Svetadvipa and the Flat-Earth
BY: MAYESVARA DASA
Nov 06, 2019 — IRELAND (SUN) — PART TWO
UNDERSTANDING SRILA PRABHUPADA'S TRANSLATIONS IN CONTEXT: A LOOK AT THE LOCATION OF SVETADVIPA AS DESCRIBED IN CHAITANYA-CHARITAMRITA
"You young men can tax your brains to understand the Sanskrit and English descriptions and present them." (Tamal Krishna Goswami's Diary: Prabhupada's Final Days, May 30 1977)
Taking into account the above evidence from several Puranas that Svetadvipa is on the Earth, let us now look at the following verses from the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta that likewise describe the location of Svetadvipa on the Earth:
narayanera nabhi-nala-madhyete dharani
dharanira madhye sapta samudra ye gani
"The material planets rest within the stem that grows from the lotus navel of Lord Narayana. Among these planets are seven oceans." (CC Adi-lila 5.110)
Here Srila Prabhupada translates the Sanskrit name dharani as 'material planets'. However the word dharani is a specific name for the Earth. Throughout Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada translates dharani as 'Earth'. For example:
Again:
vasati dasana-sikhare dharani tava lagna, "O Kesava! O Supreme Lord who have assumed the form of a boar! O Lord! The planet Earth rested on Your tusks". (SB 2.7.1 purport)
Again:
pravepamana dharani nisamyodayudham, "When the Earth saw that King Prithu was taking his bow and arrow…" (SB 4.17.14)
Again:
dhanyeyam adya dharani trina-virudhas tvat-pada-spriso
"This land of Vrndavana [Vrajabhumi] is glorified today because Your lotus feet have touched her Earth and grass" (SB 10.15.8—translated in Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 20.206)
There is no question that the name dharani specifically refers to the Earth.
The Puranas only describe one Earth which is the colossal Bhu-mandala characterized by seven islands and oceans. The above verse from Sri Caitanya-caritamrita (CC Adi-lila 5.110) is saying that the Earth (dharani) comes from the navel of Lord Narayana and that the Earth has seven oceans (sapta-samudra). The next verse then describes that Svetadvipa is in the Ocean of Milk which is one of the Earth's seven oceans:
tanha kshirodadhi-madhye 'svetadvipa' nama
palayita vishnu,—tanra sei nija dhama
"There, in part of the Ocean of Milk, lies Svetadvipa, the abode of the sustainer, Lord Vishnu. (C.C. Adi-lila 5.111)
Purport: In the Siddhanta-siromani, an astrological text, the different oceans are described as follows: (1) the ocean of salt water, (2) the ocean of milk, (3) the ocean of yogurt, (4) the ocean of clarified butter, (5) the ocean of sugarcane juice, (6) the ocean of liquor and (7) the ocean of sweet water. On the southern side of the ocean of salt water is the ocean of milk, where Lord Kshirodakasayi Vishnu resides. He is worshiped there by demigods like Brahma."
The two verses taken together are stating that the Earth (dharani) comes from the lotus stem from the navel (nabhi-nala) of Narayana (narayanera). In the central area of the Earth (dharanira madhye) there are seven oceans (sapta samudra). One of these oceans is called the Milk Ocean (ksira-udadhi). Svetadvipa (svetadvipa nama) is situated in the middle of this ocean. Lord Vishnu has his abode on this island: (vishnu tanra sei nija dhama)
That the Earth (dharani) expanded from the lotus coming from the navel of Lord Narayana is confirmed in the following verse from Padma Purana. The text describes Jambudvipa which is the first of the seven islands. The other islands and oceans are described in Padma Purana and every other Purana (including Srimad Bhagavatam) as surrounding Jambudvipa in the form of concentric circles:
"Pulastya said:
Then the lord, created Brahma, the best among those endowed with yoga, of a great lustre, the creator of all worlds and having faces in all directions, in that golden lotus, extending over many yojanas, having all qualities of lustre and covered over with (i.e. having ) earthly characteristics. The great sages say that that excellent lotus formed in olden times, and of the nature of the Earth, sprang from Narayana. What that lotus is, is said to be that goddess Earth.
They know that the principal pollen in the lotus are the divine mountains: Himavan, Nila, Meru, Nishadha, the mountain Kailasa, the mountain Gandhamadana, and the auspicious Trisikhara ( i.e. Trikuta ) and the beautiful Mandara; also Udara, Pinjara and Vindhya and the Astacala. These mountains only are the shelters of the great-souled Ganas (i. e. Siva's attendants) and Siddhas having religious merit and they satisfy all desires. In between them is said to lie Jambudvipa. That is the position of Jambudvipa where sacrificial rites are performed. The water that flows from it, is like divine nectar. Everywhere hundreds of the lovely streams of that divine holy (water) are said (to flow ); and those which were the filaments of that lotus, became the innumerable mountains on the earth; and those which were formerly the many petals of the lotus are said to be the Mleccha countries difficult of access and full of mountains; and 0 king, those that were the petals on the lower portion (of the lotus) became the abodes of gods, demons and serpents according to their share. The distance between them is called Rasatala, where human beings committing great sins sink. In the four directions are said to exist the four oceans. Thus on account of Narayana the Earth has come up from the lotus". (Padma Purana 1.40,1-14)
In other words, at the beginning of creation a lotus stem comes from the navel of Vishnu. On top of the lotus sits Brahma who then creates the great Earth-circle by expanding the lotus. Having provided the above scriptural evidence from Sri Caitanya-caritamrita that Svetadvipa is located on the Milk Ocean which is one of the seven oceans of the Vedic Earth circle—not Dhruvaloka or any other kind of planet floating in space—let us try and understand some further statements that Srila Prabhupada made about Svetadvipa
SVETADVIPA IS AT THE NORTHERN SHORE OF THE MILK OCEAN NOT THE NORTHERN TOP OF THE UNIVERSE
"It is learned from the revealed scriptures that the Moon was born from the Milk Ocean. There is a Milk Ocean in the upper planets, and there Lord Vishnu, who controls the heart of every living being as Paramatma (the Supersoul), resides as the Kshirodakasayi Vishnu". (SB 3.2.8 purport)
"The Kshirodakasayi Vishnu has His own planet on the northern top of the universe, and there is a great Ocean of Milk where the Lord resides on the bed of the Ananta incarnation of Baladeva". (SB 1.14.25-36 purport)
In the above verse, Srila Prabhupada states that Svetadvipa is a planet at the northern top of the universe. We have already seen that the Puranas describe the Milk Ocean as a great circular ocean that surrounds the island of Kraunchadvipa. The Milk Ocean is thus part of the gigantic plane of the Earth-circle, and not a planet in the northern top of the universe. However, the Earth-circle does have a southern and northern side, and Svetadvipa is described as being located at the northern side of the Milk Ocean. This is the meaning of 'northern side of the universe.' The Earth globe ideology has everyone convinced that the word north means the upper side of the globe and that the word south means the bottom part of the globe, thus we are conditioned to think of north as upwards and south as downwards. However Sukadeva does not use north and south in that manner. The words uttara (north), daksina (south), east (purva) and west (pascat) are used to describe the directions along the vast plane of the Earth. For example, when describing the cities of various demi-gods on the Manasottara Mountain, Sukadeva Goswami describes that they lie to the north, south, east, and west:
"Sukadeva Gosvami continued; My dear King, as stated before, the learned say that the sun travels over all sides of Manasottara Mountain in a circle whose length is 95,100,000 yojanas [760,800,000 miles]. On Manasottara Mountain, due east of Mount Sumeru, is a place known as Devadhani, possessed by King Indra. Similarly, in the south is a place known as Samyamani, possessed by Yamaraja, in the west is a place known as Nimlocani, possessed by Varuna, and in the north is a place named Vibhavari, possessed by the moon-god. Sunrise, midday, sunset and midnight occur in all those places according to specific times, thus engaging all living entities in their various occupational duties and also making them cease such duties." (SB 5.21.7)
The above image is an aerial view of Bhu-mandala looking down upon the flat-Earth landscape showing the cities of the demigods on the four direction of Mount—the dark orange colour [unfortunately the graphics are not very clear to show each place name]. For the purpose of simplicity and clarity, the animator has presented Bhu-mandala more as a geometrical image than as a landscape, so please bear in mind that each circle actually represents either a circular island or a circular ocean, and that all of these places are the inhabited parts of a greater Earth landscape that surrounds our own tiny little area of the Earth. The point I wish to impress is that Sukadeva Goswami is describing a personal universe, and followers of Srimad Bhagavatam need to start taking seriously that there is more Earth. When looking at technical images such as the one above, please bear in mind that it is a map of a real Earth with land, people, trees, rivers, animals, etc., all of which are described by Sukadeva Goswami.
In any case, the diagram suffices to show that the demigod cities are on the north, south, east and west of Manosattara Mountain which is a massive circular island in the interior of Pushkara-dvipa (the last of the seven islands). The sun rotates above this Mountain as seen in the above diagram.
Thus 'north', 'south', 'east', and 'west' refer to directions along the plane of the Earth. Just as huge cities like London or Paris have a north, south, east and western side, so the massive Earth plane has its northern, southern, eastern, and western directions. In the description of the Vedic Earth, north and south refer to directions along a horizontal plane, not to the northern and southern hemispheres of a so-called globe. Sukadeva uses the Sanskrit upari (above) to describe realms that are above the plane of the Earth, and he uses the word adhas (below) to describe realms below the surface of the Earth. Although we may also speak of a northern quarter of the universe, or a southern quarter, etc. (which would include its vertical as well as horizontal locations), when we read that Svetadvipa is in the north, in this context it means the northern part of the Milk Ocean which is on the northern part of the Earth's plane, (not the northern top half of the universe). The massive plane of the Earth-circle actually crosses the entire center of the Vedic universe, and it divides the universe into upper and lower sections. The verses below clearly describe Svetadvipa's location on the 'northern shore' of the Milk Ocean. In the Mahabharata it is stated:
"Once on a time we repaired to the north for obtaining what is for our highest good. Having undergone penances for thousands of years and acquired great ascetic merit, we again stood on only one foot like fixed stakes of wood. The country where we underwent the austerest of penances, lies to the north of the mountains of Meru and on the shores of the Ocean of Milk. The object we had in mind was how to behold the divine Narayana in his own form. Upon the completion of our penances and after we had performed the final ablutions, an incorporeal voice was heard by us, O puissant Vrihaspati, at once deep as that of the clouds and exceedingly sweet and filling the heart with joy. The voice said, Ye Brahmanas, well have ye performed these penances with cheerful souls. Devoted unto Narayana, ye seek to know how ye may succeed in beholding that god of great puissance! On the northern shores of the Ocean of Milk there is an island of great splendour called by the name of White Island. The men that inhabit that island have complexions as white as the rays of the Moon and that are devoted to Narayana. Worshippers of that foremost of all Beings, they are devoted to Him with their whole souls. They all enter that eternal and illustrious deity of a thousand rays. They are divested of senses. They do not subsist on any kind of food. Their eyes are winkless. Their bodies always emit a fragrance. Indeed, the denizens of White Island believe and worship only one God. Go thither, ye ascetics, for there I have revealed myself! All of us, hearing these incorporeal words, proceeded by the way indicated to the country described. Eagerly desirous of beholding Him and our hearts full of Him, we arrived at last at that large island called White Island." (Mahabharata, Shanti Parva, Mokshadharma Parva, section CCCXXXVII)
In the Laghu Bhagavatamrta, Rupa Goswami quotes from the Vishnudharmottara that Svetadvipa is in the southern part of the Milk Ocean (see verses 35-42). However he later quotes from other scriptures which state that Svetadvipa is actually in the north of the Milk Ocean:
"In the Brahmanda Purana it is said: "Surrounded by the Ocean of Milk is a beautiful golden island 100,000 yojana wide named Svetadvipa, which is washed by the splendid Jasmine and lotus waves of the splendid Milk Ocean."
Vishnu Purana, Moksha Dharma, and other scriptures say: "Svetadvipa is on the northern shore of the milk ocean." Padma Purana says, " Svetadvipa is north of the pure Milk Ocean." 43-46 (Rupa Goswami, Lagu Bhagavatamrta, Chapter 2, The Purusha and Guna Avataras,verses 43-46)
The Vishnu Purana states:
"Having spoke thus onto the assembled celestials, Brahma—great father of all—went with them to the northern shore of the Milky ocean. And repairing tither surrounded by all the celestials, the great father with excellent speech eulogised the prime of prime and the master—Hari." (Vishnu Purana, Book 1, section 9)
Again:
"At that time, Earth, overburdened by her load, repaired to Mount Meru to an assembly of the gods, and addressing the divinities, with Brahma at their head, related in piteous accents all her distress… When the gods had heard these complaints of Earth, Brahma at their request explained to them how her burden might be lightened. "Celestials," said Brahma, "all that Earth has said is undoubtedly true. I, Mahadeva, and you all, are but Narayana; but the impersonations of his power are for ever mutually fluctuating, and excess or diminution is indicated by the predominance of the strong, and the depression of the weak. Come therefore, let us repair to the northern coast of the Milky Sea, and having glorified Hari, report to him what we have heard. He, who is the spirit of all, and of whom the universe consists, constantly, for the sake of Earth, descends in a small portion of his essence to establish righteousness below." Accordingly Brahma, attended by the gods, went to the milky sea, and there, with minds intent upon him, praised him whose emblem is Garuda." (Vishnu Purana, Book 5, chapter 1)
As mentioned earlier Narada Muni found Svetadvipa in the northern direction of Bhu-mandala:
"He at once descended on (a peak of) Meru. Finding a quiet solitary place, the sage stayed for a while on the peak of the mountain. While looking in the north-western direction, he saw an extremely wonderful island. To the northern side of the Milk Ocean (Ksirodadhi), there is a famous vast island known as White Island (Sveta-Dvipa)". (Skanda Purana, Vaishnava-khanda,Vasudeva-mahatmya, chapter 4, verses 1-28 (ll.ix.4.1-28)
THE KRISHNA BOOK DESCRIBES A LARGER EARTH PLANE
In Srila Prabhupada's Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead we read:
"Once the world was overburdened by the unnecessary defense force of different kings, who were actually demons but were posing themselves as the royal order. At that time, the whole world became perturbed, and the predominating deity of this Earth, known as Bhumi, went to see Lord Brahma to tell of her calamities due to the demoniac kings. Bhumi assumed the shape of a cow and presented herself before Lord Brahma with tears in her eyes. She was bereaved and was weeping just to invoke the lord's compassion. She related the calamitous position of the Earth, and after hearing this, Lord Brahma became much aggrieved, and he at once started for the Ocean of Milk, where Lord Vishnu resides. Lord Brahma was accompanied by all the demigods, headed by Lord Siva, and Bhumi also followed. Arriving on the shore of the Milk Ocean, Lord Brahma began to pacify Lord Vishnu, who had formerly saved the earthly planet by assuming the transcendental form of a boar". (Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 1, The Advent of Krsna)
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
From all that has been said so far, a person reading Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead should understand that in response to the Earth's plea, Brahma and the other demigods went to the northern shore of the Milk Ocean, and prayed to Lord Vishnu who resides on Svetadvipa. The Earth is question here is obviously not an Earth-globe floating in space. There is only one Earth described in the Vedic Puranas and that is the Bhu-mandala (Earth circle). The above passage states that 5,000 years ago, Brahma and the demigods prayed to Sri-Krishna to save the Earth, just as He previously appeared as Lord Varaha and lifted the Bhu-mandala from the Garbhodaka ocean where she had been hidden by the demon Hiranyaksha:
"O Lord, as the peaks of great mountains become beautiful when decorated with clouds, Your transcendental body has become beautiful because of Your lifting the Earth on the edge of Your tusks". (SB 3.13.41)
Here the Sanskrit word for the Earth is Bhu-mandala. Lord Varaha lifted the entire Bhu-mandala (Earth-circle), not an Earth-globe.
The demigods prayed at the shore of the Ocean of Milk Ocean which was the scene for the famous pastime (lila) of the churning of the Milk Ocean. We should thus understand that the pastime of the churning of the Milk Ocean took place on the Earth, though on a part of the Earth that is many millions of miles away. Mandara Mountain is situated in Jambudvipa which is the first and central island of the Earth. The Mountain was taken from Jambudvipa across the great plane of the Earth to the Milk Ocean.
"The primeval Lord then assumed the tortoise incarnation in order to serve as a resting place [pivot] for the Mandara Mountain, which was acting as a churning rod. The demigods and demons were churning the Ocean of Milk with the Mandara Mountain in order to extract nectar. The mountain moved back and forth, scratching the back of Lord Tortoise, who, while partially sleeping, was experiencing an itching sensation". (SB 2.7.13)
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
Despite all that has been said so far, since Srila Prabhupada stated in one purport that Svetadvipa is on Dhruvaloka, it is practically impossible for the neophyte follower to understand that Svetadvipa could possibly be on the Earth itself—what to speak of calling into question the nature of the Earth itself—and despite the fact that Srila Prabhupada himself presented several alternatives as to the possible whereabouts of Svetadvipa.
WHAT IS THE COMPOSITION OF THE OCEAN OF MILK?
When one hears a reference to an Ocean of Milk, the conditioned mind may immediately place such an idea in the category of mythology or fantasy. Srila Prabhupada strongly rejected the idea that the descriptions are mythological:
"Although it is not in our experience, there is a Milk Ocean within this universe. Even the modern scientist accepts that there are hundreds and hundreds of thousands of planets hovering over our heads, and each of them has different kinds of climatic conditions. Srimad Bhagavatam gives much information which may not tally with our present experience. But as far as Indian sages are concerned, knowledge is received from the Vedic literatures, and the authorities accept without any hesitation that we should look through the pages of authentic books of knowledge (sastra-cakshurvat). So we cannot deny the existence of the Ocean of Milk as stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam unless and until we have experimentally seen all the planets hovering in space. Since such an experiment is not possible, naturally we have to accept the statement of Srimad Bhagavatam as it is because it is so accepted by spiritual leaders like Sridhara Svami, Jiva Gosvami, Visvanatha Cakravarti and others. The Vedic process is to follow in the footsteps of great authorities, and that is the only process for knowing that which is beyond our imagination." (SB 2.7.13 purport)
Again:
"From Srimad Bhagavatam we understand that there are various oceans. Somewhere there is an ocean filled with milk, somewhere an ocean of liquor, an ocean of ghee, an ocean of oil, and an ocean of sweet water. Thus there are different varieties of oceans within this universe. The modern scientists, who have only limited experience, cannot defy these statements; they cannot give us full information about any planet, even the planet on which we live. From this verse, however, we can understand that if the valleys of some mountains are washed with milk, this produces emeralds. No one has the ability to imitate the activities of material nature as conducted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (SB 8.2.4)
In order to understand the composition of the Milk Ocean, let us consider some of the following verses. In the Mahabharata it says that the Milk Ocean was created by the divine cow named Surabhi:
"Narada said, 'The region where we now are is called Rasatala and is the seventh stratum below the Earth. Here dwelleth Surabhi, the mother of all kine, she, who was born of the Amrita. She always yieldeth milk which is the essence of all the best things of the earth, and which, excellent as it is, and of one taste, springeth from the essence of the six different kinds of tastes (that are talked of). The faultless Surabhi herself sprang in days of old from the mouth of the Grandsire, gratified with drinking the Amrita and vomiting the best things. A single jet only of her milk, falling on the Earth, created what is known as the sacred and the excellent "Milky Ocean." The verge of that ocean all round is always covered with white foam resembling a belt of flowers. Those best of ascetics that are known by the name of the Foam-drinkers dwell around this ocean, subsisting on that foam only. They are called Foam-drinkers because they live, O Matali, on nothing else save that foam. Engaged in the practice of the severest of austerities, the very gods are known to fear them. From her are born four other kine, O Matali, supporting the four quarters and therefore, are they called the supporters of the quarters (Dikpali). Born of Surabhi herself, she who supporteth the eastern quarter is called Surupa. She, who supporteth the southern quarter is called Hansika. That illustrious cow, O Matali, of universal form, who supporteth the western quarter ruled by Varuna is known by the name of Subhadra. The northern quarter comprising the region of virtue, and called after Kuvera the Lord of treasures, is supported by the cow named Sarva-kamadugha. The gods, uniting with the Asuras, and making the Mandara mountain their pole, churned the waters of the ocean and obtained the wine called Varuni, and (the Goddess of Prosperity and Grace called) Lakshmi, and Amrita, and that prince of steeds called Uchchhaisrava, and that best of gems called Kaustubha. Those waters, O Matali, that yielded these precious things had all been mixed with the milk of these four cows. As regards Surabhi, the milk she yielded becometh Swaha unto those that live on Swaha, Swadha unto those that live on Swadha, and Amrita unto those that live on Amrita". (Mahabharata, Udoga Parva, Bhagavat Yana Parva, CII)
Here it says that the Milk Ocean came from the Surabhi cow. Milk from a cow is simply milk, and therefore we don't need to speculate that the word 'milk' refers to something else; however, In his commentary to SB 5.20.18, Sri Bhagavatprasadacharya mentions that the Milk Ocean is milky water:
"Beyond the Ghee Ocean lies Krauncha Island 1,600,000 yojanas [12,800,000 miles] wide encircled by the Milk Ocean which is equally wide. Milk means milk-like water and not actual milk. The famous mountain Krauncha which is situated in the island lends its name to the island." (Commentary by Sri-Bhagavatprasadacharya to SB 5.20.18)
I can't confirm the accuracy of the above translation, 'milk-like water and not actual milk', as it is rendered in the commentaries by the Vaisnava acharyas; one may wish to check the original Devanagari. Although none of the other acharyas comment on this point, it is interesting that the Milk Ocean is described as milky water. Accepting the above statement from Mahabharata, we can take it that the Milk Ocean is indeed 'milky' since it was produced from the Surabhi cow, but that it somehow functions like ordinary waters and oceans. Sukadeva Goswami, for example, uses the Sanskrit word for milk when describing the Milk Ocean (ksira-sagarah—the Ocean of Milk, SB 8.5.11-12); however, he also uses several Sanskrit words for water when describing its nature:
"O son of the Pandu dynasty, when Mandara Mountain was thus being used as a churning rod in the Ocean of Milk, it had no support, and therefore although held by the strong hands of the demigods and demons, it sank into the water".
Here the word used for water is apah: apah—in the water (SB 8.7.6)
Again:
"Seeing the situation that had been created by the will of the Supreme, the unlimitedly powerful Lord, whose determination is infallible, took the wonderful shape of a tortoise, entered the water, and lifted the great Mandara Mountain". (SB 8.7.8)
Here the word used for water is toya: pravishya—entering; toyam—the water
The Srimad Bhagavatam also describes that there are aquatics living in the Ocean of Milk:
"The demigods and demons worked almost madly for the nectar, encouraged by the Lord, who was above and below the mountain and who had entered the demigods, the demons, Vasuki and the mountain itself. Because of the strength of the demigods and demons, the Ocean of Milk was so powerfully agitated that all the alligators in the water were very much perturbed. Nonetheless the churning of the ocean continued in this way". (SB 8.7. 13)
nakra-cakram—all the alligators in the water.
Again:
"The fish, sharks, tortoises and snakes were most agitated and perturbed. The entire ocean became turbulent, and even the large aquatic animals like whales, water elephants, crocodiles and timiìgila fish [large whales that can swallow small whales] came to the surface. While the ocean was being churned in this way, it first produced a fiercely dangerous poison called halahala". (SB 8.7.18)
ambhranta—agitated and going here and there; mina—various kinds of fish; unmakara—sharks; ahi—different kinds of snakes; kacchapat—and many kinds of tortoises; timi—whales; dvipa—water elephants; graha—crocodiles; timingila—whales that can swallow whales; akulat—being very much agitated.
Since there are aquatics living in the waters of the Ocean of Milk, we can take it that although the milky composition of this ocean makes it considerably different from our own salt-water ocean, it nonetheless functions in every way as a normal ocean. We can perhaps infer that this is the case for the other oceans named as the Oceans of Liquor, Ghee, Yogurt, etc.
Regarding the Milk Ocean, Srila Prabhupada also says:
"As ordinary men may play in the salty ocean, the inhabitants of the higher planetary systems go to the Ocean of Milk. They float in the ocean of milk and also enjoy various sports within the caves of Trikuta Mountain." (SB 8.2.5 purport)
HOW THE EARTH DISAPPEARED
Since Srimad Bhagavatam teaches that the Earth is not a globe, but a great circular plane with seven cosmic-sized islands and oceans, one would imagine that such a fantastic description of the Earth would be common knowledge in India, and an interesting topic of discussion and debate between the Vedic and modern conceptions. Certainly one would have expected Srila Prabhupada to speak more on the topic. However, before Srila Prabhupada began his preaching, all knowledge and discussion of the Bhu-mandala in India seems to have been practically buried over and left for dead. The foreign invaders of India, and notably the British, did a thorough job in convincing the Hindus that the sacred Puranas were pure mythology. The point is succinctly explained by Srila Prabhupada:
Prabhupada: Yes, propaganda. That is the cause of India's cultural fall-down. These Britishers simply made propaganda that "Whatever you have got in India, this is all allegory, fiction. These shastras (scriptures) are nothing. But now you are learning from us England's work in India, that is your real...You are becoming civilized now. Otherwise, you are in the utopia, and all these sastras, throw it out." Because that was Lord Macauley's policy. Lord Macauley was sent to report how Indians can be governed nicely. So he reported that if you keep the Indians as Indians, you will never be able to govern them, because they are superior. You make propaganda that they are inferior and they will imitate you and then you can... That they did". (September, 28 1972)
When one reads some of the earlier English translations of the Vedic Puranas such as Horace Hayman Wilson's translation of Vishnu Purana (1840) we see constant references to the 'fanciful'and 'legendary geography of the Hindus'. The simple process to 'disappear' the Vedic Earth was to (1) translate Sanskrit names such as Bhu-mandala as 'Earth globe', instead of 'Earth-circle' (2) make commentaries that ridicule the fantastic landscapes of Bhu-mandala as 'mythological' and 'imaginary' (3) give alternative explanations for the places mention and identify them as part of the supposed smaller Earth globe instead of the larger Earth-circle. For example in his commentary to the description of the seven islands and oceans, H.H. Wilson writes:
"The seven Dwípas, with their surrounding seas, may have some connection with the notion of the seven climates, as Col. Wilford has supposed. That learned, but fanciful writer bestowed great pains upon the verification of these fictions, and imagined the different Dwipas to represent actual divisions of the globe: Jambu being India; Kusha, the Kush of Scripture, or the countries between Mesopotamia and India: Plaksha being Asia Minor; Shalmali, eastern Europe; Krauncha, Germany; Shaka, the British isles; and Pushkara, Iceland. The white or silver island, or island of the moon, was also, according to him, the island of Great Britain. Whatever may be thought of his conclusions, his essays on these subjects, particularly in the eighth, tenth, and eleventh volumes of the Asiatic Researches, contain much curious and interesting matter". (See H.H. Wilson's commentary to Vishnu Purana, Book 2, chapter 5)
By simply ignoring the description of the colossal measurements, peculiar shape, and fantastic features of the seven islands and oceans, 'the Britishers' began the process of mis-identifying the seven islands and oceans as places on the so-called Earth globe. Being unable to defend the Bhu-mandala concept, or to dare question the so-called 'science' behind the globe concept of reality, the Hindus gradually fell for the propaganda that the Vedic description of the great Earth circle is a fairy-tale from a pre-scientific age, and that modern science proves the real facts about our so-called planet. The Brahmans continued to chant the great Vedic mantra beginning om bhur bhuvah svaha, but steadily came to believe that bhur is a globe in space, and not the great circle described in their sacred literature. Enter the 20th century and video images of a so-called Earth globe from so-called outer space seemed enough to establish the Earth globe concept of reality as the undisputed champion. [By the way, these images beginning with the so-called Moon-landing to the present-day images of astronauts hovering above a globe-shaped Earth can easily be deconstructed as fake]. In any case, just looking at the historical situation, the Hindus had been left with practically no confidence in their sacred literature, and thus relegated the cosmological descriptions in the Puranas to something of a mere intellectual concept or curiosity that has no bearing or relevance on our present reality. (Srila Prabhupada's plan to build a Temple of Vedic Planetarium is intended to change all that by presenting a full scale counter-attack on the atheistic ideas regarding the nature of life and the universe).
The misleading translations and commentaries by Western scholars thus created havoc in the Indians understanding of their original scriptures, such that by the 1970's when a board of Indian scholars began their own mammoth translation of all the Puranas into English, the edition was unfortunately named, 'Ancient Indian Traditions and Mythology' (published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers). Following the lead of Western scholars in their translation and commentary, the Indian scholars such as Dr. G.V. Tagare and J.L Shastri, likewise dismissed descriptions of Jambudvipa and other places on the Bhu-mandala as fantasy and mythology. Knowledge and faith in the Vedic Earth-circle had been entirely replaced by belief in an Earth-globe. Thus in G.V. Tagare's commentary to the Narada Purana, he attempts to give an explanation for Shakadvipa and the Milk Ocean based on the globe perspective, rather than on the original Bhu-mandala perspective which intends to inform us of a larger Earth plane:
"(6) Saka-Surrounding the Dadhi ocean and surrounded by the ocean of Milk. It is obviously the land of Sakas or Scythians of the Greeks. Dr. Ray Choudhary identifies it with Seistan (Sakasthana) in Eastern Iran, the land of the Magi and of the Mihira cult and its inhabitants. The Maga-dvijas worshipped Surya-rupadharo Harih. There had been three settlements of Sakasmodern Mesopotemia, Helmund in Eastern part of Iran and Seistan. D.C. Sircar weighs the evidence and states, "Saka-dvipa in the original Purnic conception, is the Saka settlement in the Oxus and Jaxartes valleys in Central Asia" (GAMI. p. 25)
"Kshira (Milk): It is a corruption of Shirwan sea, as the Caspian sea was called, and it formed the northern boundary of Shaka dvipa." (Note 12; (6) Commentators notes to Narada Purana, Chapter Three, Description of the Sphere of the Earth and of Bharata (note 11;(6) Translated and annotated by G.V Tagare
The net result was that an understanding of the greater Earth circle, along with Sri-Vishnu, Sveatdvipa, and the Milk Ocean got rubbished as mythology, and the larger Earth plane became mis-identified with insignificant areas of our known Earth. In this way, beginning with the British Indologists, knowledge and faith in the larger Earth circle was gradually replaced with faith in the Earth globe ideology. Like every other nation, the Indians were indoctrinated into believing that they live on a ball floating in space, rather than—as described in the Puranas—on a colossal circular landscape that is held by Ananta-sesha.
We should mention that Sadaputa dasa in his attempt to discredit the flat-Earth concept, followed the same procedure set in motion by the 'Britishers', and likewise mis-associated and misidentified the 800,000 mile circular island of Jambudvipa with areas in and around India. In the passage below, Sadaputa dasa writes, for example, that Mount Meru is the Pamir Mountains, despite the fact that Mount Meru is measured by Sukadeva Goswami at 100,000 yojana (800,000 miles tall). Sadaputa dasa also writes that the massive boarder Mountains of Jambudvip such as Himavata, Hemakuta, Nishada, etc.—all of which are described by Sukadeva Goswami as being hundreds of thousands of miles long, and 80,000 miles high—can be understood as mountain ranges in the north of India. The following passage is part of an article called 'The Universe of the Vedas' in which Sadaputa attempts to discredit the flat-Earth idea by presenting Bhu-mandala as multi-dimensional and representing at least four different things. In this section, for example, rather than presenting Jambudvipa as a massive landscape to the north of our known area of the Earth in Bharata-varsha, Sadaputa dasa, whittles Jambudvipa away by presenting it as a local map of south-central Asia:
"Here's another way to look at Bhu-mandala that also shows that it's not a flat-Earth model…In India, the Earth of the Puranas has often been taken as literally flat. But the details given in the Bhagavatam show that its cosmology is much more sophisticated… Jambudvipa, the central hub of Bhumandala, can be understood as a local topographical map of part of south- central Asia… A detailed study of Puranic accounts allows the other mountain ranges of Jambudvipa to be identified with mountain ranges in the region north of India. Although this region includes some of the most desolate and mountainous country in the world, it was nonetheless important in ancient times. For example, the famous Silk Road passes through this region. The Pamir Mountains can be identified with Mount Meru and Ilavrita-varsha, the square region in the center of Jambudvipa". (Sadaputa dasa, the Universe of the Vedas, Back to Godhead Magazine, 34-06, 2,000)
By saying that Mount Meru is the Pamir Mountains, one is in effect saying that they don't take the existence of Mount Meru seriously. Basically Sadaputa dasa is saying here that Bhu-mandala is not the thing which is described by Sukadeva Goswami, (namely a colossal flat-Earth), but instead represents four different things such as a local map of India and its surrounding area, or a map of the solar system, etc. By explaining Bhu-mandala as a topographical map of south-central Asia, or as the modern solar system, Sadaputa dasa keeps the Earth globe ideology firmly in place, whilst Bhu-mandala again simply disappears in the equation. If Bhu-mandala is a map of the solar system, and not the Earth itself, then there is effectively no Earth-circle to speak of! In doing away with the flat-Earth idea, Sadaputa dasa done away with the Vedic Earth-circle itself.
The idea that Bhu-mandala is the solar system is invalid for what should have been the obvious reason—that the seven islands of the Earth are not the nine planets in space. A harmonium need only be described and explained for what it is—namely a harmonium. One is not required to explain a harmonium as four other things such as a sitar, a mrdanga, a pair of karatels, or a flute. Similarly, the Earth-circle need only be explained and presented for what it is—a colossal flat-Earth! The Earth circle is the Earth, not the solar system (Sun, Moon, Venus, etc.) which is an entirely different category. Nor is Jambudvipa a map of south-central Asia. Since Asia (what to speak of the rest of our known Earth), is only a tiny part of Jambudvipa itself, how can the part suddenly become the whole? Its like trying to argue that the entire pizza is actually just an olive, if the pizza becomes an olive, then there is effectively no bread, tomato, cheese, etc., to talk about. Likewise when Jambudvipa becomes a map of south-central Asia, there is effectively no larger flat-Earth to talk about—which, of course, was exactly Sadaputa dasa's stated intention. Although Sadaputa dasa was obliged to speak of the many lands and people belonging to Bhu-mandala, and even depict them in books and animation, they were nonetheless effectively impersonalized by his 'much more sophisticated' idea that such places represent other things such as areas of south-central Asia, or the solar system itself.
We do not have space here to critique all of Sadaputa dasa's four explanations of Srimad Bhagavatam's otherwise simple and straight-forward description of Bhu-mandala. However, we will say that in presenting four different explanations of Bhu-mandala, Sadaputa dasa spectacularly failed to present Srimad Bhagavatam's own explanation–namely that Bhu-mandala is simply a larger Earth plane! Sukadeva Goswami describes a simple three-dimensional model of the universe—not a multi-dimensional universe. Starting with Mount Meru which is at the center of the universe, Sukadeva Goswami systematically describes the distance and direction to various places that are either on the surface of Bhu-mandala, or above and below the Earth-circle. It is a very simple description of a colossal Earth landscape that does not require 'much more sophisticated' extrapolations. Indeed by presenting four different explanations of Bhu-mandala, the original and intended meaning of Bhu-mandala was lost to both Sadaputa dasa and his readers. By simply stepping over and ignoring Sukadeva Goswami's description of a larger Earth plane, Sadaputa dasa presented various fallacious arguments that enabled him to present the Earth as a globe in space. Meanwhile, any understanding that our own Earth is described as part of the larger Earth plane of Jambudvipa just disappeared in translation. Whatever Sadaputa Prabhu's intentions were for arguing against flat-Earth, we hope that the mistake in his reasoning has been sufficiently pointed out. We otherwise appreciate all the service rendered by Sadaputa dasa on behalf of Srila Prabhupada.
Whilst it is true that Srila Prabhupada sometimes also referred to the seven islands as America, Europe, etc., this idea does not correspond to the measurements and shape of the islands as they are described by Sukadeva Goswami in chapter 20 of the fifth canto. The seven islands and oceans together measure at an amazing 202,800,000 miles, and they surround each other in the form of perfect concentric circles—the description in no way conforms to our small irregular shaped continents. Since it was Srila Prabhupada's desire to present Vedic cosmology 'exactly to the description of Fifth Canto', they should be depicted and explained as they are described in Srimad Bhagavatam, and not as the continents of the Earth. We refer the reader back to Srila Prabhupada's request for a proper diagram that would accurately depict the location and situation of the seven islands and oceans:
Prabhupada: Sapta-sindhu... You have to make diagram where the sapta-sindhu are.
Indian Astronomer: Yes. All...
Prabhupada: No, all...
Indian Astronomer: ...because as we prepare diagram on the basis of pancama-skandha, Bhagavata, all must be given there.
(Conversation with Vedic Astronomer, April 30, 1977)
Here Srila Prabhupada uses the words 'sapta-sindhu' which refers to the seven oceans (including obviously the Milk Ocean). Since the seven oceans surround the seven islands the whereabouts of the seven islands must also be located and mapped according to the original description. Srila Prabhupada is requesting assistance from the Vedic astronomer to prepare a diagram that would indicate the whereabouts and layout of the seven islands and oceans as they feature in the Vedic Universe, and as they are described in 'Bhagavata'. We hope that Srila Prabhupada will be pleased by the above offering that explains and depicts the sapta-dvipa and sapta-sindhu as they are described in Srimad Bhagavatam, and particularly to the location of Svetadvipa on the Earth-circle.
WHY DID SRILA PRABHUPADA NOT TALK ABOUT THE EARTH CIRCLE?
There are a number of factors that we have to consider when trying to make sense of Srila Prabhupada's presentation of the Earth, and how he actually wanted the Earth depicted in the TOVP: (1) As already discussed, due to various historical circumstances affecting India (such as the successive foreign invasions and systematic program to destroy Vedic culture), knowledge of Vedic cosmology, and particularly knowledge of Bhu-mandala had been practically lost in India. The original Vedic understanding of the Vedic Earth-circle (Bhu-mandala) had been almost entirely replaced by the Western Earth-globe concept. (2) Before Srila Prabhupada's English translation and publication of the Srimad Bhagavatam's fifth canto in 1975 (and subsequent plan to build a Temple of Vedic Planetarium based on the cosmological descriptions of the fifth canto), there does not appear to be any book or significant historical discussion on the subject of Vedic cosmology among the Gaudiya-Vaishnava community. (3) Neither Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, or Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura left a book or discourse explaining the differences between Vedic and modern conceptions of the Earth and the rest of the universe, and thus Srila Prabhupada had no immediate precedence to work from. (4) In several discussions and purports, Srila Prabhupada stated that he was not familiar with the subject. For example, in a purport to Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada states that astronomy is not his area of expertise:
"The subject matters of physics, chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, time and space dealt with in the above verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam are certainly very interesting to students of the particular subject, but as far as we are concerned, we cannot explain them very thoroughly in terms of technical knowledge". (SB 3.11.14 purport)
We have at least half a dozen such disclaimers from Srila Prabhupada. It was only after the publication of the fifth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam in 1975, along with the subsequent plan to build a Vedic Planetarium, that the question of the difference between the modern and Vedic conceptions of the Earth even became an issue. Indeed the question was not discussed in any depth until a series of talks called the Discussions on Bhu-mandala in June and July 1977.
Srila Prabhupada would obviously have discussed more about the Bhu-mandala as the concept gradually unfolded in preparation for its depiction at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium. In a forthcoming paper we shall provide a detailed presentation on the topic of 'Following Srila Prabhupada in Presenting the Earth Circle at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium'. Despite speaking of the Earth in the conventional sense as a globe floating in space, Srila Prabhupada also instructed that the TOVP present the Vedic cosmology 'exactly to the description of Fifth Canto', (Room Conversation, May 8 1977, Hrishikesh). In this regard, we have Srila Prabhupada's direct instruction to present the Earth circle (Bhu-mandala) at the TOVP:
"Now, here in India, we are planning construction of a very large "Vedic Planetarium" or "Temple of Understanding". Within the planetarium we will construct a huge, detailed model of the universe as described in the text of the fifth canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam… The model will depict… The earthly system (bhu-mandala with Sumeru in center, seven islands (saptadvipa), seven oceans (sapta-samudra), Manosattara Parvata, Lokaloka Parvata, Alokavarsa." (Letter to S.L. Dhani, 14 November 1976)
As the situation now stands in November 2019, (just two years before the TOVP is due for completion) instead of awareness of our location on the larger Earth-circle being brought back into the public consciousness via the Temple Of Vedic Planetarium, we face a farcical scenario in which the TOVP may continue to reinforce the non-Vedic ideology that we live on a globe floating in space. The problem we face is that the devotees within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness who are writing on the subject of Vedic cosmology, do not actually follow, or consistently adhere to, the description of Bhu-mandala as it described in the fifth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. Unless one works from basic definitions and descriptions of the Earth as given by Sukadeva Goswami, one will never be able to establish a spiritual science that can clearly discern between the Vedic and modern conceptions of the Earth. Thus, although members of ISKCON may cite statements from Srila Prabhupada such as 'Jambudvipa is this Earth planet' or 'Bharata-varsha is this Earth planet' as a seeming proof that Srila Prabhupada taught that the Earth is a globe, such followers fail to understand the meaning of place names such as Bhu-mandala, Jambudvipa, and Bharata-varsha as they are defined and described in Srimad Bhagavatam itself, and as Srila Prabhupada wished to present them.
Due to being conditioned by globe ideology, members of the society simply superimpose the modern Earth globe idea onto the ancient Vedic idea of the Earth—despite the fact that Srimad Bhagavatam describes an entirely different reality in regards to the shape, size, and nature of the Earth (Bhu-mandala) along with its islands (dvipas) such as Jambudvipa, and varshas such as Bharata-varsha. Each of these place names has a specific name, measurement, shape, and characteristics, that easily distinguish it from anything like a 24,900 mile globe floating in space. If one wishes to argue that 'Jambudvipa is this Earth planet' then the rest of the 800,000 mile landscape of Jambudvipa must necessarily disappear in translation. Although Srila Prabhupada may have referred to these three different place names as 'this Earth planet', we have to intelligently apply Srila Prabhupada's later instruction to describe the Earth 'exactly to the description of fifth canto'. When we follow this later instruction, we find that there actually is no Earth globe in the original description of Sukadeva Goswami, who otherwise describes Bharata-varsha as a smaller part of the massive landscape of Jambudvipa. Ironically if one simply takes Srila Prabhupada's many statements referring to the Earth as a globe, and meanwhile neglects to take Srila Prabhupada's most important instruction to depict the Earth 'exactly according to the fifth canto', one will end up introducing an Earth-globe into the Vedic cosmos when it doesn't even exist in Srimad Bhagavatam's original description. And how could that be pleasing to Srila Prabhupada?
A follower of Srila Prabhupada requires some maturity and a sufficient grasp of Srila Prabhupada's overall history, teachings, and instructions, in order to understand and apply seemingly contradictory statements. It is not enough to simply pick selected quotes from Srila Prabhupada without being unable to understand or explain such statements in context. For example, one can quote Srila Prabhupada as saying:
"Kirtanananda is now a completely Krishna Conscious person as he has accepted sannyasa on the birthday of Lord Krishna with great success". (Srila Prabhupada, Letter to Umapati, Vrindaban, 5 September, 1967)
Supporters of Kirtanananda dasa may have waved such statements as proof of his spiritual credentials when he later took on the role as a guru. Others felt differently on the matter, and waved a very different statement from Srila Prabhupada:
"Kirtanananda is a crazy man. That is proved". (Srila Prabhupada, Letter to Rayarama, Calcutta, 9 November, 1967)
In the first letter, Srila Prabhupada is being encouraging to a new and fledgling initiate; in the second letter he is taking a more realistic appraisal. The two statements are not contradictory, but without understanding everything in context of Srila Prabhupada's overall teachings with regards to the credentials of a guru, the necessity for adherence to vows and spiritual practices, etc., one can take certain statements out of context, and the whole thing can go to wreck and ruin. We face a similar scenario in relation to the presentation of the Earth at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium. A particular follower, for example, will take certain statements made by Srila Prabhupada about the Earth being a globe as infallible and unquestionable proof that it is so; but the same person will be at a complete loss when another of Srila Prabhupada's instructions 'to carefully study the details of the fifth canto, and make a working model of the universe', results in a contrary conclusion to the first statement. Srila Prabhupada's stature as an infallible authority is demonstrated by referring us to the infallible authority of Srimad Bhagavatam:
Prabhupada: Take the version of Bhagavatam...We have to accept shastra. (Discussions about Bhu-mandala, July 5 1977, Vrindavana)
If we are to 'take' and 'accept' the version of Srimad Bhagavatam we have to work with the names, forms, measurements, and characteristics of the Earth as it is defined and described by Sukadeva Goswami. ISKCON cannot establish a spiritual science unless it works from fundamental definitions and descriptions as they are given in shastra. If ISKCON works with modern assumptions regarding the Earth, its members will be living in a different universe than that described in Srimad Bhagavatam. In pursuance of Srila Prabhupada's instruction to 'carefully study the details of the fifth canto and make a working model of the universe', we shall continue to explain each facet of the Vedic cosmology as it relates to the original Earth-circle concept. We hope to soon explain the phenomena of eclipses from the Earth-circle perspective, and to show once again how those attempting to explain the phenomena with reference to an Earth globe have completely deviated from the original Vedic description.
