. 1 Lit. IW. 420 , 1 ; 435 , 1) Lit. AV. ( 906,1 )

  N. of the number " seven " ( cf. above ) Lit. VarBṛS. Sch.

  the earth or world of human beings Lit. Mn. Lit. MBh. ( [ ayáṃ lokáḥ ] , " this world " ; [ asaú ] or [ páro lokáḥ ] , " that or the other world " ; [ loke ] or [ iha ] [ loke ] , " here on earth " , opp. to [ para-tra ] , [ para-loke ] ; [ kṛtsne ] [ loke ] , " on the whole earth " )

  ( also pl.) the inhabitants of the world , mankind , folk , people (sometimes opp. to " king " ) Lit. Mn. Lit. MBh.

  (pl.) men (as opp. to " women " ) Lit. Vet. Lit. Hit.

  a company , community (of ten ifc. to form collectives) Lit. Kāv. Lit. Vas. Lit. Kathās.

  ordinary life , worldly affairs , common practice or usage Lit. GṛS. Lit. Nir. Lit. Mn. ( [ loke ] either " in ordinary life " , " in worldly matters " ; or , " in common language , in popular speech " , as opp. to [ vede ] , [ chandasi ] )

  the faculty of seeing , sight ( only in [ cákṣur-l ] q.v.)

  [ lokānāṃ sāmanī ] du. and [ lokānāṃ vratāni ] pl. N. of Sāmans Lit. ĀrshBr. ( cf. Lat. (lūsus) , originally , " a clearing of a forest " ; Lith. (lau4kas) , a field. )