Vedic Cosmology
author: Acharya Shri Gulraj Sharma Mishra
edition: 2003, Rupanuga Vedic College
pages: 518
language: English
ISBN-10: 0972837213
ISBN-13: 9780972837217
Topic: Hinduism
Summary: This book consists of fourteen chapters dealing with Vedic cosmology and treats on subjects such as the universe, the solar system, Cosmology, Cosmography modern Astronomy, Planetary motions and orbits, Mathematics. With a special reference to the Vedas and Puranas.
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Introduction:
The first eight chapters of Vedic Cosmology primarily take the form of a debate. On one side are the "Points" representing many of today's ostensibly Vedic-scientific theories. The response comes from our humble self in the form of "Brahmanda Saksat Tika" or "BST" for short, meaning "Vedic Cosmology taken literally. It should be mentioned that the discussions herein are not merely exercises in theoretical argumentation. Indeed the views expressed in "Points" do weigh heavily at present despite the fact that they are influenced by modern scientific theories which contradict Vedic literature. Thus these crucial issues and their conclusions will determine the degree to which we have understood His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's instructions on Vedic cosmology and the means of receiving transcendental knowledge.
The "Notes" sections at the end of the earlier chapters provide further evidence via BST as reference information. Throughout the book whenever the terms "Prabhupada" or "Srila Prabhupada" are sent hey refer to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). He is also the translator and commentator of Srimad-Bhagavatam (45 volumes), Bhagavad-gita, Caitanya-caritamrta (17 volumes) and dozens of other Vedic translations.
Chapter Nine and Ten provide Srila Prabhupada's unedited words on the subject of building a Vedic Planetarium in Mayapur along with an analysis of the planetarium's correlative constituent-the Bhu-Mandala planetary system. Since this cherished desire of His Divine Grace remains yet unfulfilled, ISKCON devotees worldwide share its legacy as His Holiness Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami nicely expresses it:
Chapter Eleven comprises all the cosmological topics contained within the Fifth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam, both its texts and Srila Prabhupada's purports.
Chapter Twelve, Thirteen and Fourteen comprise the available English translated texts by Western scholars of three famous Jyoti Sastras namely Surya-Siddhanta, Siddhanta-Siromani, and The Aryabhatiya Although Srila Prabhupada did not recommend that these be consulted, they are nonetheless being used by some of today's Vedically-oriented writings, even antithetically to the direct meaning of the Srimad-Bhagavatam's statements. Thus these nineteenth century texts are included as a reference to prevent their misuse.
Contents of this online book (index):
The full text of the Vedic Cosmology in English can be quickly summarized in the following table of contents. Becaue these pages are not available to read online, I would recommend you buy the book.
1 The Universe 9
Point#1 "Solar System" 9
Point#2 "Bhagavatam Details" 10
Point#3 "Celestial Bhagavatam" 11
Point#4 "Srila Prabhupada's Dissatisfaction" 12
Point#5 "A Radical Position" 14
Point#6 "Bhu-mandala as Literary Device?" 16
Point#7 "Astronomical Contridictions" 18
Point#8 "Modern Astronomy" 20
Point#9 "Absurd Literalism" 21
Point#10 "Faith in the Physical" 22
Point#11 "One Sun" 23
Point#12 "Mentioning" 24
Point#13 "Absolutes" 24
Point#14 "The Question" 25
Point#15 "Not Metaphorically" 26
Point#16 "Far Too Small" 28
Point#1: Universal Size 34
FIGURE 1-COVERINGS CALCULATION 36
Note #2: Universal Tree 38
Brahmanda Saksat Tika (BST)-"Validity" 43
BST -"Premise" 45
Point#1 "Premise" 45
Point#2 "Lokaloka" 45
Point#3 "Surya-siddhanta Contradicts Bhagavatam?" 47
Point#4 "Moon Motion" 49
Point#5 "Inside Circumference?" 49
Point#6 "Calculating by Revolutions" 50
Point#7 "Siddhanta-siromani" 51
Point#8 "Sun's Size" 54
Point#1 "Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura (1874-1937)" 55
Point#2 "Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's Commentary" 55
Point#3 "Bhaskaracharya II (1114-1185)" 59
Point#4 "Circumference of the Universe" 61
Point#5 "Jyoti Sastras Agree with the Puranas" 62
Point#6 "Odd Bedfellows" 67
3 Solar System 69
Point#1 "Words" 69
Point#2 "Mathematics" 74
Point#3 "Brahmanda" 75
Point#4 "Stars" 75
Point#5 "Solar System Theory" 76
4 Modern Science & the Vedas 81
Point#1 "Mysterious Hypothesis" 81
Point#2 "Intellectual Honesty" 83
Point#3 "Interpreting" 84
Point#4 "Planetary Orbits" 84
Point#5 "Building Bridges" 85
Point#6 "Appeal" 86
Point#7 "Faith" 87
Point#8 "Hubble Helps" 88
Point#9 "Hard Core" 90
Point#10 "Too" 92
Point#11 "Good Lighting" 93
Point#12 "Prabhupada Didn't Understand" 96
Point#13 "Surrendering to Science" 97
Point#14 "Polar Projection Map Or?" 99
5 Cosmography 103
Point#1 "Yogurt" 103
Point#2 "Flat Earthers?" 105
Point#3 "Not Flat Earth-Petal Earth" 107
Point#4 "All Inclusive attempt" 109
Point#5 "Foolish Fundamentalists" 110
Point#1 "Long Sanskrit Quote" 113
Point#2 "Niyuta" 116
Point#3 "Brahmapuri" 117
Point#4 "Mountain Lengths" 118
Point#5 "Bharata-varsa's Former Name" 119
Point#6 "Arjuna Conquers Harivarsa" 119
Point#7 "Arjuna Goes to Heaven" 120
Point#8 "Badarik Ashram" 126
Point#9 "Kuvera's Abode 130
6 The Verticle Map 133
Point#1 "The Visible Sky" 133
Point#2 UNIVERSE VERTICLE DISTANCE CHART 135
Point#2 "The Yojana & Sri Brhad-bhagavatamrta" 136
Special Note-Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari's Note 138
Point#3 "Light-years" 139
Point#4 "Space" 139
Point#5 "Spatial Perspectives" 142
Point#6 "Layers" 145
Point#1 "Polestar" 148
Point#2 "Planetary Distances" 150
Point#3 "Lord Siva 151
Point#4 "Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami 152
7 Bhagavat Cosmology 153
Brahmanda Saksat Tika (BST) "Premise" 153
Point#1 "Non-Literal Conception vs. Literal Conception" 157
Point#2 "Bhagavatam's Violations?" 158
Point#3 "Sun's Orbit" 160
8 Copernican Revolution 165
Copernican Revolution in India 167
Virodha-Contradiction 169
Wilkinson and Sastri 172
Burgess 174
Clark 179
Sengupta, Gangooly 180
Aftermath 182
9 Vedic Planetarium 187
Srila Prabhupada on the Vedic Planetarium 187
GBC on Vedic Planetarium 201
Mayapura Project on Vedic Planetarium 202
10 Vedic Planetarium 205
Showing of Planetary Sketches of Bhu-mandala 205
Bhu-mandala Diagram Discussion 209
Discussion about Bhu-mandala 219
11 Fifth Canto Cosmology 235
Part I: Bhu-Mandala Created 235
Part II: Ruling Jmbudvipa 239
Part III: Characteristics of Bhu-Mandala 243
Part IV: A Description of Jambudvipa 246
Part V: The Descent of the River Ganges 258
Part VI: Nine Varsas of Jambudvipa 264
Part VII: Bharata-Varsa 275
Part VIII: Plaksadvipa 282
Part VIIII: Plaksadvipa 285
Part IX: Salmalidvipa 285
Part X: Kusadvipa 288
Part XI: Krauncadvipa 290
Part XII: Sakadvipa 293
Part XIII: Puskaradvipa 295
Part XIV: Lokaloka Mountain 298
Part XV: Aloka-Varsa 303
Part XVI: The Sun 303
Part XVII: The Chariot of The Sun 311
Part XVIII: The Orbits of the Planets 315
Part XIX: The Polestar (Dhruvaloka) 325
Part XX: The Sisumara Planetary System 330
Part XXI: Subterranean Heavenly Planets 338
Part XXII: Anantadeva 348
Part XXIII: Hellish Planets 349
12 Surya-siddhanta 371
13 Siddhanta Siromani 413
14 Aryabhatiya of Aryabhata 483
Glossary 499
Bibliography 507