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The Earth is situated in the middle of the 'fourteen planes of existence', of which 'Brahmaloka' is the highest plane.

But on the earth, atop the Mountain Meru, there is a city of Brahma, called 'Shatakaumbhi', which resembles a mountain of gold. Surrounding it are the citadels of the various 'Lokapalas', namely, Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirruti, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera and Ishana. This solves the problem of how can there be Lokapalas for the universe, because these 'Lokapalas' are now confined to 'Bhuloka'. Surrounding these cities are the various residences of devas and asuras.

The question is, are all these different cities from the actual 'Lokas' of the Devas?

Like do we have two Brahmas, two Indras, Agnis and so on, including double the number of devas and asuras per city?

OR are all these portals to the various other planes of existence?

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  • It seems that the names of these cities are given in the Puranas, and Indra's city is called Amaravati: books.google.com/… That's the same as the name of Indra's city in Devaloka, so perhaps these cities don't surround Brahmapuri on land, but rather surround them in outer space. (As you said your portal idea is far-fetched.)
    – Keshav Srinivasan ♦
    Commented Oct 24, 2015 at 18:27
  • But there are reference in Hindu scripture to the gods having dwellings on Earth in addition to their dwellings in other Lokas. (They may spend some time in different dwellings, or they may simultaneously be in all dwellings as the Brahma Sutras describe them appearing in multiple places at once.) In this chapter of the Aitareya Brahmana, Atyarati promises to give the Earth to Vaishta as soon as he conquers it, but then he refuses to give it because he hasn't conquered Uttarakuru. Vasishta curses him, because Uttarakuru is the unconquerable land of the gods.
    – Keshav Srinivasan ♦
    Commented Oct 24, 2015 at 18:39
  • I discuss that Aitareya Brahmana chapter in my question here, by the way. Also, in the Mahabharata chapter linked to in my question here, if you go to the land of the Uttara-Kurus, you'll be "in the company of the very deities, where those beings that have their origin in fire, those that have their origin in water, and those having their origin in mountains, reside in happiness, and where Sakra raineth down the fruition of every wish." But Devaloka is listed separately.
    – Keshav Srinivasan ♦
    Commented Oct 24, 2015 at 18:44
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    There are multiple brahmandas and each brahmanda has its own brahma, vishnu, siva etc. and Devi Sri lalita is the ruler of all these brahmandas. There is a story in the devi scriptures where vishnu, etc. encountered other vishnus at the gates of Devi's city.
    – user1195
    Commented Oct 25, 2015 at 4:07
  • I know that story, where Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu are taken to Manidvipa and see Devi sitting on the Simhasana. My question is, within our own Brahmanda, are there different abodes of Brahma?
    – Surya
    Commented Oct 29, 2015 at 12:44

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