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Law of gravitation

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

Being conditioned by the material modes, the conditioned soul tries to travel in space by spacecraft and so fails to reach his destination. The law of gravitation is binding upon him like the shackles of a prisoner.
SB 1.11.35, Purport:

Conditioned souls seek after perpetual happiness in all places—not only on this earth but also on other planets throughout the universe—because constitutionally a spiritual spark, as he is, can travel to any part of God's creation. But being conditioned by the material modes, he tries to travel in space by spacecraft and so fails to reach his destination. The law of gravitation is binding upon him like the shackles of a prisoner. By other processes he can reach anywhere, but even if he reaches the highest planet, he cannot attain that perpetual happiness for which he is searching life after life. When he comes to his senses, however, he seeks after Brahman happiness, knowing it for certain that unlimited happiness, which he is seeking, is never attainable in the material world.

SB Canto 3

The so-called law of gravitation which sustains the planets is described herein as the potency of the Lord.
SB 3.13.42, Purport:

The so-called law of gravitation which sustains the planets is described herein as the potency of the Lord. This potency is invested by the Lord in the way that an expert sacrificial brāhmaṇa puts fire in the araṇi wood by the potency of Vedic mantras. By this arrangement the world becomes habitable for both the moving and nonmoving creatures.

The materialists can explain that the planets are floating by the law of gravitation, but the law of gravitation works under the control or direction of the Supreme Lord.
SB 3.18.8, Purport:

Those who are demons cannot understand how the Supreme Personality of Godhead floated the earth on water, but to devotees of the Lord this is not a very wonderful act. Not only the earth but many, many millions of planets are floating in the air, and this floating power is endowed upon them by the Lord; there is no other possible explanation. The materialists can explain that the planets are floating by the law of gravitation, but the law of gravitation works under the control or direction of the Supreme Lord. That is the version of Bhagavad-gītā, which confirms, by the Lord's statement, that behind the material laws or nature's laws and behind the growth, maintenance, production and evolution of all the planetary systems—behind everything—is the Lord's direction. The Lord's activities could be appreciated only by the demigods, headed by Brahmā, and therefore when they saw the uncommon prowess of the Lord in keeping the earth on the surface of the water, they showered flowers on Him in appreciation of His transcendental activity.

SB Canto 4

Being the incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu, Pṛthu Mahārāja possessed the power of Saṅkarṣaṇa, which is explained by the scientists as the power of gravitation.
SB 4.17.27, Purport:

As far as the destruction of the citizens is concerned, Mahārāja Pṛthu maintained that he could uphold everyone by his own mystic powers. He did not need the help of the earthly planet. Being the incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu, Pṛthu Mahārāja possessed the power of Saṅkarṣaṇa, which is explained by the scientists as the power of gravitation. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is holding millions of planets in space without any support; similarly, Pṛthu Mahārāja would not have had any difficulty supporting all his citizens and himself in space without the help of the planet earth.

Being illusioned, he thinks he is making progress. He is like an airplane encircling the earth day and night, incapable of leaving the earth's gravitational field.
SB 4.29.18-20, Purport:

"From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again." Even if one is promoted to Brahmaloka, the highest planet in the universe, he has to come down again to the lower planetary systems. Thus he is wandering up and down perpetually, under the influence of the three modes of material nature. Being illusioned, he thinks he is making progress. He is like an airplane encircling the earth day and night, incapable of leaving the earth's gravitational field. Factually there is no progress because the airplane is conditioned by the earth's gravity.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Mukunda-mala-stotra (mantras 1 to 6 only)

In the scientific world this feature of the Lord is referred to as the law of gravitation, but factually this law, which keeps all the planets floating in space, is one of the energies of the Lord.
Mukunda-mala-stotra mantra 1, Purport:

By His spiritual energy Śeṣa Nāga sustains all the planetary globes upon His invisible hoods. Śeṣa Nāga is popularly known as Saṅkarṣaṇa, or "that which keeps balance by the law of magnetism." In the scientific world this feature of the Lord is referred to as the law of gravitation, but factually this law, which keeps all the planets floating in space, is one of the energies of the Lord.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

You do not know anything about law of gravitation, but Sir Isaac Newton, he said that there is law of gravitation. You accept it. That's all.
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- San Francisco, September 11, 1968:

So we have to follow the footprints of the ācāryas. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We cannot understand higher things unless we follow the footprint of great personalities. Just like even in the scientific world, the law of gravitation. You do not know anything about law of gravitation, but Sir Isaac Newton, he said that there is law of gravitation. You accept it. That's all. That means you follow a great personality. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa should be accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead not by whims. But He has been accepted like by personalities like Lord Caitanya, Rāmānujācārya, Śaṅkarācārya, great personalities who are guiding the destiny of spiritual world. Therefore you have to accept in that way.

We understand law of gravitation according to our theory, but actually, according to Vedic description, the Saṅkarṣaṇa is sustaining all these planets.
Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, February 22, 1974:

So everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa. In another place He says that "I am sustaining all these planets." Of course, we understand law of gravitation according to our theory, but actually, according to Vedic description, the Saṅkarṣaṇa is sustaining all these planets.

The planets are resting not on the law of gravitation but on the head of Kṛṣṇa in His form of Śeṣa. This is our Vedic conclusion.
Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

As the pearls are set up on a thread, standing... Everything is dazzling, but they're all resting on the thread. Similarly, everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the support. We are discovering so many laws. Or the laws are there; they are discovering the laws. But the original support is Kṛṣṇa. The whole planetary system, the modern science says, the law of gravitation. But that is not very perfectly explained. We can question. There are so many things. But from the Vedic literature we understand that Kṛṣṇa in His ananta feature, Anantadeva, or Śeṣaśāyī Nāga... The hoods are expanded, and all the planets are resting on His hood. It is so small, and the hood is very big. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta... So therefore the planets are resting not on the law of gravitation but on the head of Kṛṣṇa in His form of Śeṣa. This is our Vedic conclusion.

Even scientific, scientists, they are also following the law of gravitation, basing their further progress on the law of gravitation.
Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

Everyone is following the footprints of great personalities in every department of knowledge. Even scientific, scientists, they are also following the law of gravitation, basing their further progress on the law of gravitation. There are so many laws. How the laws are there they do not know, but that law is found out and scientific advancement is going on.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Does a stone float over the ocean? Yes, it floats under the order of God. He can do it. The law of gravitation will not act there.
Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 16, 1971:

We accept Rāmacandra as God. He brought big, big stones and floated over the ocean. Does a stone float over the ocean? Yes, it floats under the order of God. He can do it. The law of gravitation will not act there. He can change. You can see. Million tons heavy, this earth, so many hills, and Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean. It is floating in the air just like a swab of cotton. You are explaining "weightlessness," but that's all right. But you float such thing. You can say so many things.

They say "law of gravitation"; we say Saṅkarṣaṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.3.7 -- Los Angeles, September 13, 1972:

The planets are floating; that is known to everyone. We can see, actually, that such a big, gigantic mass... Even the sun, which is fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth, that is also floating in the outer space. The support is ananta. They say "law of gravitation"; we say Saṅkarṣaṇa. Saṅkarṣaṇa. So He is holding every planet, and it is said that all these universes are resting on the hood of Śeṣa-nāga just like a small grain of mustard.

Bridge, a stone bridge that was floating on the sea. The law of gravitation did not work.
Lecture on SB 1.3.22 -- Los Angeles, September 27, 1972:

So Hanumān, a devotee of Rāmacandra, he jumped over the ocean simply by chanting "Jaya Rāma." You see? But Rāmacandra thought Himself that He is unable to jump over. He had to construct a bridge. You see? But what kind of bridge? Bridge, a stone bridge that was floating on the sea. The law of gravitation did not work. That is God. He can nullify any law. He can introduce any new law. And nobody has got experience that stone thrown on the water floating.

Can you float a cup of water in the sky? Is it possible? Let any scientist come and make any arrangement. They have discovered all this gravity of... What is called? Gravitation. So many things they have discovered. But let them fly a cup of water in the sky. Is it possible?
Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

This Pacific Ocean is just like in a cup. And it is floating in the sky. Is it not? We see: "Oh, it is vast ocean." But what is the position of this? This vast ocean is in a cup, and it is floating in the sky. That's all. Just see. This is called urukrama. This is God's activity. Can you float a cup of water in the sky? Is it possible? Let any scientist come and make any arrangement. They have discovered all this gravity of... What is called? Gravitation. So many things they have discovered. But let them fly a cup of water in the sky. Is it possible? Is there any scientist?

He wanted, "There should be no law of gravitation. Let the stones float on the water." This is called urukrama.
Lecture on SB 2.3.20-21 -- Los Angeles, June 17, 1972:

But at that time, Rāvaṇa was able to make a subway from one continent to another, from Asia to Africa. And Brazil, they say, still there are big stock of gold. So Rāvaṇa utilized these gold mines for constructing his city. Svarṇa-laṅkā, "Golden Ceylon," it was known at that time. He was so advanced even in material science, even at that time. And he was also a good scholar in Vedic literature. He was a great devotee of Lord Śiva. And by the blessings of Lord Śiva, he got so much opulences. And he became so powerful that he dared to kidnap the wife of Rāmacandra. So such a powerful demon was killed by Rāmacandra. And He approached his kingdom on a stone bridge. And the stones were floating on the water. Where is the law of gravitation? The law of gravitation, the so-called scientists' imagination, does not act when Urukrama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, acts. He wanted, "There should be no law of gravitation. Let the stones float on the water." This is called urukrama.

He counteracted the law of gravitation.
Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

When Kṛṣṇa was seven years old, He lifted one big mountain on His finger. That means the Our understanding is that there is law of gravitation. By law of gravitation, such a big mountain, it cannot stay in one man's finger. That is our calculation. But He did it. That means He counteracted the law of gravitation. That is God. So if you believe this, then you know God immediately. There is no difficulty.

You might have discovered—you are great scientist—that under this law, the law of gravitation or this law, that law, so many laws there are. But the background you have to inquire, "Who is the law-maker?"
Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

As soon as you say that "Here is a law which is being carried very nicely," there must be a lawmaker. You have to accept it. The science of astronomy, the planets, the stars, the sun, the moon moving in their orbit very nicely, very perfectly, and accurately—there is law. This is law of nature. You might have discovered—you are great scientist—that under this law, the law of gravitation or this law, that law, so many laws there are. But the background you have to inquire, "Who is the law-maker?" Unless there is law-maker, how there can be law? Take for example your state laws. As soon as you say that this is law, "Keep to the right," you have to accept there is a law-maker under whose direction this law is being carried out nicely. If you don't carry out, then you are punished. Similarly, nature's law is not ultimate. There is law-maker, and that law-maker is God.

So where is your law of gravitation? Eh? Stone floats on the water.
Lecture on SB 7.9.42 -- Mayapur, March 22, 1976:

Of course, a devotee takes the risk. Just like Hanumān. He was servant of Lord Rāmacandra. So Lord Rāmacandra wanted information of Sītādevi. So he did not consider, "How I shall go to the other side of the sea, Laṅka?" He simply, believing in Lord Rāmacandra, "Jaya Rāma," jumped over it. Rāmacandra had to construct a bridge. Of course, that bridge is also wonderful because these monkeys were bringing stone and they are throwing on the sea, but the stone was floating. So where is your law of gravitation? Eh? Stone floats on the water. It cannot be done by the scientists, yes. But Lord Rāmacandra desired; a stone became floating. Otherwise how many stones we shall throw in the sea that it will come to the level of becoming a bridge? Oh, it was not possible. It was possible, everything was possible, but Rāmacandra, Lord Rāmacandra, wanted, "Let it be simplified. So let them bring the stone and it will float. Then we shall go."

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Sun evaporates the water, and that means salt is made minus and the pure water is evaporated on the sky, and that is distributed all over the world and it is kept on the highest summit of the mountain so that it can come down by gravitation throughout the whole year through the rivers, channel, and you can get water.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

We require water, so much, a large quantity. So God has created this earth in such a way that three-fourths of the earth is covered with water. And the water is salty. Why? The water is reserved. Unless it is salty, it will decompose. And how the water is distributed? Oh, there is sun. Sun evaporates the water, and that means salt is made minus and the pure water is evaporated on the sky, and that is distributed all over the world and it is kept on the highest summit of the mountain so that it can come down by gravitation throughout the whole year through the rivers, channel, and you can get water. Now see—nature study—how it is perfectly made. Can you do that? No. It is not possible. When there is scarcity of water, you have to see to the sky. You have no power. Your science cannot acquire when there is scarcity. There is no rain—you cannot create rain. You have to wait. So therefore everything made by the Lord, that is perfect. There is no question of imperfection.

What is known as law of gravitation, that is mentioned in the Vedic scriptures as sankarasa, who is supposed to be supporting all these planets in the air.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.367-84 -- New York, December 31, 1966:

Anante 'bhū-dhāraṇa'. Ananta, Śeṣaśāyī, what is known as law of gravitation, that is mentioned in the Vedic scriptures as sankarasa, who is supposed to be supporting all these planets in the air. 'Bhu-dhāraṇa'-śakti. 'Bhu-dhāraṇa'-śakti means all the planets are supported by Śeṣaśāyī. It is described in the Vedic literature that He has got many hoods, just like serpent has got hood. And each hood, each planet, all these planets are resting.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

The scientists, they say the law of gravitation... How far it is true...
Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, April 29, 1970:

Everyone can understand that this big airplane is floating in the sky because the pilot has entered within it. Similarly, if this planet is floating, then somebody, either you or somebody, God, has entered it. And that answer is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "I enter into these planets and therefore I keep them floating." That is our answer. And the scientists, they say the law of gravitation... How far it is true...

Philosophy Discussions

The law of gravitation is not working. So many huge planets are floating.
Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Śyāmasundara: I think it's like this, that the monad of the body desires a body like this, and the monad of the soul desires to inhabit a body like this. But they are separate entities, body and soul, and they work independently of each other.

Prabhupāda: It is not exactly the way it is. It says in the Vedic śāstras that the soul is the master of the body. Therefore how can you say that the body is working independently? This body, I am now liking to place my hand here, so I am desiring and the hand is there, not that all of a sudden my hand, by not desiring, it is coming...

Śyāmasundara: He would say the act of your desiring and the act of the hand coming are simultaneous but they are separate.

Prabhupāda: Jugglery of words. It has no meaning.

Śyāmasundara: Just like the example of the rock falling in the water. He would say that the water separating and the rock falling are two separate acts. Neither one affects the other.

Prabhupāda: This is nonsense. This argument is called in Sanskrit kaka-tal-nyāya. There was a tal tree, and one crow came, and immediately the fruit fell down. And there were two arguers: one said that the crow sat down on the fruit and it was so light it fell down, and the other said no, the crow was trying to sit down on the fruit but in the meantime the fruit fell and he could not sit. It is like that. It may be coincidence, the crow was just trying to sit on the fruit and the fruit fell. But these people's answer is no, the crow first sat down, then is was fallen. Another says no, the fruit has fallen down; therefore the crow could not sit. So this kind of argument has no value. According (indistinct), the water separated and the stone fell—they are nonsensical. Our argument is strong: that if Kṛṣṇa desires, the stone can float on the water, despite the law of gravitation. The law of gravitation is not working. So many huge planets are floating. How they are floating? The law of gravitation is working here. The stone falls down and (indistinct) goes down in the water. But that is one of the ingredients of the planet. But the planet itself is floating in the air. Where is the law of gravitation? Therefore Kṛṣṇa's desire. The cause is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Kṛṣṇa wanted, "Let it be floating." Or He has made some arrangement. By law of gravitation every planet should have gone down, and there is Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and broke His head, because he is lying down in the Garbhodakaśāyī... So all the planets fall on Him and He is dead. But no. By His order they are all floated. That is Kṛṣṇa. Is that all right?

When it will ripen, your law of gravitation will act.
Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Śyāmasundara: If we see a phenomenon like the rain falling or anything, and we want to apply the test that will prove that God is the cause of that phenomenon, what test do we apply?

Prabhupāda: The śāstras, the Vedic literature is there, the Upaniṣads are there, books are there, śāstra cakṣuṣa. You have to see it through the śāstras. That is the injunction. You cannot see directly. You have to see śāstra cakṣuṣa. Your eyes, they are defective. Just like if you read astrology, astronomy, then you can understand what is the actual volume or the bulk of the sun, but by your eyes you are seeing just a disc. So all your senses are defective. So directly seeing or perceiving or tasting has no value, because these are all defective. So we have to, it is said, you should see through śāstras, through authoritative instruction.

Śyāmasundara: So if we see the apple fall from the tree, the test that we apply is the sastric test. In order to see God in that act of falling, we have to see it through the eyes of the śāstras.

Prabhupāda: Now what do the scientists say—the law of gravity.

Śyāmasundara: Yes. The fruit became ripe, the stem...

Prabhupāda: The law of gravity, why was it not applying..., why did it not fall before?

Śyāmasundara: Now the fruit has become ripe so the stem has rotted...

Prabhupāda: Therefore the law of gravity is not all. There is another condition. So that he does not know.

Śyāmasundara: Yes, many conditions must...

Prabhupāda: Yes. So these conditions are made by God. The same apple is hanging and not falling down. That means other conditions are not yet fulfilled. So therefore simply studying law of gravity is not perfect.

Śyāmasundara: No. They all study that the fruit was not yet ripe, and when it becomes ripe the stem rots, dies, and then it will become loose and fall.

Prabhupāda: So that means there are other conditions. And ripening condition is also not an effect. There are similar other fruits also. Why are they not ripened?

Śyāmasundara: Well, eventually they will all become ripened.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So that is the law, not in your hand. When it will ripen, your law of gravitation will act. And that ripening condition is not in your hand.

Śyāmasundara: But there are other material conditions that cause the ripening.

Prabhupāda: Whatever conditions they may be, these conditions are already there, made by God. You are simply studying some of them, that's all. Therefore your studying is not sufficient.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Even all scientists, they accept a formula from an authority: "law of gravitation."
Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: So any science, you cannot learn it automatically by yourself. No, that is not. Then we shall create so many mental speculators, so many things. That will be not a science. Even all scientists, they accept a formula from an authority: "law of gravitation." They accept it. Then their physical, so many things they discover. But accept one formula. Just like this formula is given by Sir Isaac Newton. So they accept guru. So from all practical point of view, the things which are unknown to us, we have to accept a guru, for things unknown to us.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

If you explain this law of gravitation, which we have discovered, is Kṛṣṇa, prove it by your scientific knowledge, that will be your service.
Room Conversation -- May 4, 1972, Mexico:

Prabhupāda: I see in my eyes. So He can become big helium gas. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: (BG 7.8) "I am the taste of the water." Water is important. We are drinking water for the taste. That taste is Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, if you explain this law of gravitation, which we have discovered, is Kṛṣṇa, prove it by your scientific knowledge, that will be your service. Actually that is a fact.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Just like the law of gravitation, it is not imagination.
Room Conversation with Krishna Tiwari -- May 22, 1973, New York:

Krishna Tiwari: This is all imagination according to me. I mean it's all imagination and belief at this point to me. I mean I have no objection...

Prabhupāda: No, what is the imagination? Not here, imagination. When you learn from a, a... Just like the law of gravitation, it is not imagination.

Krishna Tiwari: Well law of gravitation, anything we know about gravity did not come from Vedas.

Prabhupāda: Not from Veda, but it comes from Mr. Newton.

Krishna Tiwari: Yes, that what I was saying...

Prabhupāda: So therefore you take the laws of gravitation from Mr. Newton.

Krishna Tiwari: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So there is an authority.

Krishna Tiwari: Well Newton was wrong in many places, although nobody is authority. Things change. I don't...

Prabhupāda: That means you don't accept any authority.

Under condition, this law of gravitation works. It is not unconditional. Then the question is who will make the condition?
Morning Walk -- December 17, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: There is need. (break) ...not falling down. Why the law of gravitation is violated?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They say the cells are alive when the...

Prabhupāda: They say. They have got this cell theory. Therefore under condition, this law of gravitation works. It is not unconditional. Then the question is who will make the condition?

Karandhara: Well, they say that the green apple's not falling is just a case of an opposite factor being stronger than the pull of gravity. The strength of the twig holding the apple on is stronger than the pull of gravity.

Prabhupāda: That I say, that the law of gravitation acts under certain conditions. This is also conditional.

Karandhara: Well, the law of gravitation is always working, the energy is always there. It is just not strong enough to pull the apple down.

Prabhupāda: Working under condition. Working under condition. Just like you take a little needle, it will go immediately down the water, and you give a big log, it will not go. The weight of the needle and the weight of the big log, much different. Still, the needle will go; the gravitation will work. But to the log it will not work.

Karandhara: Well, there is a counter-law called buoyancy.

Prabhupāda: So anyway, there are so many laws. If the laws are fulfilled, then your so-called gravitation works. So who made the laws? That is the point. Under certain law, condition, it will not act, and under certain condition it will act. So who made the condition? That is the question. You cannot make finalize the laws of gravitation. It is also under condition. Who makes this condition? That is the point. (break) ...Lord Rāmacandra constructed the bridge with stone on the ocean, it began to float. So He is the condition-maker. He made the condition. He changed the condition, "Now these stones will float." That's all. Therefore God is supreme. (break) Law of gravitation did not work when Kṛṣṇa lifted the Govardhana Hill. (break) So that is nice. The scientific discoveries act under relative condition. That is not absolute, final. If such and such conditions are there, then the so-called scientific laws will act. Otherwise it will not act. (break) ...see. But you cannot see even so many things. Now you cannot see there, what is there. So what is that seeing power?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It's limited.

Prabhupāda: Therefore everything is limited. Under condition you can see. So what is your seeing? Imperfect seeing. If the sun rises, then you can see. That also not correctly. So what is the value of your seeing. You say, "We want to see God." And what is the value of your seeing?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

They cannot float any other thing in the air by this law. Still they say, "There is law of gravitation."
Morning Walk -- April 7, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...contradiction of the law of gravitation. According to our śāstra the planets are held on the hood of Ananta. He is carrying. But they say they are staying on account of law of gravitation.

Yaśomatīnandana: That is Kṛṣṇa's supreme energy as you explain, tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimaya, that is water, He creates, He can do anything. The scientists may make any laws.

Prabhupāda: No. But they cannot use that law. They cannot float any other thing in the air by this law. Still they say, "There is law of gravitation."

The whole thing is managed by the law of gravitation, but when Kṛṣṇa lifted the hill, there was no weight.
Morning Walk at Marina del Rey -- July 14, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. The whole thing is managed by the law of gravitation, but when Kṛṣṇa lifted the hill, there was no weight. He's not conditioned by the law of gravity. He can lift up. We cannot do because we are conditioned. And when they cannot understand God's inconceivable power, they think it is all mythology. Because he is a rascal, he thinks Kṛṣṇa also rascal.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Just like Lord Rāmacandra collected stones, and it was floating. According to law of gravitation, how it can float?
Morning Walk -- April 5, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Nature is not independent. Just like the nature is that this lump of matter will lie down here, but if God desires, it can fly on the sky. That is God's will. Nature is not independent. Then it would have remained here. Just like Lord Rāmacandra collected stones, and it was floating. According to law of gravitation, how it can float?

Brahmānanda: Well, they say that's just a story.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Brahmānanda: They say that's...

Prabhupāda: That is nonsense.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The planets are floating.

Prabhupāda: That is nonsense. How these planets are floating? That is also story? (laughter)

Big, big planets, there is no question of gravitation. That is nonsense. It is by His arrangement it is moving in the air.
Morning Walk -- May 17, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: No. This is my interpretation. He is also creating; you are also creating. You can create a motorcar and He can create a huge, gigantic sun globe. The same process. As you are controlling the aeroplane by air condition or by controlling the air, similarly all these planets are there. It is by His plan it is moving with the air. Big, big planets, there is no question of gravitation. That is nonsense. It is by His arrangement it is moving in the air. Just like big, big cloud containing millions of tons of water floating in the air. How it is being done? Eh? Millions of tons of water are floating in the air. That we see daily. So similarly, all these planets are floating by His arrangement. Not only floating. Making center that polestar, all the planets are moving around it, even the sun. So it is by His arrangement.

So it is not the law of gravitation. Why the green leaves does not fall down? Only the rejected things are falling.
Morning Walk -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne:

Madhudviṣa: : You have said that you have nullified the law of gravity, but how can we explain that everything is falling down?

Prabhupāda: Yes, the green leaves not falling down—the dry leaves falling down, under certain condition. So it is not the law of gravitation. Why the green leaves does not fall down? Only the rejected things are falling. The rejected, you also throw away, so nature is throwing away. Where is the question of gravity?

Madhudviṣa: When they go up in the space ship there is such a force holding the rocket ship down, they must have...

Prabhupāda: That is everything. Everything, everything will fall down on the ground, but the controlling power is the air. If the air is adjusted, then it will not fall down.

Madhudviṣa: That's why when they go into outer space they become weightless, they can float without any airplane.

Prabhupāda: That, what they're doing (indistinct). But we see that if you can make adjustment in the air, just like we see the heavy cloud bearing many million tons of water, they do not fall down, they float. Where is the law of gravity?

The cloud is standing there. It is not systematic. Then why the gravitation is not working? There are millions and millions tons of water. Why the gravitation is not working?
Morning Walk -- June 2, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Similarly, these people are putting words which you cannot understand, and they are getting their salaries, that's all. (break) ...invent something, that they will not die, there will be no disease, there will be no old age. That is something. What is this nonsense, simply speculating? (break) The cloud is standing there. It is not systematic. Then why the gravitation is not working? There are millions and millions tons of water. Why the gravitation is not working? The law of gravitation, why it is not working? Don't work with a rod.(?) What is the answer? They are not systematic changing. Why? Why the gravitation is not working, fall down? They are heavy, very heavy when they, what is called... Agitation. What is called?

Śrutakīrti: Friction.

Prabhupāda: Friction, yes. There is so much sound. So why it is not falling down?

Indian man: The scientist says the pull of gravitation starts only so high.

Prabhupāda: Why it is not working in all heights? Then what is their theory? If it is working under certain condition, who made this condition? (break) ...the nature, "Now you get down these islands. Get(?) the water," can they do that?

Bali-mardana: No, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Then how they will come to know? (break) ...Kṛṣṇa wants, immediately this land, by earthquake, can go down, immediately, within a second. So in the Vedic literature nature is accepted. But the creation, maintenance, destruction, that is in the hand of God, not nature.

Gravitation works on condition. It is not final.
Morning Walk -- July 24, 1975, Los Angeles:

Rādhāvallabha: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Svarūpa Dāmodara's book he gave the example that "Why does the red apple fall off the tree but not the green apple?" So the scientists say that when the apple gets ripe, certain acids rise in the stem and weaken it and it falls off the tree. There's no need for God or anything like that. It's automatic.

Prabhupāda: No, no, there is no question of God, but with the gravitation why the green apple is not drawn downward?

Rādhāvallabha: Because the stem is very strong on a green apple, but on a red apple it is weak.

Prabhupāda: That means it is conditional; gravitation works on condition. It is not final. Under certain condition it works. Therefore, then you have to accept condition. Under such and such condition it falls.

Rādhāvallabha: So these conditions are being set up by nature. There is no need for a controller.

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, you cannot say that gravitation draws things downward. If gravitation... You will find cloud, thousands of tons of water. Why it is not down? Cloud, why it does not come down?

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

Sir Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravitation, and so much scientific advancement depends on such authoritative statements.
Letter to Govinda -- Los Angeles 10 February, 1969:

Regarding your German acquaintance, I understand that he may be a very intelligent man and believes in science. But even the most advanced scientist depends on the statements of authorities. Science begins on some definite data, just like Sir Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravitation, and so much scientific advancement depends on such authoritative statements. So even scientific knowledge has to stand on the evidence of authority.

1972 Correspondence

Gravitation is caused by the Supreme Lord, so He is also able to remove that law or do anything and everything at His will.
Letter to Rupanuga -- Tokyo 3 May, 1972:

Another revelation is that the needle, when put into the water, it goes down quickly to the bottom. But a big, big log, weighing one ton, does not go down. Who has made this law? If the law of gravity is there, why does it not apply to the big log? We can understand that Lord Ramacandra was able to make a bridge by causing the big stones to float n the water, so counteracting the law of gravitation is the law of the Supreme. Gravitation is caused by the Supreme Lord, so He is also able to remove that law or do anything and everything at His will. If you know something like swimming, then the law of gravitation will not work, and who knows better than Krishna how to do everything, so Krishna can change anything, therefore we worship Him as the greatest Scientist.

Page Title:Law of gravitation
Compiler:Labangalatika, Vraja-kumara
Created:09 of Apr, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=5, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=17, Con=11, Let=2
No. of Quotes:36