Game Over for the Earth Globe, Part 3
BY: MAYESVARA DASA
Dec 12, 2020 —IRELAND (SUN) — The Earth in Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
In the first two parts of this paper we have looked at the role of Ananta-sesha in holding the Earth. Before continuing with our review of the Temple of Vedic Planetarium Universal Chandelier Presentation, we shall pause briefly to look at Srila Prabhupada's presentation of the Earth in Bhagavad-gita As It Is; specifically we shall look at Bg 15.13 (see below) as the presentation of the Earth in this verse appears to contradict what we have so far presented with regards to Ananta-sesha. In today's paper we shall review Bg 15.13 in the light of Srila Prabhupada's empowering instruction to 'carefully study the details of the Fifth Canto and make a working model of the universe' (Letter to Svarupa Damodara, Auckland, 27 April, 1976).
Since Bhagavad-gita As It Is is where members of ISKCON first begin their study of transcendental knowledge, the right or wrong understanding of the Earth as it appears here, will obviously create a lasting impression among Srila Prabhupada's followers as to how they are meant to understand and conceive of the Earth. In the following paper we shall show how Srila Prabhupada's many statements regarding the Earth have been misrepresented to support a spurious argument that Srila Prabhupada was himself a supporter of the Earth-globe ideology. This may seem like something of a sophism as one can easily point to hundreds of statements wherein Srila Prabhupada indeed referred to the Earth as a globe-shaped planet floating in space. However, it is one thing to repeat Srila Prabhupada's statements about the Earth with the intention of explaining them in context, it is another thing to 'misrepresent' his words—that is, to make a mistake in the re-presentation of how Srila Prabhupada normally referred to the Earth, without considering or explaining the over-all context of how he ultimately intended to present the Earth at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium (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)
In the above letter, Srila Prabhupada expresses his intention to present the Bhu-mandala at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium. The Bhu-mandala, however, is an entirely different conception of the Earth from our modern understanding; indeed, Bhu-mandala leads us into an entirely different conception of transcendental reality regarding our place and purpose within the universe. The misrepresentation of Srila Prabhupada's words to support the idea that the Earth is a globe floating in space arises on account of two main reasons: (1) Firstly, when members of ISKCON do not take into account that it was only after the publication of the Fifth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam in 1975, and the subsequent announcement to build a Temple of Vedic Planetarium, that differences between the Vedic and Western conceptions of the Earth even began to emerge; and more importantly that these differences were never actually settled by the time Srila Prabhupada entered samadhi in November 1977. For the course of his preaching Srila Prabhupada had pragmatically worked with the Western conception of the Earth, but with the ultimate intention of presenting the Earth as Srimad Bhagavatam describes it. (2) A second cause for misrepresentation occurs when members of ISKCON take Srila Prabhupada's words about the Earth-globe out of context of Srimad Bhagavatam's own description of the Earth as a circular landscape held by Ananta-sesha; and also out of context of Srila Prabhupada's empowering instruction to 'carefully study the details of the Fifth Canto and make a working model of the universe'. Since the description of the Earth in Srimad Bhagavatam bears no resemblance to the modern Earth globe idea, members of ISKCON have to question whether Srila Prabhupada would want his followers to present the Earth as a globe floating in space when such a concept actually has no reference in the Srimad Bhagavatam itself. Since the Earth globe has no reference in Srimad Bhagavatam, Vaishnavas have to question if the Earth globe has any reality at all:
"O Brahma whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness" (SB 2.9.34)
GAM AVISYA
The question of the Earth in Vedic cosmology is an obvious source of perplexity for members of ISKCON as Srila Prabhupada himself mostly spoke of the Earth as a planet floating in space. For example in the Teachings of Queen Kunti we read the following purport from Srila Prabhupada:
"The Earth floats in space among many millions of other planets, all of them bearing huge mountains and oceans. It floats because Krishna enters into it, as stated in Bhagavad-gita As It Is (gam avisya), just as He enters the atom. The Earth is certainly not weightless, rather, it is very heavy. But it floats because the Supreme Spirit is within it." (Teachings of Queen Kunti, verse 17, purport)
In the above lecture Srila Prabhupada states that the Earth floats because Krishna enters into it, and refers us to Bhagavad-gita 15.13
gam avisya ca bhutani dharayamy aham ojasa
pushnami caushadhih sarvah somo bhutva rasatmakah
"I enter into each planet, and by My energy they stay in orbit. I become the moon and thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables." (Bg 15.13)
Srila Prabhupada's purport to this verse reads as follows:
"It is understood that all the planets are floating in the air only by the energy of the Lord. The Lord enters into every atom, every planet, and every living being. That is discussed in the Brahma-samhita. It is said there that one plenary portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramatma, enters into the planets, the universe, the living entity, and even into the atom. So due to His entrance, everything is appropriately manifested. When the spirit soul is there, a living man can float on the water, but when the living spark is out of the body and the body is dead, the body sinks. Of course when it is decomposed it floats just like straw and other things, but as soon as the man is dead, he at once sinks in the water. Similarly, all these planets are floating in space, and this is due to the entrance of the supreme energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His energy is sustaining each planet, just like a handful of dust. If someone holds a handful of dust, there is no possibility of the dust's falling, but if one throws it in the air it will fall down. Similarly, these planets, which are floating in the air, are actually held in the fist of the universal form of the Supreme Lord. By His strength and energy, all moving and nonmoving things stay in their place. It is said in the Vedic hymns that because of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the sun is shining and the planets are steadily moving. Were it not for Him, all the planets would scatter, like dust in air, and perish."
Although Srila Prabhupada does not specifically mention the Earth in his translation or purport, it was a verse he cited on a number of occasions when referring to the Earth as one of the planets considered to be floating in space (we have presented citations from some of these lectures below). As part of our study of Vedic cosmology, we shall explain why a proper understanding of this verse and purport in the light of Srila Prabhupada instruction to 'carefully study the details of the Fifth Canto and make a working model of the universe' is essential, otherwise ISKCON will end up presenting an idea of the Earth which actually doesn't exist in the Vedic Universe.
GAM IS A NAME FOR THE EARTH
Let us look at the verse again:
"I enter into each planet, and by My energy they stay in orbit. I become the moon and thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables." (Bg 15.13)
The synonyms for the first part of this verse are:
gam—the planets; avisya—entering; ca—also; bhutani—the living entities; dharayami—sustain; aham—I; ojasa—by My energy
The first point to notice is that when Sri Krishna uses the name Gam in the above verse, it is a specific name for the Earth, not the planets as a whole. The Earth is called Gam because she often takes the form of a cow. The Srimad Bhagavatam tells of the occasion when Dharma in the form of a bull, and Earth in the form of cow, were attacked by Kali-yuga, and later saved by King Pariksit (SB 1.16.18). In another pastime involving King Prthu, the Earth takes the form of a cow (go-rupam dharitre SB 4.17.3) in order to plead for compassion from the King who was angry at her for withholding grains from the hungry people. In this same pastime, the Earth retained the form of a cow so that all the different living entities in the universe could milk her for whatever they desired. In another famous pastime which precipitated the transcendental appearance of Sri Krishna on the Earth, Bhumi again took the form of a cow when she went to see Lord Brahma in order to seek protection against the demons who had incarnated on the Earth:
"Once when mother earth (Bhumih) was overburdened by hundreds of thousands of military phalanxes of various conceited demons dressed like kings, she approached Lord Brahma for relief. Mother Earth assumed the form of a cow (gaur bhutva). Very much distressed, with tears in her eyes, she appeared before Lord Brahma and told him about her misfortune. Thereafter, having heard of the distress of mother earth, Lord Brahma, with mother earth, Lord Siva and all the other demigods, approached the shore of the Ocean of Milk. After reaching the shore of the Ocean of Milk, the demigods worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, the master of the whole universe, the supreme God of all gods, who provides for everyone and diminishes everyone's suffering. With great attention, they worshiped Lord Vishnu, who lies on the Ocean of Milk, by reciting the Vedic mantras known as the Purusha-sukta." (SB 10.1.18-20)
The beautiful painting below shows the devas along with Bhu-devi in the form of a cow worshiping Lord Vishnu
Srila Prabhupada has translated Gam as the Earth throughout Srimad Bhagavatam, for example: gam paryatams—travelling all over the Earth (SB 1.6.26); shashasa gam—ruled the Earth (SB 1.10.3); draksyama gam dyam ca—we shall observe upon this Earth and in heaven also (SB 10.2.38).
We know that Varaha specifically lifted the Earth, and the name Gam is used for the Earth through-out this pastime: dadarsha gam—He (Varaha) saw the Earth (SB 3.13.30); damstaragra-gam gam upalaksha—seeing the Earth on the ends of His (Varaha's) tusks (SB 3.18.6); tvam pura gam rasaya maha-sukaro damstraya—when You appeared as the great boar incarnation, You picked up the world from the water (SB 4.7.46). Here it says Varaha picked the Earth (Gam) on his tusk (damstraya). A very similar verse from Srimad Bhagavatam states that Varaha picked Bhu-mandala on his tusk:
rupam idam ca saukaram bhu-mandalenatha data dhrtena te cakasti— Your transcendental body has become beautiful because of Your lifting the Earth (bhu-mandala) on the edge of Your tusks (SB 3.13.41)
Gam and Bhu-mandala are thus just different ways of addressing the same Earth, however, the Vedic Earth (bhuh) is circular (mandala) not a globe, hence its name Bhu-mandala. Sukadeva Goswami also refers to the Earth as Avani-mandalam (SB 4.21.7) and Ksiti-mandalam (SB 1.13.9). The description of the huge circular Earth (Bhu-mandala) with seven islands and seven oceans is contained in chapters 16-26 of the Fifth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. We shall show later how the Battle of Kuruksetra was a battle for the gigantic Earth-circle, not a battle for an Earth globe.
If we look at the commentaries of the acharyas to the verse in question (BG 15.13), we can also understand that Gam is a specific reference to the Earth, not the planets as a whole.
Sridhara Swami's Commentary: "Continuing Lord Krishna states that He enters into every particle of Earth with His energy, pervading over all the Earth with His prowess and supports all moving and non-moving jivas or embodied beings. He, Himself is the luminosity of moonlight which nourishes all herbs and crops such as rice, fruits and grains."
Ramanuja's Commentary: "The word gam means Earth and denotes the Earth. The word ojasa means indomitable potency. Lord Krishna enters into every atom of the Earth by this potency and supports all mobile and stationary jivas or embodied beings by this potency. He also manifests the energy of the moon whose nature is ambrosial and which nourishes all plants, vegetables, fruits and herbs, yielding crops such as rice and grains."
Madhvacharya's Commentary: "The word gam stated by Lord Krishna means Earth and within the Earth."
Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary: "The all pervading potency of Lord Krishna is in the Earth by which He permeates sustaining and nourishing all movable and immovable jivas or embodied beings by His ojasa or irresistible potency and by manifesting as the ambrosial nectar of the moon he nourishes all plant life such as herbs, vegetables, fruits and grains."
Although Srila Prabhupada in his lectures has cited Bg 15.13 when speaking of the Earth as one of the planets that floats in the air, the verse simply says that the Lord enters and sustains the Earth, not that it 'floats' in orbit. The Earth is actually sustained or held by Ananta-sesha as we shall see below. This fact does not in any way diminish the potency of Srila Prabhupada's purport to Bg 15.13 since the main preaching point is to declare that Sri Krishna sustains the entire universe, not that it operates by impersonal material forces as the atheists falsely declare. The purport is not intended as a specific presentation of how the Earth is described in Srimad Bhagavatam. The difficulty in conveying this point to the devotee community is that most members are only familiar with Srila Prabhupada speaking of the Earth as a globe and a planet, and thus automatically assume that this is how the Earth must appear in Srimad Bhagavatam. No one has as yet even considered analyzing the verse beginning gam avisya (15.13) in the light of Srila Prabhupada's instruction that:
"Now our Ph.D's must collaborate and study the 5th Canto to make a model for building the Vedic Planetarium... carefully study the details of the 5th Canto and make a working model of the universe." (Letter to Svarupa Damodara, Auckland, 27 April, 1976)
As mentioned, the name Gam specifically means the Earth, not all of the planets as a collective. This is an important consideration because according to Srimad Bhagavatam, the Earth is in a very different category from the other planets and stars which indeed float and move by the power of Vayu. The situation of the planets is described in Chapter Twenty-three of the Fifth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam; specifically in SB 5.23.3 it mentions that the planets and stars are held in place by Vayu (wind or air). The Earth, however, does not float in air like the other planets, and its situation is described differently. The Earth has a unique situation in that is held by Ananta-sesha, not that it is floating in space. The description of Ananta-sesha holding the Earth is found in Chapter Twenty-five of the Fifth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. The names for the Earth are Ksiti-mandalam (SB 5.25.2); Bhu-golam (SB 5.25.12) Ksmam (SB 5.25.13). These are all specific names for the Earth. Lord Shiva also confirms that Ananta-sesha holds the Bhu-mandala (SB 5,17.21). The same fact is confirmed by King Citraketu who had darshan of Ananta-sesha (SB 6.16.29-30) and praised the Lord as the holder of Bhu-mandala (SB 6.16.48). The Kauravas, likewise, praised Balarama as the incarnation of Ananta-sesha who holds the Bhu-mandala (SB 10.68.46). In Chaitanya literature, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami confirms that Ananta-sesha holds the Earth: prthivi dharena yei sesa-sankarshana (CC Adi-lila, 6,95). Here the name for the Earth is Prthivi. In another verse, the name Prthivi is invoked to declare that the Earth is 500 million yojanas and held by Ananta-sesha (see CC, Adi-lila, 5.119).
Although Srila Prabhupada's translations to all of the above verses say that Ananta-sesha holds the universe on His head, the intention is to convey the fact that the entire universe is sustained and controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and not that it operates by blind impersonal material forces as the atheists argue. However, as to the specifics of whether Ananta-sesha holds the universe or the Earth on His hoods, the Srimad Bhagavatam states in many places that the universes are floating in the Causal Ocean, not that they are resting on the hoods of Ananta-sesha. In the following verse, for example, Sri Krishna says to Uddhava:
"I Myself appeared within that egg, which was floating on the causal water, and from My navel arose the universal lotus, the birthplace of self-born Brahma." (SB 11.24.10)
tasmin—within that; aham—I; samabhavam—appeared; ande—in the egg of the universe; salila—in the water of the Causal Ocean; samsthitau—which was situated
In the appendix to this paper we have provided several other verses which confirm this description that the universes float on the Causal Ocean. Although Ananta-sesha is present with Karanodakasayi-Vishnu in the Causal Ocean, He is not described as holding the universes on His hoods. When the Lord enters each particular universe in His expansion as Garbhodakasayi-Vishnu, He is again accompanied by Ananta-sesha who not only acts as the Lord's throne, but who also acts as the holder of the Earth. Sukadeva Goswami specifically states that this is the Lord's pastime (lila) to hold the Earth (Ksmam): yo lilaya ksmam sthitaye bibharti (SB 5.25.13). Thus, Ananta-sesha is not described as holding the universe from the outside, rather He is described as holding the gigantic Earth-circle which is inside the universe. In a conversation with Sri Radha, Krishna informs us all that Radha takes the form of the Earth (Vasundhara), and He holds the Earth in the form of Ananta-sesha:
yatha nalam kulalas ca ghatam kartum mrida vina
aham seshas ca kalaya svamsena tvam vasundhara
tvam sasya-ratnadharam ca bibharmi murdhni sundari
tvam ca kantis ca santis ca murtir murtimati sati
"As a potter cannot create a pot without clay, so I cannot create the worlds without You. I expand as Lord Sesha and You expand as the Earth, the resting place of crops and jewels. Then I carry You, the Earth, on My head. O beautiful one, You are beauty, peace, form, gracefulness, saintliness" (Brahma-vivarta Purana, Krishna Janma Khanda, Chapter 67, Verses 76-77)
Again in the Skanda Purana, Lord Varaha states that he established the Earth on the head of Ananta-sesha:
"Sri Varaha said: 0 Goddess Earth, I established you on the delightfully pleasing head of Sesha. I placed the world (people) on you with the mountains as your assistants. Thereafter I came here, 0 gentle lady...Earth replied: You lifted me up from the nether worlds and made me stable and steady on the (head) of Ananta splendid with a thousand hoods, as if on a high pedestal studded with jewels and precious stones." (Skanda Purana II.i. I. 34-36)
Since Ananta-sesha holds the Earth on His head, the Earth (Gam) cannot be said to floating or in orbit like the other planets. Members of ISKCON must, therefore, ask what is Srila Prabhupada's intention when he quotes the verse: gam avisya ca bhutani dharayamy aham ojasa to say that the Lord enters the Earth and makes it float like the other planets. Is Srila Prabhupada merely using the Western idea of the Earth as an example to illustrate a separate preaching point, namely Krishna's inconceivable power in sustaining all the planets in the universe; or is he intending to use the verse as part of a formal presentation to explain the factual situation of the Vedic Earth as Srimad Bhagavatam describes it?
LOOKING AT THE EARTH IN CONTEXT
Srila Prabhupada cited Bg 15.13 on a dozen or so occasions, but when we look at the context of any of the lectures in which Srila Prabhupada uses this verse, we will always find that the preaching point is in regards to Krishna's control over nature, and not a specific attempt to present the Earth as it is described in Srimad Bhagavatam:
"Everything is explained in Bhagavad-gita. The gigantic big, big planets, why it is floating weightless in the air? That is also explained. Gam avisya aham ojasa dharayami [Bg. 15.13]. That, just try to understand. A big 747 airplane taking five hundred, six hundred passengers is floating, flying in the sky without any difficulty. Why? Because the pilot is there. Not the machine. Don't think that it is gigantic machine; therefore it is flying. No. The pilot is there. Machine is there also, but the floating is depending not on the mechanical arrangement, but on the pilot. Is there any disagreement? If the pilot is not there, the whole machine immediately will fall down. Immediately. Similarly, the statement in the Bhagavad-gita, gam avisya aham ojasa. Krishna enters into the gigantic planet… Without Krishna's entering into the matter, nothing can work." (Lecture on Bhagavad-gita, 2.30, London, August 31, 1973)
Again:
"You can manufacture a toy sputnik to fly in the sky, to float in the sky, by so many mechanical arrangements. As soon as the machine is gone out, immediately falls down. But just see what machine is there, millions and trillions of airplanes, big, big planet with big, big mountains, oceans, they are floating. So that is His intelligence. Your intelligence may be that you can also float a big airplane. But what is that big airplane in comparison to this big, big planet? It is nothing. There is also petrol stock, and in the airplane there is also petrol stock. Perhaps it is floating by petrol, and you are taking out all the petrols. One day it will fall down. Yes. You are disturbing God's arrangement. Just like we had the history of Lord Varaha's lifting this planet, earth planet, from the Garbhodaka Ocean. So any time it can fall down. But it is being floated by the supreme power. Otherwise by calculation how such a big planet can float just like a cotton swab? Yes, it is floating. Not only one, millions. So that is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, gam avisya ojasa dharayami [Bg. 15.13]. He enters. He enters in each and every planet, in each and every universe, each and every atom." (Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.15.38, Los Angeles, December 16 1973)
Srila Prabhupada's logic here is flawless—if it requires intelligence to create a sputnik or an airplane, and to fly such machines in the sky, we must assume that a superior intelligence created the planets and keeps them in their orbit. Srila Prabhupada humorously states that Krishna's intelligence and design is to be considered far superior, because the planets keep on floating, whereas the human machines run out of fuel and fall down. Let us all try to appreciate that Srila Prabhupada's preaching point here is about detecting Krishna's presence in nature, it is not that he is attempting to explain the specific description of the Earth as it is revealed in Srimad Bhagavatam; and though Srila Prabhupada uses the modern idea of the Earth floating in space as an example, the example is used to illustrate the specific point that Krishna controls the universe, it is not brought up as part of an argument to establish (with reference to various shastra) that the Earth is in fact floating. Those presenting Vedic cosmology have to be diligent enough to understand that the example of the Earth floating in space has no correlation to how our location in Bharata-varsha is described in Srimad Bhagavatam. The example of planets floating is certainly relevant to the other planets which float and move by the power of Vayu, but it is not relevant to the Vedic Earth which is described as being stationary, and held aloft by Ananta-sesha, not floating in space.
What then does Krishna's statement gam avisya (Bg 15.13) mean in the light of the description of the Earth (Gam) in the Fifth Canto? The name Gam is used throughout Srimad Bhagavatam to indicate the Earth and is also found in the Fifth Canto:
"I offer my respectful obeisances unto the great personalities, whether they walk on the Earth's surface (gam) as children, young boys, avadhutas, or great brahmanas." (SB 5.13.23)
Does the description of the Earth in chapters 16-26 of the Fifth Canto match with the idea presented in the purport to Bg 15.13 that the Earth floats in space? If not, the society is required to provide an explanation as to the disparity between Srila Prabhupada's presentation of the Earth as a globe floating in space, and the Srimad Bhagavatam's presentation of the Earth as a gigantic circular plane that is held by Ananta-sesha. We propose the disparity can be easily explained by appreciating that Srila Prabhupada only spoke of the Earth using the modern idea because the question of the actual shape and size of the Vedic Earth only became an issue after the publication of the Fifth Canto in 1975 and the subsequent plan to build a Temple of Vedic Planetarium. It is our contention that in the forty-three years since Srila Prabhupada's instruction to build a planetarium 'exactly to the description of Fifth Canto' (Room Conversation, May 8 1977, Hrishikesh), the society has not accurately presented the Earth as it is described in Srimad Bhagavatam, nor challenged the modern Earth globe conception on the basis of the nature of the Earth described therein.
PRECONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE EARTH
The current presumption in ISKCON that the Earth is a globe is a far cry from the mood of the original three devotees (Bhakti-Prema dasa, Yasodanandana dasa, and Tamala Krishna Goswami) who were working with Srila Prabhupada on this project in 1977. Both Srila Prabhupada's disciples and Srila Prabhupada himself were up for questioning the whole basis of the globe ideology:
Tamala Krishna: Look at the Earth. Now, this is a real question that we still have to answer. They picture the Earth round, and we say, no. Bhu-mandala is like a lotus, like this, and the Earth is only one part of one island in Bhu-mandala, and it's not, you know, it's not round(?). It doesn't look like that. And all the pictures they take of the Earth when they go up in their satellites show round. And we're going to tell them that it's not. This is a very tricky question…
Prabhupada: So are you thinking on this?
Bhakti-prema: In the Srimad-Bhagavatam... According to Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is (indistinct).
Prabhupada: Find out from our side, according to Bhagavatam.
(Bhu-mandala Diagram Discussion, July 2, 1977, Vrindavana)
Srila Prabhupada's reply ''are you thinking on this" and "find out from our side, according to Bhagavatam" means the followers of Srila Prabhupada have to carefully understand how Srimad Bhagavatam explains the situation, and not simply work from the presumption that the Earth is a globe because so-called science has supposedly proven the Earth to be so, or even because Srila Prabhupada himself mostly spoke of the Earth in that way. The mood of not working from preconceptions about the Earth is expressed by Tamala Krishna Goswami in the following exchange with Srila Prabhupada:
Tamala Krishna Goswami: Our question was mostly coming out of how to draw what the Srimad Bhagavatam is saying. We're not supporting any kind of mundane argument, nor do we have any doubt in Bhagavatam. We're simply trying to understand the Bhagavatam…
Prabhupada: Bhagavata is there. You try to understand.
Tamala Krishna: We're not siding with the preconceptions that we had before. We'll throw them away. We're trying to accept the Bhagavatam. Everything has to be according to the Bhagavatam.
(Conversation about Bhu-mandala, July 5, 1977, Vrindavana)
The above three devotees who were working closely with Srila Prabhupada on this project were superseded by others who had perhaps less concern about their Western 'preconceptions'. Despite Srila Prabhupada warning his disciples about their 'Western...prejudice' (Discussion on Bhu-mandala, July 5 1977, Vrindavana), preconceptions about the Earth were almost inherent from the start. Sadaputa dasa, for example, who was ISKCON's pioneer researcher in Vedic cosmology, simply continued to work from the assumption that the Earth is a globe floating in space, and that the globe ideology had to somehow be made to fit in with Vedic cosmology. Since the Srimad Bhagavatam's description of the Earth remained something of an enigma, Sadaputa dasa presented the erroneous idea that Bhu-mandala is in an invisible higher dimension, whilst our conditioned senses perceive the Earth to be in a form of an Earth globe. Since Srila Prabhupada himself had never explicitly presented the Bhu-mandala as an alternative to the Western Earth globe conception, many members of the society felt Sadaputa dasa's idea was a novel way to explain the disparities between the Vedic and Western ideas of the Earth. However, let us bear in mind that Srila Prabhupada never emphasized the differences between the Vedic and Western conceptions of the Earth because such differences only gradually began to emerge after the publication of the Fifth Canto in 1975. Moreover only a few days discussion on the Bhu-mandala ever took place, and these discussions unfortunately ended with no definitive conclusion in regards to how to deal with the differences between the Vedic and modern conception. The Discussions on Bhu-mandala which took place over a few days in the summer of 1977 ended almost as soon as they had started as Srila Prabhupada suddenly began to take ill, and entered samadhi only a few months later.
Unfortunately, to this day most members of the society are still unfamiliar with the details of the Bhu-mandala in the Fifth Canto, and whatever impression they have of the Vedic cosmology is presented by those such as Sadaputa dasa, Danavir Goswami, Rajasekhara dasa, Gauragopala dasa, Parameswara dasa, Radha-Mohan dasa, and a number of others who have always worked on the presumption that the Earth is a globe—despite the fact that the Earth in question (Bhu-mandala) is described in Srimad Bhagavatam as a circular landscape with a diameter of 500 million yojanas, and our own location in the universe is upon the surface of this great landscape, not upon a separate globe-shaped planet floating in space.
Now that we are four decades on in the study of Srimad Bhagavatam, the devotee community no longer has the same excuse to present the Earth as a globe because it can now be definitively shown that: (1) neither Bhu-mandala or Bharata-varsha correspond with this modern idea of the Earth; (2) Srila Prabhupada's clear instructions were to present Vedic cosmology exactly according to Fifth Canto, and also to present the Earth as Bhu-mandala at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium; (3) empirical science proves the Earth to be flat, non-rotating, and stationary (4) the so-called space program with its pictures and videos from space of the so-called Earth globe can be shown to be fraudulent.
AN EXAMPLE OF HOW SRILA PRABHUPADA'S WORDS ARE MISREPRESENTED
Instead of challenging the Earth globe ideology with reference to Srimad Bhagavatam, members of ISKCON continue to work from their own conditioned presumption that the Earth is a globe floating in space, and simply pull out all manner of statements from Srila Prabhupada in support of this view, but without ever attempting to analyse these statements in the light of Srila Prabhupada's later instruction to carefully study the details of the fifth canto and make a working model of the universe. A careful study of the Fifth Canto reveals that neither the description of the Bhu-mandala nor Bharata-varsha's location upon it, corresponds in any way to the idea that the Earth is a globe floating in space. Thus when followers of Srila Prabhupada take his statements about the Earth out of context of the Srimad Bhagavatam's own description of the Earth, they have incorrectly used statements from Srila Prabhupada in order to argue for a globe planet that doesn't actually exist in the Vedic cosmos. For example a favourite purport for those supporting the globe conception is the following:
"Lord Brahma said: When the unlimitedly powerful Lord assumed the form of a boar as a pastime, just to lift the planet earth, which was drowned in the great ocean of the universe called the Garbhodaka, the first demon [Hiranyaksha] appeared, and the Lord pierced him with His tusk. (SB 2.7.1)
PURPORT
Since the beginning of creation, the demons and the demigods, or the Vaishnavas, are always the two classes of living beings to dominate the planets of the universes. Lord Brahma is the first demigod, and Hiranyaksha is the first demon in this universe. Only under certain conditions do the planets float as weightless balls in the air, and as soon as these conditions are disturbed, the planets may fall down in the Garbhodaka Ocean, which covers half the universe. The other half is the spherical dome within which the innumerable planetary systems exist. The floating of the planets in the weightless air is due to the inner constitution of the globes, and the modernized drilling of the earth to exploit oil from within is a sort of disturbance by the modern demons and can result in a greatly harmful reaction to the floating condition of the earth. A similar disturbance was created formerly by the demons headed by Hiranyaksha (the great exploiter of the gold rush), and the earth was detached from its weightless condition and fell down into the Garbhodaka Ocean. The Lord, as maintainer of the whole creation of the material world, therefore assumed the gigantic form of a boar with a proportionate snout and picked up the earth from within the water of Garbhodaka." (SB 2.7.1 purport)
Whilst Srila Prabhupada's purport is brilliant in presenting the exploitative and destructive mentality of the demons, the purport is unfortunately one among many that are simply plucked out of the Bhaktivedanta Vedabase as 'evidence' for the so-called Earth-globe, but with absolutely no consideration of how the Earth presented in the purport correlates to Srimad Bhagavatam's description of the Earth held by Ananta-sesha, and our location upon it. The Earth in question can only be one of two things (1) Bhu-mandala itself, or (2) Bharata-varsha. In neither case does the idea of an Earth floating in space correlate with these two place names. Srimad Bhagavatam (SB 3.13.41) describes that Varaha lifted the huge Earth circle (Bhu-mandala), not the supposed Earth globe. We have discussed this issue at length in previous papers.
We should also note that when the Earth was rescued by Varaha, He did not place it in space where it is supposedly floating; rather He returned it to the head of Ananta-sesha as it was situated before:
"Vishnu, the holder of a conch, a disc, and a mace, took up the Boar-form, existing everywhere and having no beginning, middle or end. The highest lord full of everything, having hands and feet on all sides, having large fangs and arms, struck the demon with one fang. The mean son of Diti, with his huge body pounded, died. Seeing the earth fallen (from the demon's head), he lifted it with his fang, and putting it on Sesha's head as before, took up the form of a Tortoise. Seeing great Vishnu of the form of the hog, all deities and sages, with their bodies bowed with devotion, praised him." (Padma Purana, Book VI, Chapter 237, Verse 15-19)
Members of ISKCON have an almost indelible impression in the mind that the Earth is a globe-shaped planet based on statements such as those presented above from Srila Prabhupada's purport to SB 2.7.1, as well, of course, because of ISKCON's classic painting of Varaha lifting the Earth globe. Thus when members of the society hear other devotees preach a different understanding of the Earth (based on the Srimad Bhagavatam's own description of Bhu-mandala), due to not understanding or accepting the original description, they unfortunately jump to the conclusion that such ideas about the Earth are opposed to those presented by Srila Prabhupada. However, once Srila Prabhupada's statements about the Earth globe are considered in the context of Srila Prabhupada's later instructions to understand and present the Earth according to the description given in the Fifth Canto, then it should no longer remain a controversy to say that when Srila Prabhupada spoke about the Earth as a globe floating in space, it does not constitute a proof that it is so, but only that he was speaking of the Earth as people in the modern world generally understand it.
THE FOX, THE DOG, AND THE BABY
There is an instructive story by Srila Prabhupada about jumping to false conclusions, and destroying the very thing that turns out to have been the most loyal. The following story is retold in Hari-sauri's A Transcendental Diary:
"He said there is nothing lower than a dog, yet even dogs have one good quality—faithfulness. And he told me a story about a man, a dog and a baby: The man had to leave his house for a few minutes, so he placed his baby on a bed and left his dog in the room to guard it. When he returned a short while later, the room was empty. He was horrified to find a trail of blood leading out into the garden. Following it, he suddenly came upon the dog running out from the bushes, its mouth covered in blood. The man was shocked. He thought that the dog must have attacked the baby, dragged it into the bushes and killed it. He angrily rushed inside, got a gun, and returned to face the dog. As he pointed the gun at the dog, the animal sat obediently before his master, making no attempt to run away. Bang! He killed the dog. But at the loud report of the gun, the cry of a baby rent the air. Confused, the man ran inside and found his child lying under the bed, unharmed. Now perplexed, the man retraced the trail of blood into the garden. Behind the bushes he found the body of a dead fox covered in blood. It was clear what had happened: The fox had threatened the baby, so the dog put the baby under the bed to protect it. It fought and killed the intruder and dragged it out into the garden. The man lamented his hasty action. The dog was so faithful that, although he knew he had fulfilled his duty in a valiant way, still he did not protest when his master shot him.
The conclusion, Srila Prabhupada told me, is that the disciple should serve the spiritual master in the same way. If the disciple cannot remain faithful to his spiritual master, he is less than a dog."
(Hari-Sauri dasa, A Transcendental Dairy, Volume 4, September 26, 1976)
Though it seemingly appears that we are going in the opposite direction from Srila Prabhupada's presentation of the Earth as one of the planets floating in space, the presumption is based on an ignorance of the fact that Srila Prabhupada actually wanted the Earth presented as the Bhu-mandala in the Temple of Vedic Planetarium. Our situation is comparable to the dog who is trying to protect the baby (Srila Prabhupada's presentation of Srimad Bhagavatam at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium) from the foxes (those who are trying to drag away the Vedic conception), but due to misunderstanding, it is the dog who is branded as a culprit and then blasted with a gun.
MORE EXAMPLES OF HOW SRILA PRABHUPADA'S WORDS ARE MISREPRESENTED
Let us now look at a few more examples of how Srila Prabhupada's words are misrepresented in order to support the globe ideology. The following is from a lecture given in Tokyo in 1975:
"Now, as we see in the street that the cars are moving in high speed but they are within the orbit, within the line, demarcation of line, white line or yellow line, so there is some brain, there is some management, everything is there, Similarly, all these planets, they are rotating with high speed. Just like this planet. It is rotating 25,000 miles in twelve hours. Is it not? The circumference of this earth is 25,000 miles and... Yes, day and night, twenty-four hours. Almost one thousand miles per hour." (Lecture on Bhagavad-gita, 16.8, Tokyo, January 28, 1975)
Again:
"The spiritual force behind is moving the material world. Yayedam dharyate jagat. Jagat means gacchati iti jagat, which is moving or going forward. Everything is moving. All these planets are moving. Your earthly planet is also moving—within twenty-four hours covering 25,000 miles, day and night. The whole material planets, earthly planets, you have 25,000 miles, and this is rotating. Similarly every planet is rotating. The sun is also rotating. Yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrita-kala-cakrah. The sun is also having a duration of life, and it will rotate, then it will be finished. Everything in the material world, it has got a date of birth, it lives for some time, it grows or changes the body, and produces some by-products, then dwindles, and then vanishes. This is called shad-vikara, six kind of changes of anything material. That is called jagat. Gacchati. But there is a moving force. Just like the motorcar is going, gacchati. But the motorcar is not moving without any driver. There is a machine, first-class machine, Rolls-Royce car, Cadillac car, good machine, but the machine is useless unless there is a driver. The aeroplane is moving, but without the pilot it cannot move. Therefore material elements, however, I mean to say, wonderful it may be, it has no value without the spirit soul. That is the explanation here. Apareyam." (Lecture on Bhagavad-gita, 7.5, Bombay, February 20, 1974)
Srila Prabhupada's preaching point in these two examples is simply to establish that everything in nature works under conscious, personal, and spiritual control, not that everything in the creation moves by impersonal material forces. Although Srila Prabhpada uses the modern idea that the Earth is spinning as an example, the example is not part of a context to 'prove' that the Earth is in fact spinning. Again we refer the reader to the conversation between Srila Prabhupada and Tamala Krishna Goswami wherein Srila Prabhupada explained that he sometimes uses the modern theory as an example, not that such examples are to be automatically assumed to confirm to the Vedic idea.
Prabhupada: Yes. Sometimes I have said or taken this modern theory.
Tamala Krishna: Just so that people will understand an example. I see.
(Morning Walk, March 18, 1976, Mayapur)
We can understand when something correlates with the Vedic idea if it can be seen to have a reference in Vedic literature. Though Srila Prabhupada would generally confirm all of his statements with reference to various Vedic texts, the idea that the Earth spins at a thousand miles per hour is an exception since there is no verse in the Vedic literature that confirms such an idea; nor do the acharyas in their commentaries to the Fifth Canto refer to the idea that the Earth is spinning at a thousand miles per hour. This detail would obviously be an important consideration when it comes to understanding the cause of day and night, seasons etc., yet such an idea is never once brought up in the commentaries to the Fifth Canto. The acharyas explain day and night, seasons, the eclipse, etc., with reference to how the Sun and Moon rotate above the flat stationary Earth-circle (Bhu-mandala), not with reference to how they orbit around a spinning Earth-globe that floats in space. Thus when Srila Prabhupada says the Earthly planet is 'moving within twenty-four hours covering 25,000 miles, day and night', his followers are required to ask what Earth is Srila Prabhupada referring to? The Vedic Earth does not move as it is held by Ananta-sesha, and since Bharata-varsha is a series of nine islands upon the surface of the immovable Earth, it cannot be said that Bharata-varsha is a singular planet rotating in space. Looking at the overall context of what Srila Prabhupada intends to convey in his lecture, the above idea that the Earth rotates along with everything else in the universe is brought up, not with the intention of proving that it is so, but merely as an example to illustrate an entirely different preaching point, namely that the machine of material nature cannot operate without an operator.
Members of ISKCON could present any one of hundreds of similar statements as evidence that Srila Prabhupada believed the Earth to be a globe-shaped planet floating in space. Unfortunately, such statements are generally presented without ever considering the context of the lecture or discussion, nor the historical reasons why Srila Prabhupada spoke of the Earth in this way, nor with any clear understanding of the difference between the Vedic and modern definition of the Earth, nor with any intelligent application of Srila Prabhupada's later instruction to present Vedic cosmology at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium 'exactly to the description of Fifth Canto' (Room Conversation, May 8 1977, Hrishikesh). We have presented some discussion on the issue in a paper called, Why Did Srila Prabhupada Call the Earth a Globe?
By studying the context of Srila Prabhupada's various statements about the Earth being a globe, floating in space, spinning on its axis, etc., it is very clear that such statements are never part of any formal presentation of the Earth's description as it features in Vedic cosmology. For example in the above lecture in Tokyo on January 28, 1975, Srila Prabhupada is merely using the modern conception of the Earth (spinning at a thousand miles per hour) to illustrate the point that every arrangement in nature must have a controlling power behind it. The theme of the lecture was not—as we are all doing now—to determine the exact nature of the Earth according to Vedic cosmology; rather the theme of the lecture was to explain the controlling power of God. Srila Prabhupada's purpose and intention here was not to establish with reference to various shastra or other empirical studies that the Earth is in fact spinning at a thousand miles per hour; rather the intention of the lecture is to show that even assuming the modern idea of the Earth, logic demands that we accept a personal and conscious controller behind the workings of the material universe.
ACALA
The question of whether the Earth is actually floating or spinning or not, is something that must be settled with reference to shastra. In Part 2 of this paper, we cited a verse from the Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 5.119 which confirms that the Earth (Prthivi) is 500 million yojanas in diameter, and rests (rahe) like a mustard seed on one of the hoods of Ananta-sesha. Let us note that the word rahe means to stay or remain, thus the Earth does not move. It is confirmed in Srimad Bhagavatam that the Earth (Bhu-gola) is fixed (arpitam) on the head (murdhani) of Ananta-sesha murdhany arpitam anuvat sahasra-murdhno bhu-golam (SB 5.25.12). The Brahma-vivarta Purana contains a list of the names of the Earth, one of which is Immovable:
"Since the houses of all the people are constructed over the Earth that is why it is called Bhumi. Since she bears the riches in her womb she is called Vasundhara. Since she was born out of the thigh of the lord she has been given the name of Urvi. Since she bears the load of everyone she is known as Dhara and Dharani. Since the yajnas are performed over her, she is called ijya, Because she is reduced in rise during the dissolution, she is known as Ksoni. Since she is destroyed completely as the time of dissolution she is called Ksiti. Since she is the daughter of Kasyapa, she is also known as Kasyapi. Since she remains stable, she is known as immovable. Since she feeds the entire universe, she is known as Visvambhara. Since she has the endless form she is called Ananta. O sage, since she is the daughter of Prthu, she is known as Prthvi and having its immeasurable expanse, she is known as Mahi." (Brahma-vivarta Purana, prakrati-khanda, chapter 9)
I don't have the Roman transliteration for this verse, so our Sanskrit experts are welcome to enlighten us on the name used for 'immovable', though presumably the name is Acala. The English translation to the Brahmanda Purana by G.V. Tagare also uses the name Acala when speaking about the Earth:
"The Earth overwhelmed by the ocean began to quake though its name is Acala (immovable). There was a break and hindrance in the penance and abstract meditation of the ascetics." (Brahmanda Purana, Book 3 (Upodghata), chapter 52, verses 80)
Empirical observations of a stationary flat-Earth can act in a supporting role to that already established by shastra.
There are also some interesting verses in Srimad Bhagavatam that imply the Earth is not moving:
"Because of the movements of the water, the trees on the bank of a river, when reflected on the water, seem to move. Similarly, when the eyes move because of some mental derangement, the land (bhuh-the Earth) appears to move also." (SB 7.2.23)
If the Earth was actually moving, it would not make sense to say that the Earth 'appears to move' (drsyate—is seen; calati—moving; iva—as if; bhuh—the ground). Sri Krishna gave a similar example to Uddhava:
"The soul's material life, his experience of sense gratification, is actually false, O descendant of Dasharha, just like trees' appearance of quivering when the trees are reflected in agitated water, or like the Earth's appearance of spinning due to one's spinning his eyes around, or like the world of a fantasy or dream." (SB 11.22.54-55)
Here Sri Krishna says that the appearance of the Earth spinning is actually false just like one's own material life (drsyate—appears; bhramati—moving; iva—as if; bhuh—the Earth). Although this analogy is not in the context of a discussion about cosmology, it does confirm what our senses perceive to be true, namely that the Earth is stationary and non-rotating, and that it is the stars and planets that rotate in great circles above us. Indeed astrology as we know it is only possible on the basis of a flat, stationary, non-rotating Earth, otherwise all computations would have to also factor for the ever changing rotation of the Earth, and its relative position to the planets. Astrology only concerns itself with the movements of the planets above the Earth; not that the Earth itself is assumed to be moving in space or rotating on its so-called axis.
Since we have so far established that (1) the Earth (Bhu-gola) is held by Ananata-sesha and thus not floating in space; (2) the Earth does not move or spin as it is Acala (immovable); and (3) our own location (in Bharata-varsha) is upon the surface the surface of this huge stationary Earth, we can safely conclude that the idea of an Earth planet floating in space and spinning at a thousand miles per hour is not supported by the Puranic description.
Though Srila Prabhupada would sometimes present the idea that the Earth is rotating along with the other planets, the context of the discussion or lecture invariably reveals that he using the modern idea of the Earth more as an example to illustrate certain preaching points related to Sri Krishna's control over nature, than as a presentation of the Vedic description of the Earth. Let us consider another example below:
"But because God is so perfect, although all the planets are rotating in their speed, just like this earth is rotating... What is the speed? At least in twenty-four hours it is completing 25,000 miles. That means its speed is about 1000 miles at least. And similarly, other planets are also moving, similarly. And the sun planet is moving at 16,000 miles per minute or second, calculated. But all these planets are moving in this way, so much speed, but they are not colliding. The perfect arrangement is there, and they are floating. How it is possible? This is accidental? Do you think this is accidental?" (Room Conversation with Shyamasundara)
The preaching point here is not to establish that the Vedic and modern conceptions of the Earth are the same; the preaching point is simply to help people understand that the planets work according to a system which cannot be considered 'accidental'. Though the modern understanding of the Earth is used as an example to illustrate his point, Srila Prabhupada does not quote from shastra to establish that this is indeed how the Earth is situated. Those who wish to use this statement as 'proof' for the globe, have to show that such an idea of the Earth is consistent with the description of Earth given in Srimad Bhagavatam. By 'Earth' does Srila Prabhupada mean the Bhu-mandala that is 500 million yojanas in diameter and is held by Ananat-sesha, or does he mean Bharata-varsha which is a series of nine islands located on the southern side of Jambudvipa? In neither case does the Srimad Bhagavatam's description of the Earth and our location upon it, match with the modern idea that the Earth is floating in space and turning at 1,000 miles per hour.
It is disappointing to see disciples of Srila Prabhupada such as Rajasekhara dasa continue to pump out such statements from Srila Prabhupada as 'proof' of the globe, despite the fact that neither Bhu-mandala or Bharata-varsha can be shown to correlate in any way with this modern understanding of the Earth. Since Srimad Bhagavatam obviously does not describe the Earth in this way, members of ISKCON are forced to explain Srila Prabhupada's statements not with reference to Srimad Bhagavatam itself, but to secondary sources such as Surya-siddhanta and astronomers such as Aryabhatta. The result is a long convoluted argument that supposedly 'proves' the globe, but has absolutely no correlation with how Srimad Bhagavatam describes the Earth and our location upon it. In a later part of this paper we shall show the Surya-siddhanta has been misinterpreted to support the globe ideology, and then presented in a manner that completely contradicts the Srimad Bhagavatam's description of the Bhu-gola.
As mentioned in Part 2 of this paper, the whole debacle over the nature of the Earth in Vedic cosmology can be sorted in fifteen minutes by correct apprehension of what Sukadeva Goswami means by (a) Bhu-mandala, and (b) Bharata-varsha. The idea that 'the Earth' is a globe shaped planet floating in space is not supported by Srimad Bhagavatam, because Srimad Bhagavatam describes 'the Earth' (Bhu-mandala), as well as Bharata-varsha (a location upon the Earth), in an entirely different way. Indeed our purpose in reviewing the Temple of Vedic Planetarium promotional video is to show that those involved in the project are fully conscious that the Srimad Bhagavatam does not describe either Bhu-mandala or Bharata-varsha as a planet floating in space; and that they simply trip over their own words when they present it otherwise.
For whatever reason, many devotees writing on Vedic cosmology seem incapable or unwilling to accept Srimad Bhagavatam's description of the Earth, and instead manipulate verses from Surya-siddhanta and even statements from Srila Prabhupada in a manner that goes against the Srimad Bhagavatam itself, as well as Srila Prabhupada's instruction to present Vedic cosmology at the TOVP 'exactly to the description of fifth canto'.
Prabhupada: ...that "We are intending to make a huge planetarium. If you can help us?"
Tamala Krishna: Mentioning the Fifth Canto, Bhagavatam?
Prabhupada: Exactly to the description of Fifth Canto, we want.
(Room Conversation, May 8 1977, Hrishikesh)
THE BATTLE FOR THE EARTH IN BHAGAVAD-GITA
The Bhagavad-gita opens with two opposing armies about to contend for control of the Earth. In one dramatic scene, Sri Krishna, along with Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhisthira, Nakula and Sahadeva, and the other commanders in their army all simultaneously blew their transcendental conch-shells causing great despondency in the opposing camp:
"The blowing of these different conch-shells became uproarious. Vibrating both in the sky and on the Earth, it shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarastra." (Bg 1.19)
Here the name for the Earth is Prthivi: nabhas ca prthivim caiva. It may be a surprise for many devotees of Krishna to hear that the battle for the Earth which took place 5,000 years ago at Kuruksetra was not a battle for a small globe-shaped planet, but rather a battle for a circular Earth plane that is 500 million yojanas (4 billion miles) in diameter. For those who are still under the impression that Prthivi refers to an Earth-globe, we refer the reader back to Part 2 of this paper wherein we discussed Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami's description of Prthivi as being held by Ananta-sesha and having a diameter of 500 yojanas:
pancasat-koti-yojana prthivi-vistara
yanra eka-phane rahe sarsapa-akara
"The universe, which measures five hundred million yojanas in diameter, rests on one of His hoods like a mustard seed." (CC Adi-lila, 5.119)
Although Srila Prabhupada has translated Prthivi as universe in the above verse, the name Prthivi is specifically a name for the Earth. Ananta-sesha holds The Earth on His hoods, not the universe itself; the universe is otherwise described as floating in the Causal Ocean along with millions of other universes (see Appendix below). In our previous papers we have provided some details of the Pandavas conquest of Prthivi/Bhu-mandala on behalf of Yudhisthira; see for example, Flat-Earth in the Mahabharata.
In the Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya Madhvacharya recounts the varied conquests of Arjuna, Bhima, Nakula, and Sahadeva across the entire plane of Bhu-mandala with each brother taking a different direction. The following verse spoken by Draupadi in Mahabharata itself also confirms Yudhisthira's control of the different varshas of Jambudvipa along with the other islands of Bhu-mandala:
"Formerly, O puissant one, thou hadst, O monarch, swayed with might, the region called Jambu-dwipa, O tiger among men, abounding with populous districts. Thou hadst also, O ruler of men, swayed with might that other region called Kraunchadwipa situated on the west of the great Meru and equal unto Jambu-dwipa itself. Thou hadst swayed with might, O king, that other region called Sakadwipa on the east of the great Meru and equal to Krauncha-dwipa itself. The region called Bhadraswa, on the north of the great Meru and equal to Sakadwipa was also swayed by thee, O tiger, among men! Thou hadst even penetrated the ocean and swayed with might other regions, too, O hero, and the very islands begirt by the sea and containing many populous provinces. Having, O Bharata, achieved such immeasurable feats, and having obtained (through them) the adorations of the Brahmanas, how is it that thy soul is not gratified?" (Mahabharata, Shanti-parva, XIV)
In the above verse, Draupadi mentions a few of the cosmic-sized islands that were controlled by the Pandavas. The central island of the Earth is called Jambudvipa and has a width of 100,000 yojanas/800,000 miles (SB 5.20.2). Srimad Bhagavatam confirms that Yudhisthira was the emperor of Jambudvipa: jambudvipadhipatam ca (SB 1.12.5) Draupadi also mentions Kraunchadvipa which has a width of 1,600,000 yojanas/12,800,000 miles (SB 5.20.18), whilst Sakadvipa has a width of 3,200,000 yojanas/25,600,000 miles (SB 5.20.24). The other islands are not mentioned here, though Madhvacharya confirms that the Pandavas conquered all seven islands which altogether cover an area of hundreds of millions of miles. The scale of this operation is beyond the conception of the mundane mind that simply dismisses it as Hindu mythology; however, the devotees of Sri Krishna should know that when Yudhisthira was crowned emperor of the Earth at the Rajasuya sacrifice, the Earth in question is the gigantic Bhu-mandala, not the so-called Earth globe. The Pandavas had gained the surrender and tribute from all of the kingdoms on the seven islands and oceans of the Bhu-mandala, as well as from the kingdoms of nagas and asuras (bila-svarga) which are underground realms that go down into the depths of the Earth-circle for hundreds of thousands of miles. This vast empire was later wrested from the Pandavas by a conspiracy headed by the wicked Duryodana. The battle of Kuruksetra was eventually fought to restore the kingdom to Yudhisthira who is hailed as Dharmaraja (SB 10.73.35), appearing on Earth as part of Sri Krishna's plan to restore dharma on the Earth (Bg 4.7-8). The Mahabharata informs us that the hundreds of millions of soldiers who partook in the Kuruksetra war came from all over Jambudvipa, and not simply from places in and around India:
"The whole Earth seemed then to be empty, divested of horses and men, destitute of cars and elephants, and with only the children and the old left (at home). From the whole area of Jambudwipa over which the sun sheds his rays, was collected that force, O best of kings. Men of all races, assembled together, occupied an area extending for many Yojanas over districts, rivers, hills, and wood...Indeed, that encounter of the two armies was highly wonderful, like that of two oceans when the end of the Yuga is arrived. The whole earth was empty, having only the children and the old left (at home), in consequence of that large army mustered by the Kauravas." (Mahabharata, Bhishma-parva, Jambu-kanda, Section 1)
Now let us consider all that has been said above in the light of two other opening verses from Bhagavad-gita. Before the battle of Kuruksetra had even began, Arjuna expressed his hesitation to fight for sovereignty of the Earth:
"O Govinda, of what avail to us are a kingdom, happiness or even life itself when all those for whom we may desire them are now arrayed on this battlefield? O Madhusudana, when teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives are ready to give up their lives and properties and are standing before me, why should I wish to kill them, even though they might otherwise kill me? O maintainer of all living entities, I am not prepared to fight with them even in exchange for the three worlds, let alone this Earth (mahi-krte). What pleasure will we derive from killing the sons of Dhrtarastara?" (Bg 1.32-35)
Here the name for the Earth is Mahi. Mahi is one of many Sanskrit names for the Earth:
"This Earth is termed Dhara because it supports all; is termed Prithvi because it is very capacious; and it is called Mahi because it is great, since it supports so many beings. O King! the Ananta serpent is holding her on his thousand-hoods." (Devi Purana, 3rd Adyaya, Chapter 13, verses 8-10)
Here it says Ananta-sesha holds Mahi (the Earth) on His thousand hoods. The name Mahi is an appropriate name for the Earth since the Earth is actually the largest feature in the Vedic universe. The names Prthivi, Mahi, and Dhara do not refer to an Earth globe, but are names for the gigantic Earth-circle (Bhu-mandala) held by Ananta-sesha as described in the Fifth Canto. When Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, walked on the Earth five thousands years ago, the Earth in question was Bhu-mandala:
"This Earth has now become most fortunate, because You have touched her grass and bushes with Your lotus feet." (SB 10.15.8)
In the Tenth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam there is a wonderful description of Sri Krishna and Arjuna flying above the seven islands and oceans of Bhu-mandala on their way to see Maha-Vishnu. The description in the verse below again informs us that the Lord sports on the gigantic Bhu-mandala, not an Earth globe:
"Having thus advised Arjuna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead had Arjuna join Him on His divine chariot, and together they set off toward the west The Lord's chariot passed over the seven islands of the middle universe, each with its ocean and its seven principal mountains. Then it crossed the Lokaloka boundary and entered the vast region of total darkness." (SB 10.89.46-47)
Here the Sanskrit names for the seven islands and oceans is sapta dvipan sa-sindhums ca. These seven islands and oceans of Bhu-mandala are described in chapter 20 of the Fifth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, and cover an area of hundreds of millions of miles. Beyond the seven islands and oceans is the Golden Land which is uninhabited, and beyond the Golden Land is the great Lokaloka Mountain which divides the Earth-circle into a bright side illuminated by the Sun and Moon, from the dark side where no sun-light reaches. When Srimad Bhagavatam proclaims that Sri Krishna descended to annihilate the demons who had become the burden on the Earth, the Earth in question is this gigantic Bhur-loka otherwise known as Prthivi, Dharani, Vasundhara, Mahi, Gam, etc.
"O Lord, we are fortunate because the heavy burden of the demons upon this Earth [bhuvah—on this Earth; bharah—the burden created by the demons] is immediately removed by Your appearance. Indeed, we are certainly fortunate, for we shall be able to see upon this Earth [Gam] and in the heavenly planets the marks of lotus, conchshell, club and disc that adorn Your lotus feet." (SB 10.2.38)
Here the Earth is called Bhuh and Gam. When Sri Krishna was about to destroy the huge army of Jarasanda, He thought to Himself:
"This is the purpose of My present incarnation—to relieve the Earth of its burden, protect the pious and kill the impious." (SB 10.50.9)
etat—for this; arthah—purpose; avatarah—descent; ayam—this; bhu—of the earth; bhara—the burden; haranaya—for removing; me—by Me
Sri Krishna also engaged the Pandavas for this purpose:
"The Bhagavatam also recounts how Lord Krishna relieved the earth's burden by engaging the Pandavas in the Battle of Kuruksetra." (SB 2.12.40-41)
bhara—of the burden; avataranam—the reduction; bhumeh—of the earth; nimitti-krtya—making the apparent cause; pandavan—the sons of Pandu.
And to end on a positive note:
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead descended to kill the demoniac kings who were the burden of the Earth and to protect the saintly devotees. However, both the demons and the devotees are awarded liberation by the Lord's mercy. Thus, His transcendental fame has spread throughout the universe." (SB 11.5.50)
vidvit-snigdhah svarupam yayur "Both those who hated Krishna and those who loved Him attained eternal forms like His own in the spiritual world." (SB 10.90.47)
APPENDIX: THE UNIVERSES FLOAT ON THE CAUSAL OCEAN
Through-out the Srimad Bhagavatam and Caitanya-caritamrta, there are many verses which state that Ananta-sesha holds the Earth, for example, Ksiti-mandalam (SB 5.25.2); Bhu-golam, (SB 25.12); Ksmam (SB 5.25.13); Bhu-mandala (5.17.21); Prthivi (CC Adi-lila 6.95); etc. However in the translation to these verses, Srila Prabhupada has stated that Ananta-sesha is holding the universe. Srila Prabhupada's purpose in stating that the universe is held by Ananta-sesha is obviously to convey the idea that the universe is sustained and controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not that it operates according to impersonal material forces. However with regards to the specifics of Vedic cosmology, it is clear that Ananta-sesha holds the Earth, not the universe itself which is otherwise described as floating on the Causal Ocean (Karana-arnava). In the following verse, for example, Sri Krishna says to Uddhava:
"I Myself appeared within that egg, which was floating on the causal water, and from My navel arose the universal lotus, the birthplace of self-born Brahma." (SB 11.24.10)
tasmin—within that; aham—I; samabhavam—appeared; ande—in the egg of the universe; salila—in the water of the Causal Ocean; samsthitau—which was situated
Lord Kapila also taught that the golden egg-shaped universe (hiranmayad anda-kosad) is lying on the water (salile shayat)
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the virat-purusha, situated Himself in that golden egg, which was lying on the water, and He divided it into many departments." (SB 3.26.53)
hiranmayat—golden; anda-kosat—from the egg; utthaya—arising; salile—on the water; shayat—lying
Again:
"For over one thousand years the shiny egg lay on the waters of the Causal Ocean in the lifeless state. Then the Lord entered it as Garbhodakasayi Vishnu." (SB 3.20.15)
sah—it; ashayishta—lay; abdhi-salile—on the waters of the Causal Ocean; anda-kosah—egg;
PURPORT:
"From this verse it appears that all the universes are floating in the Causal Ocean."
In many purports and lectures, Srila Prabhupada states that the universes are floating on the Causal Ocean, not that they are held on the head of Ananta-sesha:
"Material existence is compared herein to the great ocean of nescience. Another name of this ocean is Vaitarani. In that Vaitarani Ocean, which is the Causal Ocean, there are innumerable universes floating like footballs." (SB 4.22.40 purport)
Again:
"Materialistic men can think, although very imperfectly, of the huge universal space, comprehending an innumerable number of planets as big as the sun. They can see only the circular sky overhead, without any information that this universe, as well as many other hundreds of thousands of universes, are each covered by sevenfold material coverings of water, fire, air, sky, ego, noumenon and material nature, just like a huge football, pumped and covered, floating on the water of the Causal Ocean, wherein the Lord is lying as Maha-Vishnu. All the universes in seed are emanating from the breathing of the Maha-Vishnu, who is but part of a partial expansion of the Lord, and all the universes presided over by the Brahmas vanish when the Maha-Vishnu withdraws His great breath." (SB 2.1.25 purport)
In the Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja dasa Goswami confirms that the universes are lying in the Causal Ocean. The name used for Causal Ocean in this verse is karana-abdhi—Causal Ocean;
"The entire spiritual world constitutes the unlimited opulence of Krishna, and there are innumerable Vaikuntha planets there. The Causal Ocean is considered the surrounding waters of Vaikunthaloka. Maya and her unlimited material universes are situated in that Causal Ocean. Indeed, maya appears to be floating like a pot filled with mustard seeds." (Cc Madhya-lila 15.175-176)
tate—in that water; bhase—floats; maya—the material energy; lana—taking; ananta—unlimited; brahmanda—universes
Again:
"Just as there are millions of fruits on the udumbara tree, millions of universes float on the waters of the river Viraja." (Cc, Madha-lila, 15.172)
In the Garga-samhita it is said:
"In ancient times the Earth, overcome with a burden of many daityas, danavas, and human kings, assumed the form of a cow and, helplessly crying, trembling, and describing her troubles, took shelter of the demigod Brahma. Brahma comforted her and then, accompanied by Siva and the demigods, went to Lord Hari's palace in Vaikuntha. Brahma bowed down before four-armed Lord Vishnu and explained why he had come. Then He who is the husband of the goddess of fortune spoke to Brahma and the troubled demigods. The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Without Krishna, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of countless universes, perfect, above the demigods, and the enjoyer of transcendental pastimes, this problem will not be solved. You should go to His eternal and effulgent abode at once. Sri Brahma said: I do not know anyone greater and more perfect than You. If there is such a person, please show Him to us, O Lord. Sri Narada said: When this was said, perfect Lord Hari showed all the demigods a spiritual river path flowing through the hole Sri Vamana made in the universe with His toenail. Going by boat on this path, the demigods left the universe. They saw the universe was like a round kutaja fruit far below. When the saw the other universes were like many kutaja fruits bobbing in the water (of the Karana Ocean), they all became frightened and surprised." (Garga samhita, Canto 1, chapter 2, verse 4-2)
The painting below by Jadurani dasi must surely count as one of the most important, beautiful, and fascinating paintings in the history of world art.
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
It shows Sri Krishna and His expansion as Maha-Vishnu who is lying down in the Causal Ocean (although the Lord is not shown here to be lying down on Ananta-sesha, the Brahma-samhita 5.47 confirms that Maha-vishnu is reclining on Ananta-sesha). From the pours of Maha-Vishnu's skin innumerable universes emanate which then float on the surface of the Causal Ocean. Each universe is in the form of a round golden egg (anda). Within each universe there is another great body of water called the Garbhodaka Ocean which fills the bottom half of the universe. Upon that great ocean lays a second form of Vishnu called Garbhodakasayi Vishnu who again reclines on the bed of Ananta-sesha. The ten chapters of the Fifth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam which deal with Vedic cosmology describe that Ananta-Sesha is on the surface of the Garbhodaka Ocean and holds the Earth from below. The Earth itself takes the form of a gigantic circular landscape that crosses the entire center of the universe. The seven islands and oceans form the inhabited area on the surface, and they are described in chapters 16-20 of the Fifth Canto. The hells (see chapter 26) and subterranean heavens (see chapter 24) are vast underground realms within the core of the Earth-circle. Ananta-sesha's role in holding the great Earth is described in chapter 25. All the planets and stars are described as rotating in circles above the Earth (see chapters 21-23). This in a nutshell is Vedic cosmology, and the idea that the Earth is a globe floating in space does not appear in this description. The Earth globe does not appear in this description because the Earth in question is otherwise described as the Bhu-mandala held by Ananta-sesha.
May the devotees of Sri Krishna come to understand and accept the Earth as He has created it; and may those responsible for presenting the Earth at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium please desist from presenting the non-Aryan idea that the Earth is a globe floating in space. The Aryans worship Ananta-sesha who holds the Earth-circle. King Citraketu said to Ananta: yam upasate tv aryah—Such Aryans worship You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead (SB 6.16.43). King Citraketu further confirms that Ananta-sesha is holding the Bhu-mandala: bhu-mandalam sarsapayati yasya murdhni (SB 6.16.48)
