Lokapurusha is one of the most fascinating representations of the universe in Jain philosophy. Instead of depicting the cosmos as a map, the entire universe is imagined in the form of a human figure — the Cosmic Man.
The figure is divided into three realms of existence. The lower part represents Adho Loka, the lower world; the middle section represents Madhya Loka, the realm in which humans, animals and other living beings exist; and the upper body represents Urdhva Loka, the celestial realms inhabited by heavenly beings.
At the very top lies Siddhashila, beyond the heavenly worlds. This is the realm of liberated souls — those who have broken free from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth and attained moksha.
What makes Lokapurusha particularly interesting is that the human form is not meant to represent a god. It is a visual way of explaining Jain cosmology — showing where different forms of life exist within an immense, ordered universe and placing the journey towards liberation at its highest point.
The many smaller figures, architectural forms, symbols and divisions within the body map these different realms in extraordinary detail, turning a complex philosophical idea into something that can be understood visually.