Jun 18, 2019 — INDIA (SUN) —
Since the publishing of the 5th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam by ISKCON there has been endless discussion regarding its meaning, especially regarding the shape of earth. Unless we approach the 5th canto cosmology mathematically we will never, by attempting to piece together the acharya A.C. Bhaktivedanta's statements, arrive at a conclusion.
For one thing he left it to his disciples to flesh out the details, and for another thing we shall have to advance to an equal platform of pure devotee to understand him.
But I shall offer the reader some non mathematical reasons at present which should solve the question. I shall employ sastra, logic and direct sense perception.
Sastra
1) Bhagavatam informs us that there is eternal day on top of Meru. That being the case, the sun cannot dip below the top of Meru.
2) Meru is situated in the middle of Jambudvipa island, towering above that island by 642,000 miles or so.
3) Thus the sun cannot produce uttarayana and dakshinayana (north and south movements) below the top of Meru.
Conclusion: Earth must be situated as a globe planet above Meru so that the sun may pass north and south across earth's equator.
Logic and direct sense perception
1) Human beings who live above the equator of the earth can see the North pole star but they cannot see the southern pole stars (the Southern Cross) *1
2) Human beings who live below the Earth's equator can see the Southern Cross but are unable to see the North pole star. *2
3) There is no statement in sastra that the southern stars are a reflection of the northern stars nor logically are they reflections, since we never see a second sun there.
Conclusion: Direct sense perception and logic confirms that humans can see in every direction the sky around this planet therefore it must be concluded we live on a globe.
It is natural that devotees will still wonder why Vedic Cosmology seems to present a flat earth. This is primarily due to our Earth planet and a section of Jambudvipa sharing the same name of Bharatavarsha.
It is certainly confusing, as we usually picture Lord Varaha lifting the earth planet in His tusks. But we learn from various Puranas that Lord Varaha appears regularly after the night of Brahma and lifts the entire 7 oceans and 7 islands into place, from where it floats in the universal ocean. It is described as having the appearance of a burnt tortoise shell. Similarly, it is described in Puranas that He leaves tusk marks in a mountain on Krauncha Dvipa that can still be seen.
There is also description of Lord Varaha placing Meru back into place after the partial dissolution. Other planets he restores also (such as the earth planet).
*1 One can find time lapse photography of the movement of the universe around the North pole star on Youtube.
*2 One can find time lapse photography of the movement of the universe around the South pole star apex on Youtube.
