Pitra loka (पितृलोक)

 World of Spirits:-

We humans have two powers, namely 1.Gyan Shakti (ज्ञान शक्ति) and 2.Kriya Shakti (क्रिया शक्ति). Gyan Shakti (ज्ञान शक्ति) develops from truth/ Satya (सत्य) and Kriya Shakti (क्रिया शक्ति) develop from propitious/ auspicious/mangal (मंगल). Therefore when our thought process or contemplation meets with gyan or knowledge then truth or Satya/ truth arises and when it connects with Kriya Shakti (क्रिया शक्ति) mangal or auspiciousness arises. But when he just thinks then basis of it may or may not be be his 'Will'. But when he performs action then his base is Will power. But when he first 'Will', then performs action then truth and Will (सङ्कल्प) both are present. A human cannot be human without having both. If gyan or knowledge is not realized in a person then it is stored in स्मृति/ smriti (memory). 

Will of a human is attracted towards evil or adharm right from inception. That is why he cannot think of anyone else's welfare apart from his own. This is known as Swarth Bhav (स्वार्थ भाव) or egotistical attitude. With true knowledge only bad intentions are decimated. 

Till one works with desire based on truth, does it with his heart, then his thought of knowledge turns into faith (आस्था/ aastha). Then Will gets converted into Love. If a human performs action with coming together of truth and good wish (ईच्छा) then Heaven evolves in his form.

Because Satya or Truth + Auspiciousness ( मंगल/ Mangal) = Heaven (स्वर्ग/ Swarg);

Ignorance (मिथ्या/ Mithya) + Evil wish (दुःसङ्कल्प/ duhsankalp) + Hell (नरक/ narak).

'Till truth of knowledge and right Will Power do not join, a human remains in the mid-way state, which is called Pitrilok (पितृलोक). Heaven and Hell both have one pointedness. Because where ever one lives, one develops according to that surrounding only. Whatever one thinks, one acts according to that too. One who wills and performs auspiciously in Heaven, thinks truthfully and one who wills and performs evil  in-auspiciousness in Hell, thinks ignorantly (मिथ्या/ mithya).

Thus, after death spirits go to a mid-way station called पितृलोक/ Pitralok or realm of ancestors. From there, spirits which have major good karma, after removal of their ignorance are sent to Heavens and those who have major bad karmas are made to embrace evil and sent to hell. No one goes directly to Heaven or Hell from the realm of death. So a human after death goes to realm of ancestors because we carry a mixed bag of karma of good and bad deeds both. Due to connection with truth movement to Heaven and due to connection with evil or untruth, movement to Hell takes place. 

All go to realm of ancestors where they have to wait. Some wait for a day, some for a month and some for a year. Maximum time a person can stay there is 30 years. Beyond this time none can stay there. Hence,

Gross Body (स्थूल शरीर) --> Death --> Mix of Karma (कर्म) and Knowledge --> Ativahak body (अतिवाहिक शरीर) or Pret body/ प्रेतशरीर provided to humans only --> on Pind (पिण्ड) offering at the place of cremation 'Dah Body' provided to the spirit --> After this one embraces Yog deh (yogic body) --> Ten Pindas offered in 10 days which generate 'Bhog Deh' for the spirit in question --> From here two paths divided (Krishna Paksha pertaining to Pitrayan path and Shukla Paksh pertaining to Devyan path). 

Krishna Paksha pertaining to Pitrayan path

This is /karm (कर्म) oriented realm and depending on percentage of Good and Bad karmas one is granted heaven or hell. Idea of granting heaven or hell is not just to make one finish his /karmic gati (कार्मिक गति) but to make one realize dispassion of the world and real meaning of coming into life of a human or any species. Though such discrimination lies only in the human form. After experiencing the fruits of one's past karmas with balance karmic account he is reborn on earth to carry forward.

Shukla Paksh pertaining to Devyan path (शुक्लपक्ष - देवयान पथ) 

But when one moves with knowledge predominance, then if he has performed all his actions with complete detachment he proceeds to Maharlok (महर्लोक), then to Satyalok (सत्यलोक) and then to Tapolok (तपोलोक).

But he has performed karmas with knowledge then he must stop at each station to experience the respective fruits in different realms. He first goes to Brahm lok (ब्रह्मलोक) and from there, he takes birth as a guru who is filled with knowledge. When all his desires are fulfilled then Hiranyagarbh (हिरण्यगर्भ) body is received. From that stage he progresses to Salokya state of his divinity or isht. From there he proceeds to Sarupya (सारूप्य), then to Samipya (समीप्य) and then after Mahapralaya (महाप्रलय), he merges into Brahm (ब्रह्म)..Om.

from Swasamvedan by Pt. Gopinath Kaviraj ji.