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https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/44487/22556

This is an answer to the question that I asked about different schools of thought in Hinduism.

In the Dvaita Vedanta school it is written that the soul dwells in heaven after moksha.

So, do they really believe in eternal heaven?

Severus Snape
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Dark Knight
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  • Please clarify which dvaita school. Madhava school believes in eternal hell. There are seven hells and there is no return from seventh hell. Liberation is actually staying in vaikuntha eternally. Vaikuntha is the heavenly abode of lord Vishnu and is above the swarga lokas. – GIRIBLR Feb 05 '21 at 17:08
  • @GIRIBLR how many schools are there in Dvaita Vedanta. But if it's possible then please explain all the schools. – Dark Knight Feb 05 '21 at 17:39
  • -1: Heaven is a Christian and Islamic concept. It's not valid here. – Mozibur Ullah Feb 05 '21 at 19:08
  • @MoziburUllah See the link https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/44487/22556. If you go to the salvation section (the last) you can clearly read that soul dwell's in heaven. After moksha – Dark Knight Feb 05 '21 at 19:26
  • @Dark Knight: Heaven is often used to translate 'corresponding' terms in other religions, such as akhira in Islam and scarga loka in Hinduism; but this foes not mean that they really correspond. Personally, I think the terms should be left untranslated otherwise they can be easily misunderstood. – Mozibur Ullah Feb 05 '21 at 19:32
  • @MoziburUllah OK, can you answer it and what word should I use instead of hevean. Please upvote it so people can see it and answer it. – Dark Knight Feb 05 '21 at 19:51
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    @Dark Knight: I've already pointed out one alternative - svarga loka. – Mozibur Ullah Feb 06 '21 at 04:07

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It is not heaven, but Vaikunta (the heavenly abode of Lord Vishnu), which is eternal and above the swarga lokas.

According to Madhva's Dvaita philosophy, if the soul attains moksha, it reaches Vaikunta and stays there eternally. Madhava's Dvaita philosophy (and also pushimarga?) allows for eternal hell also. Some souls are eternally doomed and can never attain salvation, according to this philosophy.

From the encyclopedia,

Madhva preached predestination and the existence of an eternal heaven and hell. He believed as well that eternal salvation is possible through the continuous practice of bhakti..

However, this is different from the eternal hell and heaven of Christianity. Abrahamic hell is because God sits and judges you based on only the actions done in this lifetime. While here, it is dependent on karmas and several cycles of birth and death.

GIRIBLR
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  • So what is the difference between heaven and Vaikunta – Dark Knight Feb 06 '21 at 05:50
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    A jiva that reaches the swarga loka or naraka will return back to bhu loka after the exhaustion of its punya/papa. However, jiva that reaches Vaikunta will not return. It has attained moksha and live eternally in the abode of Vishnu – GIRIBLR Feb 06 '21 at 05:54
  • Does Vaikunta lok is similar to abhramic heaven because it(abhramic heaven) is eternal and it has all kinds of pleasure (including materialistic) or it is different in terms of pleasure. – Dark Knight Feb 06 '21 at 06:32
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    Vaikunta can be attained only by those who attain moksha, not by everyone. Most of the jivas go only to other lokas and return to earth till they attain moksha. Moksha takes several lifetimes. In abhramic heaven, jivas attain it only based on actions done in this lifetime. – GIRIBLR Feb 06 '21 at 06:38
  • OK thanks for your answer – Dark Knight Feb 06 '21 at 06:41