Category:Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 05 Chapter 20 - Studying the Structure of the Universe
Pages in category "Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 05 Chapter 20 - Studying the Structure of the Universe"
The following 85 pages are in this category, out of 85 total.
A
- After dividing the island and situating his sons as its rulers, Medhatithi personally retired, and to fix his mind completely upon the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he entered a forest suitable for meditation
- After dividing the island into seven parts, named according to the names of his sons, Ghrtaprstha Maharaja completely retired from family life and took shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord, the soul of all souls, who has all auspicious qualities
- All living entities, including demigods, human beings, animals, birds, insects, reptiles, creepers and trees, depend upon the heat and light given by the sun-god from the sun planet
- All the luminaries, from the sun up to Dhruvaloka, distribute their rays throughout the three worlds, but only within the boundary formed by this mountain (Lokaloka Mountain)
- Although the vegetables living on the slopes of Mount Kraunca were attacked and devastated by the weapons of Karttikeya, the mountain has become fearless because it is always bathed on all sides by the ocean of milk and protected by Varunadeva
- As a moat around a fort is sometimes surrounded by gardenlike forest, the saltwater ocean surrounding Jambudvipa is itself surrounded by Plaksadvipa
- As Kusadvipa is surrounded by an ocean of clarified butter, Krauncadvipa is surrounded by an ocean of milk as broad as the island itself. On Krauncadvipa there is a great mountain known as Kraunca, from which the island takes its name
- As Salmalidvipa is surrounded by a liquor ocean, Kusadvipa is surrounded by an ocean of liquid ghee as broad as the island itself. On Kusadvipa there are clumps of kusa grass, from which the island takes its name
- As Sumeru Mountain is surrounded by Jambudvipa, Jambudvipa is also surrounded by an ocean of salt water. The breadth of Jambudvipa is 100,000 yojanas (800,000 miles), and the breadth of the saltwater ocean is the same
B
- Because it (Lokaloka Mountain) is extremely high, extending even higher than Dhruvaloka, it blocks the rays of the luminaries, which therefore can never extend beyond it
- Between the lands inhabited by living entities and those that are uninhabited stands the great mountain which separates the two and which is therefore celebrated as Lokaloka
- Beyond Aloka-varsa is the destination of those who aspire for liberation from the material world. It is beyond the jurisdiction of the material modes of nature, and therefore it is completely pure
- Beyond it, extending to Lokaloka Mountain, is another land, which is made of gold. Because of its golden surface, it reflects light like the surface of a mirror, and any physical article that falls on that land can never be perceived again
- Beyond the ocean of sweet water and fully surrounding it, is a mountain named Lokaloka, which divides the countries that are full of sunlight from those not lit by the sun
- Beyond the ocean of sweet water is a tract of land as broad as the area between the middle of Mount Sumeru and the boundary of Manasottara Mountain. In that tract of land there are many living beings
- By completely performing the ritualistic ceremonies mentioned in the Vedas and by worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead as represented by the sun-god, they attain the sun, which is a heavenly planet
- By the supreme will of Krsna, the mountain known as Lokaloka has been installed as the outer border of the three worlds - Bhurloka, Bhuvarloka and Svarloka - to control the rays of the sun throughout the universe
- By your constitutional nature, you take away sins, and that is why we are touching you. Kindly continue to purify us
F
- For the fulfillment of material desires, the inhabitants of this tract of land worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead as represented by Lord Brahma. They offer prayers to the Lord as follows
- Furthermore, it is because of the sun's presence that all living entities can see, and therefore he is called drg-isvara, the Personality of Godhead presiding over sight
H
- He (Lord Brahma) is devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead without deviation, and therefore in one sense he is not different from the Lord. Nevertheless, he should be worshiped not as the monists worship him, but in duality
- He endowed the seven islands with the names of his seven sons, divided the islands among the sons, and then retired from active life to engage in the devotional service of the Lord
I
- In Sakadvipa there is a big saka tree, from which the island takes its name. This tree is very fragrant. Indeed, it lends its scent to the entire island
- In the middle of that island is a great mountain named Manasottara, which forms the boundary between the inner side and the outer side of the island. Its breadth and height are 10,000 yojanas (80,000 miles)
- In those seven islands there are seven boundary mountains, known as Cakra, Catuhsrnga, Kapila, Citrakuta, Devanika, Urdhvaroma & Dravina. There are seven rivers, known as Ramakulya, Madhukulya, Mitravinda, Srutavinda, Devagarbha, Ghrtacyuta & Mantramala
- In those tracts of land there are seven mountains - Svarasa, Satasrnga, Vamadeva, Kunda, Mukunda, Puspa-varsa and Sahasra-sruti. There are also seven rivers - Anumati, Sinivali, Sarasvati, Kuhu, Rajani, Nanda and Raka. They are still existing
- It is only because of the sun that we can understand which places are for material enjoyment, which are for liberation, which are hellish and subterranean
L
- Learned scholars say that this gigantic tree is the residence of Garuda, the king of all birds and carrier of Lord Visnu. In that tree, Garuda offers Lord Visnu his Vedic prayers
- Learned scholars who are free from mistakes, illusions and propensities to cheat have thus described the planetary systems and their particular symptoms, measurements and locations
- Lord Brahma is known as karma-maya, the form of ritualistic ceremonies, because by performing ritualistic ceremonies one may attain his position and because the Vedic ritualistic hymns become manifest from him
O
- O King, another son of Maharaja Priyavrata, Hiranyareta, was the king of this island. He divided it into seven parts, which he delivered to his seven sons according to the rights of inheritance
- O King, longevity, sensory prowess, physical and mental strength, intelligence and bravery are naturally and equally manifested in all the inhabitants of the five islands headed by Plaksadvipa
- O King, the sun-god and the sun planet divide all the directions of the universe. It is only because of the presence of the sun that we can understand what the sky, the higher planets, this world and the lower planets are
- O Lord, O Supersoul of everyone, O controller of the cosmic manifestation under whom everything exists, may You protect us from all dangers
- On Plaksadvipa there is a tree shining like gold and as tall as the jambu tree on Jambudvipa. At its root is a fire with seven flames. It is because this tree is a plaksa tree that the island is called Plaksadvipa
- On Puskaradvipa there is a great lotus flower with 100,000,000 pure golden petals, as effulgent as the flames of fire. That lotus flower is considered the sitting place of Lord Brahma, who is the most powerful living being
- On Salmalidvipa there is a salmali tree, from which the island takes its name. That tree is as broad and tall as the plaksa tree - in other words 100 yojanas (800 miles) broad and 1,100 yojanas (8,800 miles) tall
- On that mountain, in the four directions, are the residential quarters of demigods such as Indra. In the chariot of the sun-god, the sun travels on the top of the mountain in an orbit called the Samvatsara, encircling Mount Meru
- One can immediately be free from material contamination by touching or bathing in those rivers, and the four castes of people who live in Plaksadvipa - the Hamsas, Patangas, Urdhvayanas and Satyangas - purify themselves in that way
- One should always remain a servitor of the Supreme Lord, the supreme worshipable Deity. We therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto Lord Brahma, the form of manifest Vedic knowledge
- Outside Lokaloka Mountain is the tract of land known as Aloka-varsa, which extends for the same breadth as the area within the mountain - in other words, 125,000,000 yojanas (one billion miles)
- Outside the ocean of clarified butter is another island, known as Krauncadvipa, which has a width of 1,600,000 yojanas (12,800,000 miles), twice the width of the ocean of clarified butter
- Outside the ocean of liquor is another island, known as Kusadvipa, which is 800,000 yojanas (6,400,000 miles) wide, twice as wide as the ocean of liquor
- Outside the ocean of milk is another island, Sakadvipa, which has a width of 3,200,000 yojanas (25,600,000 miles). As Krauncadvipa is surrounded by its own ocean of milk, Sakadvipa is surrounded by an ocean of churned yogurt as broad as the island itself
- Outside the ocean of yogurt is another island, known as Puskaradvipa, which is 6,400,000 yojanas (51,200,000 miles) wide, twice as wide as the ocean of yogurt. It is surrounded by an ocean of very tasteful water as broad as the island itself
S
- Strictly following the cult of varnasrama-dharma, the inhabitants of those islands, who are known as Srutidharas, Viryadharas, Vasundharas and Isandharas, all worship the expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead named Soma, the moon-god
- Sun-god is also known as Hiranyagarbha because he received his material body from Hiranyagarbha (Lord Brahma)
- Surrounded by His personal expansions and assistants like Visvaksena, He exhibits all His perfect opulences, such as religion and knowledge, and His mystic powers such as anima, laghima and mahima
T
- The demigod of the moon is he who divides time, and he is the king of all the residents of the universe. We therefore pray that he may remain our king and guide, and we offer him our respectful obeisances
- The great sage Sukadeva Gosvami said: Hereafter I shall describe the dimensions, characteristics and forms of the six islands beginning with the island of Plaksa
- The inhabitants of Krauncadvipa are divided into four castes, called the Purusas, Rsabhas, Dravinas and Devakas. Using the waters of those sanctified rivers, they worship the SPG by offering a palmful of water at the lotus feet of Varuna
- The inhabitants of Krauncadvipa worship with this mantra. O water of the rivers, you have obtained energy from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore you purify the three planetary systems, known as Bhuloka, Bhuvarloka and Svarloka
- The inhabitants of Plaksadvipa live for one thousand years. They are beautiful like the demigods, and they also beget children like the demigods
- The inhabitants of Sakadvipa worship the SPG in the form of Vayu in the following words. O SP, situated as the Supersoul within the body, You direct the various actions of the different airs, such as prana, and thus You maintain all living entities
- The inhabitants of Salmalidvipa worship the demigod of the moon in the following words. By his own rays, the moon-god has divided the month into two fortnights, known as sukla and krsna, for the distribution of food grains to the pitas and the demigods
- The inhabitants of the island of Kusadvipa are celebrated as the Kusalas, Kovidas, Abhiyuktas and Kulakas. They are like the brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras respectively. By bathing in the waters of those rivers, they all become purified
- The inhabitants of those islands are also divided into four castes - Rtavrata, Satyavrata, Danavrata and Anuvrata - which exactly resemble brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra. They practice pranayama and mystic yoga
- The island of Plaksadvipa, which is twice as broad as Jambudvipa, is surrounded by an ocean of salt water. The master of this island is Idhmajihva, one of the sons of Maharaja Priyavrata
- The King then retired from family life to engage in austerities. The names of those sons are Vasu, Vasudana, Drdharuci, Stutyavrata, Nabhigupta, Vivikta and Vamadeva
- The master of this island, also one of the sons of Priyavrata, was known as Medhatithi. He also divided his island into seven sections, named according to the names of his own sons, whom he made the kings of that island
- The mountains are named Manikuta, Vajrakuta, Indrasena, Jyotisman, Suparna, Hiranyasthiva and Meghamala, and the rivers are named Aruna, Nrmna, Angirasi, Savitri, Suptabhata, Rtambhara and Satyambhara
- The mountains are named Sukla, Vardhamana, Bhojana, Upabarhina, Nanda, Nandana and Sarvatobhadra. The rivers are named Abhaya, Amrtaugha, Aryaka, Tirthavati, Rupavati, Pavitravati and Sukla
- The names of those divisions, which correspond to the names of the sons, are Surocana, Saumanasya, Ramanaka, Deva-varsa, Paribhadra, Apyayana and Avijnata
- The names of those elephants (on the top of Lokaloka Mountain are the four gaja-patis, the best of elephants) are Rsabha, Puskaracuda, Vamana and Aparajita. They are responsible for maintaining the planetary systems of the universe
- The ruler of this island was another son of Maharaja Priyavrata. His name was Ghrtaprstha, and he was a very learned scholar. He also divided his own island among his seven sons
- The ruler of this island, the son of Maharaja Priyavrata named Vitihotra, had two sons named Ramanaka and Dhataki. He granted the two sides of the island to these two sons and then personally engaged himself in activities for the sake of the SPG
- The seven islands (varsas) are named according to the names of those seven sons - Siva, Yavasa, Subhadra, Santa, Ksema, Amrta and Abhaya. In those seven tracts of land, there are seven mountains and seven rivers
- The son of Maharaja Priyavrata named Yajnabahu, the master of Salmalidvipa, divided the island into seven tracts of land, which he gave to his seven sons
- The sons of Maharaja Ghrtaprstha were named Ama, Madhuruha, Meghaprstha, Sudhama, Bhrajistha, Lohitarna and Vanaspati. In their island there are seven mountains, which indicate the boundaries of the seven tracts of land, and there are also seven rivers
- The sun is situated (vertically) in the middle of the universe, in the area between Bhurloka and Bhuvarloka, which is called antariksa, outer space. The distance between the sun and the circumference of the universe is twenty-five koti yojanas
- The sun's path on the northern side is called Uttarayana, and its path on the southern side is called Daksinayana. One side represents a day for the demigods, and the other represents their night
- The sun-god is also known as Vairaja, the total material body for all living entities. Because he entered this dull egg of the universe at the time of creation, he is also called Martanda
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of all transcendental opulences and the master of the spiritual sky. He is the Supreme Person, Bhagavan, the Supersoul of everyone
- The various forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such as Narayana and Visnu, are beautifully decorated with different weapons. The Lord exhibits those forms to maintain all the varied planets created by His personal potency, yogamaya
- There are seven boundary mountains and seven rivers. The mountains are Isana, Urusrnga, Balabhadra, Satakesara, Sahasrasrota, Devapala and Mahanasa. The rivers are Anagha, Ayurda, Ubhayasprsti, Aparajita, Pancapadi, Sahasra-sruti and Nijadhrti
- There is then another island - Salmalidvipa - twice as broad as Plaksadvipa (400,000 yojanas, or 3,200,000 miles) and surrounded by an equally broad body of water called Surasagara, the ocean that tastes like liquor
- They are expert in performing ritualistic ceremonies according to the orders of the Vedic scriptures. Thus they worship the Lord in His aspect as the demigod of fire
- This is the mantra by which the inhabitants of Kusadvipa worship the fire-god. O fire-god, you are a part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, and you carry to Him all the offerings of sacrifices
- This is the mantra by which the inhabitants of Plaksadvipa worship the Supreme Lord. Let us take shelter of the sun-god, who is a reflection of Lord Visnu, the all-expanding Supreme Personality of Godhead, the oldest of all persons
- This kusa grass, which was created by the demigods by the will of the Supreme Lord, appears like a second form of fire, but with very mild and pleasing flames. Its young shoots illuminate all directions
- To benefit all living beings in all the varied planets and to increase the power of those elephants and of the demigods, the Lord manifests Himself on top of that mountain in a spiritual body, uncontaminated by the modes of material nature
W
- We request you to offer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead the yajnic ingredients we are offering the demigods, for the Lord is the real enjoyer
- With great deliberation, they have established the truth that the distance between Sumeru and the mountain known as Lokaloka is one fourth of the diameter of the universe - or, in other words, 125,000,000 yojanas (1 billion miles)