The Geography of the Puranas c7.s4.47

c7.s4.47

(2) That the Seven Dwīpas are nothing but seven stellar planes,³⁶ i.e. imaginary spheres round the earth in which dwell beings which are different from those which live on the earth. This may be acceptable to some, but this is exactly what the Purāṇas never intended to convey. If that was intended they would not have hesitated to add a few more stellar planes to those which have been specifically mentioned, viz. the Mahar-Loka, Tapa-Loka and Satya-Loka. Besides, the Purāṇas associate the dwīpas with real mountains and rivers and divide them into 'Varṣas'.