Patanjali Yoga Sutra — भुवनज्ञानं सुर्ये संयमात् ॥3.27॥

Bhuvanajñānaṃ sūrye saṁyamāt॥

Through saṁyama on the sun, a yogi acquires the knowledge of Bhuvanaloka.

The brightest object man has ever seen is the sun. Upaniṣads (śṛuti prasthāna), Bhagavad Gītā (smṛti prasthāna) and Brahmasūtra (nyāya prasthāna) are called ‘prasthānatrayās.’ Study of Vedānta is never complete without an understanding of these three. In all these, there is mention on SUN God and His glories are recited. In Hindu mythology, the sun is regarded as a son of kaśyapa and Aditi (āditya = Son of Aditi). This magnificent God of kaśyapa Gotra is considered to have born on Saptami of śuklapakṣa in Māghamāsa. (It is called ‘Rathasaptami’). He is represented as moving in a chariot drawn by seven horses (representing seven colors of light, seven days of the week) with Aruṇa as his charioteer. The chariot has 12 wheels representing 12 Rāshis. He is symbolized as all-seeing, the constant beholder of good and bad deeds of mortals. Sun is the father of Vaivasvata, the founder of the solar dynasty of kings. Lord Śrīrāma also hails from the solar dynasty. Chāyā was the principal wife, by whom Sun gets Yama, Yamuna, the two Aśvini Devatās, and Saturn (śani). In Bhagavad Gītā, Bhagavān says ‘Among the luminaries, I am the radiant sun’ (Gītā — 10.21). Sun is considered as Lord of the universe and thus Patañjali says, through saṁyama on the sun, the yogi gets knowledge of the Bhuvanaloka.

Bhuvanaloka is described as follows:

चतुर्दश भुवनानि सन्ति। तेषु सप्त अधोलोकाः पुनः सप्त ऊर्ध्व लोकाः। — Fourteen Lokas are there;

seven are down: अतलः, वितलः, सुतलः, रसातलः, तलातलः, महातलः, पातालः;

and seven are up: भूलोकः, भुवर्लोकः, स्वर्लोकः, महर्लोकः, जनोलोकः, तपोलोकः, सत्यलोकः.