From Temporary Heaven to Eternal Truth: The Path to Sat Lok
There are two types of realms: Swarg Lok (the heavenly realm) and Sat Lok, which is higher than Swarg Lok. We humans currently reside on Earth.
Swarg Lok is granted to souls who have accumulated good karmic records during their lifetime. However, a soul's stay there is not permanent; it lasts only until the soul makes a mistake, such as giving in to anger, lust, greed, or pride.
For example, a story in the Bhagwat illustrates this. A king was granted residence in Swarg Lok for his righteous deeds. In Swarg Lok, every soul wears a permanent flower garland that only fades if a sin is committed. The moment the garland fades, the soul is sent back to Earth for rebirth.The king lived in Swarg Lok for a long time. Indra, the head of Swarg Lok, noticed the king's long stay and his acceptance by the other deities. Indra, who did not want the king to become a permanent demigod, plotted a trap to make his garland fade and send him back to Earth.
Indra called the king and began to praise him for his good deeds. At first, the king remained humble and did not respond, simply listening and then leaving. The next day, Indra and the other deities made the king feel more comfortable, saying, "You are now like one of us. We have heard about the great donations and help you provided on Earth; there is no other king like you."
The king began to trust their words and came out of his reserved nature. When they cleverly asked, "Hey great king, what other great works have you performed on this Earth?" the king, unaware of their intentions, started boasting about his deeds. As he began to praise himself, the sin of pride came upon him, and his flower garland started to fade. The king was instantly cast down from Swarg Lok back to Earth.
This story shows that Swarg Lok is temporary. Guru Maharaj Sant Trilochan Darshan Das Ji teaches us not to limit ourselves to this realm but to strive for Sat Lok, where there are no such limitations or rules concerning the flower garlands a soul wears.
Sat Lok only welcomes those who are consistent in chanting the sacred name. We should not limit our efforts to Swarg Lok. Both Earth and Swarg Lok are temporary realms. We must strive for a consistent stay in the eternal Sat Lok.
By chanting the sacred mantra, the soul is given a stamp of admission directly by the Almighty God.
Guru Nanak Ji said, "Chal Hansa Satlok Humareh, shord eh sansara,"
"O soul, leave this world. Perform good deeds and chant the sacred names to gain admission to the Sat Lok of God."