# Leela Square 5: Physical plane (bhu-loka) Meaning

Square 5 in Leela is the Physical plane, bhu-loka in Sanskrit: earth, body and your store of energy. It is the first of the seven lokas that run up the centre of Harish Johari's board, the ground the whole path stands on. The square asks a grounding question: how are your body and your footing right now?

## Meaning

Johari calls the physical plane the storehouse of energy and the seat of kundalini, the coiled potential that yoga traditions place at the base of the spine. Everything a player later experiences, from fantasy to devotion, draws on the energy held at this level. It is the foundation, not something to escape.

Bhu-loka means the earth world. It is the first of the seven lokas, or planes, that form the central column of the board: 5, 14, 23, 32, 41, 50 and 59, rising to 68, Cosmic Consciousness. Johari calls these lokas "the spine of the game board", so square 5 is the lowest vertebra of that spine.

The square sits in the middle of row 1, The Fundamentals of Being, linked with Muladhara, the root chakra, and the earth element. Johari observes that no arrows lead out of this row, while "seven snakes lead here from other planes". The first level is where most falls end. The physical plane teaches respect for the body and for basic stability: rest, food, money, health and place are the soil in which inner work grows.

For a player, square 5 is a reminder to check the basics before anything else. A tired body, unstable finances or an unsettled home colour every question you bring to the game. Johari's picture of energy stored at the base suggests a simple practice: restore what you have spent, so there is something to raise.

## On the board

No arrow and no snake leads to square 5, and it has none of its own. Because the entering six places the symbol on square 6, a player reaches the Physical plane only after a fall to square 2, 3 or 4, followed by an ordinary throw that counts forward onto 5. From here play continues through row 1, The Fundamentals of Being, toward the second row.

Gita 7.4 names earth as the first element of Krishna's lower nature, firm ground to lean on but only the start. In the episode of the burden of Earth, the goddess Earth asks for help under the weight she carries, and the gods descend to answer.

## Questions

- How are my body and my footing right now?
- Where am I spending energy faster than I am restoring it?
- What practical ground needs attention before I can think about anything higher?

**What is the physical plane in Leela?**
Square 5, the Physical plane or bhu-loka, is the first of the seven lokas on the board's central column. Johari describes it as the storehouse of energy and the seat of kundalini. It stands for the body, the earth and the material basis of life, which every later square depends on.

**Can you land on square 5 in Leela?**
Yes, but not directly. Play begins on square 6 after the entering six, and no snake ends on 5. A player reaches it only after falling to square 2, 3 or 4 and then throwing the right number to count forward onto 5. It is a plain square, with no arrow or snake.

**Why is square 5 on the spine of the Leela board?**
The middle column of the board holds the seven lokas, 5, 14, 23, 32, 41, 50 and 59, with 68 at the top. Johari calls them "the spine of the game board". Square 5 is the lowest: the earth plane in Muladhara, where the energy for the whole climb is stored.