5/13/2015 (1)GauragopalaDasa

Thedistancetothespiritualplanetsis5.555.555.555.250.000.000yojanasor44,444,444,442,000,000,000miles
at8milesforayojana

ThedistancetotheVaikunthathroughallthematerialuniversesis44Quadrillion444Trillion444billionmiles
away.

Althoughtechnicallyitisascloseasonesownsheart,itjusthastoberealized.

Thedistancetothehellishplanetsis100.000yojanasor800,000miles

Thereare14planetarysystemsinthematerialuniverse.Thesearehorizontalplanes,paralleltotheorbitofthe
sunaroundtheearth,asseenfromtheearth,andextendtoclosetotheinnerlayerofthesphericallyshaped
universe.

130.000yojanasor1,040,000milesbeneaththeBhumandalathegreatearth,ortheroundflatdiskformofthe
planetarysystemwhichcouldbeoutSolarSystemouttoSaturntowhichtheplanetearthbelongsbeginsthe
Garbhaocean.JustabovethisoceanarethecountlessNarakalokasorhellishplanets.

Theareawheretheseplanetsareorbitinghasliketheotherplanetarylevels,theformofadisk,likeathickCD.
Onalltheseplanets,livingentitiesarepunishedaccordingtotheprincipleofpayingthesinnerinhisowncoin."
TheseplanetsaredescribedinSrimadBhagavatam,Canto5,chapter26,verse836.(S.B.5.26.836).

Abovethehellishplanetsaresevenplanetarysystems,calledbilasvarga(undergroundheavenlyplanets).Bila
meansdark,aden,orgrotto.Theseplanetarysystemsarebeneaththebhumandala.Insteadofsunlight,theyare
litbyshiningjewelsontheheadsofserpents.Thedemonslivingtherecanenjoyheavenlysensegratification
becauseoftheirkarma.TheseplanetsaredescribedintheS.B.5.24.831.

Bhumandalaitselfcomprisesofplanetsplacedinringformwith,inbetweeneachring,ringshapedoceansof
saltwater(lavanoda),sugarcanejuice(iksura),strongdrinks(suroda),ghi(ghrtoda),milk(ksiroda),yoghurt
(dadhyoda)andverytastysweetwater(svadudaka).

Theoceansstillhavealsothepropertiesofwater,exceptitstaste.Eachringoflandhasatthegrosslevel
millionsofplanets.

AtthecentreisJambudvipa(dvipameans:island).Itissurroundedbysaltwater.Itisdividedinninevarsas
(planets,provincesorislands)andoneofthemisbharatavarsa.Thisisthe(only)planetwherethebharata(light)
oftheVedacananddoesshine.

Theothervarsasanddvipasarecalledbhaumasvargaorparadisiacalareasinthebhumandala.Thedescription
oftheseheavensandlifethereisinS.B.5.16.1225andS.B.5.20.Theinhabitantsofthesevarsasareatleast
parttimedevoteesoftheSupremePersonalityofGodhead.

Bhaumasvargaandtheoceansinbetweenarenotvisiblewithgrosssensestheyarehigherdimensional.
However,thesedimensionsareconnectedwitheachother.Forexample,thefarthestpointoftheorbitofthe
planetUranus(measuredfrombharatavarsa)isthesameasalokavarsasmileemoticonuninhabitedarea,see
figure).

ThefarthestpointoftheorbitofSaturnisinadarsatalopamasmileemoticonthelandwithasurfacelikeamirror)
thatliesbeforethelokalokamountain.ThenearestpointoftheorbitofJupiterisinthegoldenland.Thefarthest
pointoftheorbitofMercuryistheringinsideofPuskaraDwipaandthenearestpointoftheorbitofMercuryisin
theoceanofmilk.

AbovetheBhumandalaistheAntariksa.Thenbeginsbhuvarloka:themiddleheavenwherethelokassmile
emoticonplanets)belongtodifferententities,alsoknowntoufologists.Theseentitiessometimescometothe
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Bhumandalainvimanasunidentifiedflyingobjects.TheycomeforexamplefromRaksasaloka(hairymonsters),
pretaloka(ghosts),Bhutaloka(associatesofShiva),Pisacaloka(witches,femaleghosts),Yaksaloka(halfpious
ghostsandassociatesofKuvera)orfromSiddhaloka(alsoinBhuvarloka),antariksa.EveryoneatSiddhalokais
bornwithtwentythreeyogasiddhis,mysticalperfections(seeBhagavadGita6.20,purportandS.B.11.15.413).

BeyondSiddhalokaisCaranaloka(theplanetofangelsandheavenlymusicians)andthenVidyadharaloka(where
theinhabitantshavegreatmaterialknowledge,vidya).SometimesUFOscomefrombilasvargastalatalaloka
(S.B.2.7.37).

100.000yojanas(1,28millionkm)abovetheBhumandalaisthesun.Fromthesun(whoissvargadvarathedoor
totheheavenormaterialthefirstplanetonemeetsascendingupintheuniverse).Thedivyasvargaorheavenly
planetarysystemstartsalsocalleddevalokasorbhogalokasbecausethedemigodsenjoythem(bhogameans
enjoyment).

ThedistancefromthesuntobharatavarsaattheBhumandalaishowever150millionkmatthephysicallevel,
becausetheorbitofthesun(aroundtheSumeruMountain)issakadvipa,(dividingtheislandintwo).Themoonis
agrossplanetwhichwecanallseeintheskybutthereisalsoaheavenlydimensiontothis.Thismoon
dimensionisinpositionthatishigherdimensionalandthereforeitisnotaccessiblebyanyhumanspacecraft,
whichcanenteronlyitsgrossdimension.

Indraloka(oneoftheplanetsindivyasvarga)isthekingdomofIndra.Indraisthekingofthedemigodswhoreign
overthecosmos.ThestairsofIndra'spalacearemadeofcoral,thefloorsarecoveredwithemeralds,thewalls
aremadeofcrystal,thepillarsofvaiduryagems,theseatsarecoveredwithdiamondsandrubies,thesilk
bedspreadsarewhitelikefoam,andthereareimmenselybeautifullakes,gardensandrivers.

Thecrossroadsaremadeofpearlstheplatingofthedoorsofgoldthedoorwaysofmarblethewindowsof
goldennetworksandtheflagsofpearlsandgoldenstitches.Allthisisthousandsandthousandsoftimesmore
luxuriousthanhereontheearthplanet.

Everyoneisverybeautifulandnicelydressed.Apsaras(angels)andgandharvas(musicians)singanddance.
Thereare100,000,000vimanasforpleasurejourneys.Therearenoatheists.Thereisnocriminality,jealousy,
violence,craftiness,falsepride,lust,greedorfraud.Theirliveslast3,600,000solaryears.Indra'scityis
surroundedbyamoatofGangeswaterandfortificationsbecausesometimesasuras(asu=immediatelyrama=
enjoyment:thosewhowantonlytemporarymaterialenjoyment)ordemonscometoplunder.

Abovedivyasvargaaremahar,jana,tapaandsatyalokawheretheyogis(asceticsandmystics)trytobecome
fullyabsorbedinmeditation,sothatatthemomentofleavingthematerialbodytheycanattainliberationfromthe
materialuniverseandgobacktothespiritualworld.

Thefirstwallaroundtheuniverseistentimesthediameteroftheuniverse.Thesecondlayeristentimesthe
thicknessofthefirstlayer.Thethirdlayeristentimesthethicknessofthesecondlayer,andsoon.Inthisway,
therearetenprisonwallstotaling.Eachsucceedingcoveringorlayeraroundtheuniverseiscomposedofa
differentsubstance(seeBhagavadGita7.4).

Firstsolidmatter,thenfluid,theluminouselement,thegaseous,theetherealthemental,buddhih(intelligence),
ahankara(falseego),mahattattva(visibleprimevalsourcematter)andthenpradhana(notmanifestedoriginal
matter)tillthereisultimatelythespiritualnature.Thelawsofnaturethatarevalidonbharatavarsachangein
theselayerstimeandspacebend.Therefore,thelayersaroundtheuniversearebeyondthereachofourearthly
telescopesandspaceships.

Thewayoutofthisuniverseisfromthebharatavarsa.Attheabovementioneddivya,bhaumaandbilasvarga
andalsointheheavensinbetweenthereistoomuchhedonism,itisrarethatsomeoneislookingforsomething
nonmaterial.Inthenarakalokasthereisonlypainandthereisnotimefordeliberationandmeditation.Atmahar,
jana,tapaandsatyalokaacertaintypeofsattvaguna(thequalityofgoodness)isdominatingandthusthereare

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mainlyimpersonalistsontheselokas.

Therefore,ayogiwholivestherecanatbest,withalotofpainandtrouble,attainonlytheimpersonalbrahmajyoti
smileemoticonspirituallightwiththeformofaspiritualspark).However,fromthere,theyogiagainfallsdownto
thematerialuniversebecauseofhisisolationfromothersoulsandKrishnaaswellandtheinherentnatureofthe
soultobeactive.Consequently,wecanunderstandthatthereisnocompletehappinessintheimpersonalaspect
oftheBrahmajyoti.

AccordingtotheVedas,Bharatavarsaisthemostsuitableplaceforpracticingspirituallife.InthisageofKali
yugabychantingtheholynameofGodwithincreasingdevotion,mainly:HareKrishnaHareKrishnaKrishna
KrishnaHareHareHareRamaHareRamaRamaRamaHareHare.

OnlysoulswhorejoiceandtakecheerinloveofGodcandancethroughtheselayersaroundthecosmos,
throughthespirituallightandgobacktotheirspiritualhome.Intheyearsofthespiritualgoldenagethatstarted
in1486A.D.withtheadventofSriKrishnaCaitanyaMahaprabhu,moresoulsaregoingtoKrsnalokathento
narakaloka,inspiteofthefactthatKrishnalokaisfartherawayalthoughitisascloseasonesheart,itjustgasto
berealized.

Theverticalcrosssectionoftheuniverse.

Theuniverseisagiganticbuildingormachine,createdandcontrolledbyKrishna,theSupremePersonalityof
Godhead.Theuniversehastheformofanegg(andahkosah)andisdividedinfourteenparts.Wecanseeitis
createdbylookingattheroundedfigures(forexample100,000yojanasandnot161,000yojanasor98,000
yojanas)oftherelativedistancesrecognizingthatalltheplanetsandstarsareexactlysynchronizedinrelation
toeachotherandrotateharmoniouslyintheirrespectivecircularorbits.

Theplanetsareplacedundereachother.TheyeachhavetheirownorbitaroundMeru.Thefourteenplanetary
systemstowhichtheseplanetsbelongareplacedverticallyundereachotherandparalleltotheorbitofthesun.

Thelayersaroundtheuniverse

Therearetenlayersaroundtheuniverse.Eachsuccessivelayeristentimesthickerthanthepreviousone.The
firstlayeristentimesthediameteroftheuniverse.Itspredominantelementissolidmatter(bhumi).Thedemigod
ofthisfirstlayerisMahasukararupa(Krishna'sVaraharupa).Thefullness,thewealth,andtheblissinthislayer
areamilliontimesgreaterthaninSatyaloka.Thus,thosewhowanttoenjoyselfishly,likesomeyogisor
materialisticbhaktas,arekeptawayfromthespiritualworldbythetemptationsofthislayer.Inthespiritualworld,
thereisnoplaceforselfishness,becauseeveryoneandeverythingisservingKrishnaandlivesinunlimited
wealthandbliss.

Thesecondlayerisliquid(apo).ThedemigodisMatsya.Heretemptationsareevengreater.

Thethirdistheluminouslayer(nalo).HereSuryaNarayanaisworshipped.

Thefourthisthegaseouslayer(vayu)HerePradyumnaisworshipped.

Thefifthistheetherlayer(kham).HereAniruddhaisworshipped.

Thenextthreelayersarethoseofmind(manah),intelligence(buddhi)andfalseego(ahankara)andinthese,
Sankarsanaisworshipped.

Thefinaltwolayersaremanifestedprimevalmatter(mahattattva)whereVasudevaisworshippedand
unmanifestedprimevalmatter(pradhana)whereMohinimurtiisworshippedbythedemigoddessofpradhana.The
femaledemigoddessofpradhanaisagatekeeper,thesisterofandenergy(sakti)ofVishnu.Thisareaisthe
mostattractivepartofthematerialworld.

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TheNumber108

Thenumber108isaspecialnumberthereare108mostessentialtranscendentalqualitiesofadevoteethere
are108mostimportantUpanishadsandofallthegopisthereare108whoaremostlovedbyKrishna.The
number108occursinseveralotherplacesofthecosmos.Herearesomefurtherexamples.Thedistancefrom
thesuntotheearthis108timesthediameterofthesun.Thedistancefromthemoontotheearthis108times
thediameterofthemoon.Thedistancefromthesuntotheearthis10,800yojanas.TheSatyayugalasts
1.728.000years(16x108),theTretayuga1.296.000years(12x108),theDvaparayuga864.000years(8x
108),andtheKaliyuga432.000years(4x108).

TheHellishPlanets

JustabovetheGarbhodakaOceanistheregionofhellishplanets,withathicknessof60,000yojanasanda
diameterof500millionyojanas.Thisareabegins70,000yojanasbelowtheBhumandalaandextendsto130,000
yojanasbelowtheBhumandala.Thereare550millionhellishplanetsinthatregion.Eachhasitsspecialty.

AbovetheregionofhellishplanetsandbelowtheBhumandalaarethebilasvargas,sevencubiccellars,each
side10.000yojanas.Thesearethepleasuregroundsofthedemons.Theyhavewonderfulhouses,gardensand
placesforsenseenjoymentthatareevenmoreluxuriousthanthoseonthedemigodplanets.

Itisbecauseofthekarmaofthedemonsthattheyliveontheveryhighestlevelasfarassensualpleasureand
wealthareconcerned.Mostoftheinhabitantsoftheseplanets,knownastheDaityas,DanavasandNagas,live
infamilyrelationships.Theyareall,includingwomen,children,friends,andrelatives,completelyimmersedin
illusory,materialhappiness.

ThedemonMayaDanava,averygiftedartistandarchitect,hasbuiltmanysplendidcitieswithmanybeautiful
houses,walls,gates,meetinghalls,temples,templegrounds,squaresandhotelstogivesheltertovisitors.
Additionally,hehasmademanyvimanas(UFOsorflyingsaucers)inwhichtheycantravelintheuniverse.

Theleadersoftheseplanetshavehousesbuiltofverycostlyjewels.Therearepigeons,parrotsandmanyother
typesofbirds.Theparksandgardensintheseheavensappearmorebeautifulthanthoseontheheavenly
planets.Thetreesinthesegardensarecoveredbyclimbingplants,theirbranchesbendundertheloadoffruits
andflowersandtheylookverywonderful.Suchsensuousbeautycharmsanddelightseveryone.

Therearemanylakesandpondswithclear,transparentwater,jumpingfishesstirthewaters,whicharefurther
beautifiedbysplendidlilies,kuvalayas,kahlarasandredandbluelotuses.Pairsofcakravakasandmanyother
birdshavetheirnestsonthelakes.Theymakepleasant,sweetsongs,pleasingtotheear,becausetheyare
alwaysinanexcellentmoodandthuscreatetherightmoodforsenseenjoyment.

Thesundoesnotshineintheseundergroundplanets,sotimeisnotdividedintodaysandnights,thereforethere
isnofearofthepassingoftime.Greatsnakeswithbrilliantlyshiningjewelsintheirheadsilluminatethese
places,sothereisnodarkness.Theinhabitantsoftheseplanetsdrinkandbatheinthejuicesandelixirsof
wonderfulherbssotheyarefreeoffearandneverbecomeill.

Thereisnoexperienceoftheinfirmitiesofage,greyhair,wrinklesordisabilitybodiesneverlosetheirluster,
perspirationdoesnotsmellunpleasant.Evenwhentheyage,theinhabitantsretaintheirenthusiasmandenergy
andremainunfatigued.Theyleadahappylifeandarenotafraidofprematuredeath.Thefixedmomentoftheir
deathistheonlythingthatscaresbecausethendeathappearsbeforethemintheformoftheeffulgenceofthe
SudarsanacakraoftheSupremePersonalityofGodhead.(SrimadBhagavatam5.24.814)

OtherPlanetarySystems

Thenext,theeighth,planetarysystemofthefourteen,istheBhumandala.

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Beyondthis,therearetheplanetsoftheupadevas(bhurloka,theninthplanetarysystem)andthatofthedevas
(svarloka,thetenthplanetarysystem)(SrimadBhagavatam8.15.1222).

SB8.15.12:KingIndra'scitywasfullofpleasingorchardsandgardens,suchastheNandanagarden.Because
oftheweightoftheflowers,leavesandfruit,thebranchesoftheeternallyexistingtreeswerebendingdown.The
gardenswerevisitedbypairsofchirpingbirdsandsingingbees.Theentireatmospherewascelestial.

SB8.15.13:Beautifulwomenprotectedbythedemigodssportedinthegardens,whichhadlotuspondsfullof
swans,cranes,cakravakasandducks.

SB8.15.14:ThecitywassurroundedbytrenchesfullofGangeswater,knownasAkasaganga,andbyahigh
wall,whichwasthecoloroffire.Uponthiswallwereparapetsforfighting.

SB8.15.15:Thedoorsweremadeofsolidgoldplates,andthegateswereofexcellentmarble.Thesewerelinked
byvariouspublicroads.TheentirecityhadbeenconstructedbyVisvakarma.

SB8.15.16:Thecitywasfullofcourtyards,wideroads,assemblyhouses,andnotlessthanonehundredmillion
airplanes.Thecrossroadsweremadeofpearl,andthereweresittingplacesmadeofdiamondandcoral.

SB8.15.17:Everlastinglybeautifulandyouthfulwomen,whoweredressedwithcleangarments,glitteredinthe
citylikefireswithflames.Theyallpossessedthequalityofsyama.

SB8.15.18:Thebreezesblowinginthestreetsofthecityborethefragranceoftheflowersfallingfromthehairof
thewomenofthedemigods.

SB8.15.19:Apsaraspassedonthestreets,whichwerecoveredwiththewhite,fragrantsmokeofaguruincense
emanatingfromwindowswithgoldenfiligree.

SB8.15.20:Thecitywasshadedbycanopiesdecoratedwithpearls,andthedomesofthepalaceshadflagsof
pearlandgold.Thecityalwaysresoundedwiththevibrationsofpeacocks,pigeonsandbees,andabovethecity
flewairplanesfullofbeautifulwomenwhoconstantlychantedauspicioussongsthatwereverypleasingtothe
ear.

SB8.15.21:Thecitywasfilledwiththesoundsofmridangas,conchshells,kettledrums,flutesandwelltuned
stringedinstrumentsallplayinginconcert.TherewasconstantdancingandtheGandharvassang.Thecombined
beautyofIndrapuridefeatedbeautypersonified.

SB8.15.22:Noonewhowassinful,envious,violenttowardotherlivingentities,cunning,falselyproud,lustyor
greedycouldenterthatcity.Thepeoplewholivedtherewerealldevoidofthesefaults.

Intheeleventhplanetarysystem,Maharloka,thousandsofsagesperformhugefiresacrificestoYajnesvaraor
Krishna.Yajnesvara,shiningwiththelightofmillionsofsuns,appearsfromthefireandacceptstheofferings
withHistranscendentalhands,givingitbackasprasadam.

Thesesagesaretheprajapatis,thesonsofBrahma:BhrguMuni,Pulaka,Angira,Marici,Pulastya,etc.The
gloryandperfectionsaremillionsoftimesbetterthaninthedivyasvarga(svarloka),wherethedemigodslive.No
rivalryisexperiencedhereunlikeinallotherplanetsbelow.TheplanetarysystemsbelowMaharlokaareforthose
whoindulgeinillicitsexuality.

InJanalokaandTapalokaarenaisthikibrahmacaris(lifelongcelibates)andvanaprasthas(renunciantswhoretired
fromfamilylifebutwho,intheirmarriedlife,havefollowedtherulesoftheHolyScriptures).Theyliveasyogisin
asolitaryplaceandmeditateonLordNarayanaintheirheart.Theblissandthequalitiesofmatteraremillionsof
timesbiggerthanonMaharloka.

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Asonegoestothehigherlevelsintheuniverse,abovetheBhumandala(eachhigherlevelis,likeallother
planetarysystemsparalleltotheorbitofthesun),thesattvagunaqualityofthematerialenergybecomes
strongerandmoreintense.Thesmells,colors,andtheothersenseobjectsareofanincreasinglybetter,higher
quality.Theyarealsodifferentinthattheyarenotaccessibletothegrosssenses,butonlytothesubtlesenses.

Thesehigherdimensionsarenotimaginarybutcanbeexperienced,justlikethesubtlebody(mind,intelligence,
falseego.)reallyexist.Thesedimensionsarealsoapartofthiscosmos.Onecanperceivethesedimensionsby
developingsiddhis,mysticalabilities,orattainthisplaceongivingupthegrossbodyafterdeath.

AboveTapalokaisBrahmaloka.LordBrahmashineswithgoldenlightbecauseeverythingthereismadeof
buddhi(intelligence).NearbythereisaVaikunthaplanetwhereBrahmaworshipsNarayana.BrahmatouchesHis
handsandglorifiesHim.NaradaMunisingsanddances.SometimesBrahmagoestohisownplanet,
Brahmaloka,tofulfillhisdutiesinmanagingtheuniverse.

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AcaryaAdamPodlofskyIwaspresentingthat
informationforcomparison'ssake.Asformy
personalbelief,Iseenocompellingreasonto
disbelievemanyofthethingsdescribedby
modernscienceandastrophysics.Andmuchof
itisnotreallyamatteroftrust.Forexample,
anyonecancalculatethedistancefromthe
earthtothemoon,basedoneasilyobservable
phenomenaplusalittlehighschoolmath.
May3at1:58amLike

IshanChaitanyaWhatcanIsay.Measuring
hasalwaysbeentediousforme.Aswellasany
kindofmath.Ihopeyou'reright.ButIdon'tthink
whatIsaidissimplyaboutmeasuring,butabout
interpretingourperceptions.Nevermind.I'm
tired.
May3at5:56amLike 1

KrishnaKanhaanHeredistancefrommaterial
universeisgiven,notfromearth,sono
argumentcanbepassedonthebasisoftoday's
science.
May3at6:45amLike

AcaryaAdamPodlofskyThepositionofthe
earthwithintheuniversalshellasdescribedin
theBhagavatam,isrelativelyinsignificant,when
computingthedistancetoVaikuntha,because
almostallofthatdistanceiscomposedofthe
variousshellsaroundtheuniverse.Thespace
within,wherewelive,andtheearthis,the
tiniestfractionofthatdistanceandmakeslittle
differenceinthecalculation.
May3at7:14amLike

MayesaDasa
WhenwesaydistancetoVaikunthawecannot
calvulateitasthisisoneuniverseinaseaof
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5/13/2015 (1)GauragopalaDasa

universesexpelledfromMahaVisnuwhose
sizecannotbeimagined.
But5thcantogivesusratherthemeasuremrnt
totheoutsideofthecoveringshellsofourun...

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