In most references in Bhagavatam, it is said the ''Earth covering encasement'' is the first layer of our single universe's surrounding Brahmanda shell.
There are billions of these Brahmanda greater Egg shaped universal shells, each with a smaller single universe of planetary systems deep within it. All Brahmanda's originates from the Body of Maha Vishnu as seen in photo.
Although Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 3 Chapter 26 Text 52 says water is the first layer.
MOST references say the seven layers of the Brahmanda our single universe is deep within, begins with Earth.
Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 6 Chapter 16 Text 37-
''Every universe is covered by seven layers—earth, water, fire, air, sky, the total energy and false ego—each ten times greater than the previous one. There are innumerable universes besides this one, and although they are unlimitedly large, they move about like atoms in You. Therefore You are called unlimited [ananta]''.
PURPORT
This verse describes the coverings of the universe (saptabhir daśa-guṇottarair aṇḍa-kośaḥ).
1 - The first covering is EARTH,
2 - the second is WATER,
3 - the third is FIRE,
4 - the fourth is AIR,
5 - the fifth is SKY,
6 - the sixth is the TOTAL MATERIAL ENERGY (MAHAT TATTVA),
7 - the seventh is the FALSE EGO.
Beginning with the covering of earth, each covering is ten times greater than the previous one. Thus we can only imagine how great each universe is, and there are many millions of universes". (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 6 Chapter 16 Text 37)
Srila Prabhupada - ''The mahat-tattva, the total material energy, is called avyakta. Then, when it is agitated by the glance of the Supreme Lord, the three modes of material nature acts. And by interaction of these three modes of material nature, the whole cosmic manifestation comes into being''. (Lecture on SB 1.2.33 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972)
Srila Prabhupada - ''So actually, there are twenty-six different elements which is conducting this material world. Etat kṣetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛtam. Kṣetra means this body. Either you take this body or this material world, they are interaction of these twenty-four elements.
Either you take the gigantic body of this universe or you take the body of this planet or you take this your body, my body, or a cat's body, dog's body, all these bodies, they are formed of these twenty-four elements, sa-vikāram, by action and reaction.
Just like chemically, if you mix one chemical with another chemical, a third element is produced, similarly, originally the reservation of all these elements is called mahat-tattva. It is called pradhāna, upadhāna.
So gradually they manifest, they divide by three guṇas. Three guṇas means in the mahat-tattva, in the total material reservoir, three guṇas, three modes of nature, first of all appear and they act with one another, and then gradually, one after another, the twenty-four elements become manifested. Etat kṣetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛtam. (Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Montreal, October 25, 1968)
Srila Prabhupada - ''So mahat-tattva, the total material energy, and six, five elements, sixteen, sixteen, ṣoḍaśa-kalam.
What are those?
The five elements, namely, earth, water, fire, air, and sense objects and senses and the spirit soul. In this way, sixteen. And from sixteen, it expands to twenty-four. That is the explanation of our Vedic creation. Ṣoḍaśa-kalam. (Lecture on SB 1.3.1 -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972)
Srila Prabhupada - ''The total energy of material creation is called mahat-tattva or pradhāna. Then, when the mahat-tattva is agitated by the three guṇas, then they become divided into twenty-four elements. (Lecture on SB 3.26.11-14 -- Bombay, December 23, 1974)
Srila Prabhupada - ''That mahat-tattva is above this universe, above the sky. Above the sky there are seven layers. Each layer is ten times more than the other layer. In this way, that is called mahat-tattva. Total material elements, they are stocked there. And then these varieties take place. And above that mahat-tattva, there is spiritual world. (Lecture on SB 3.26.10 -- Bombay, December 22, 1974)
As confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (BG 10.42):-
athavā bahunaitena
kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam
ekāṁśena sthito jagat.
"But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe."
The entire material world manifests is only one fourth of the Supreme Lord's energy. Therefore He is called ananta''.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 2 Chapter 2 Text 28 Purport-
Srila Prabhupada - ''The extent of the cosmic phenomenon or our individual universe is calculated to be diametrically four billion miles in size.
Then the outer covering known as the ''Brahmanda shell'' begins.
The first covering of Earth is calculated to extend forty billion miles, (10 times the size of the inner universe) and the subsequent coverings of the universe are respectively of water, fire, air, sky, total material energy, false ego one after another, each extending ten times further than the previous.
The fearless devotee of the Lord penetrates each one of them and ultimately reaches the absolute atmosphere where everything is of one and the same spiritual identity.
Then the devotee enters one of the Vaikuṇṭha planets, where he assumes exactly the same form as the Lord and engages in the loving transcendental service of the Lord.
That is the highest perfection of devotional life. Beyond this there is nothing to be desired or achieved by the perfect yogī." (Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 2 Chapter 2 Text 28 Purport)
Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3 Chapter 29 Text 43-
Srila Prabhupada - "The first layer is of earth, and it is ten times greater in size than the space within the universe;
The second layer is water, and that is ten times greater than the earthly layer;
The third covering is fire, which is ten times greater than the water covering. In this way each layer is ten times greater than the previous one''.(Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3 Chapter 29 Text 43)
Srimad Bhagavatam says there are millions of individual Brahmanda universes coming from Maha Vishnu making up the entire material creation (1/4 of the Spiritual Sky) that also house their own inner universe.
All smaller universes inside their Brahmandas are of different sizes, some, like ours, are only 4 billion miles in diameter.
The "4 billion miles (500,000,000 Yojanas)" diameter of our universe with its 14 planetary systems is one of the smallest.
Our small single universe with its 14 planetary Systems would therefore fit in the circumference of Bhu-Mandala. (4 billion miles (500,000,000 Yojanas) diameter)
Bhu-Mandala is NOT our earth globe, it is far too big to be our small earth globe.
Sadaputa dasa ACBSP (Richard L. Thompson) earned his Ph.D. in mathematics from Cornell University. He is the author of several books on Vedic Cosmology explain what Bhu-Mandala is-
''In the Bhagavatam, Bhu Mandala—the “earth mandala” (not to be confused with our small earth globe), is a disk 500 million yojanas in diameter.
The yojana is a unit of distance about 8 miles long, and so the diameter of Bhu Mandala is about 4 billion miles which is the size of our single universe.
Bhu Mandala is marked by circular features designated as islands (Dvipas that can also mean planets) and oceans.
Srila Prabhupada -"The "planets" are called "dvīpas". Outer space is like an ocean of air. Just as there are islands in the watery ocean, these planets in the ocean of space are called dvīpas, or islands in outer space" (Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 20.218, Purport)
Bhu-Mandala is far too big to be our small earth globe.
Of course, Bhu Mandala is earth centered. Its innermost island, Jambudvipa, contains Bharata-varsha, which Srila Prabhupada has repeatedly identified as the planet earth''. (End of quote)
Srila Prabhupada - ''We have to imagine that these universes (Brahmandas), which according to our limited knowledge are expanded unlimitedly, are so great that the gross and subtle ingredients—the five elements of the cosmic manifestation, namely earth, water, fire, air and sky, along with the total material energy and false ego—are NOT only within the universe but cover the universe in seven layers, each layer ten times bigger than the previous one.
In this way, each and every universe is very securely packed, and there are numberless universes. All these universes float within the innumerable pores of the transcendental body of Mahā-Viṣṇu.
It is stated that just as the atoms and particles of dust are floating within the air along with the birds and their number cannot be calculated, so innumerable universes are floating within the pores of the transcendental body of the Lord. For this reason, the Vedas say that God is beyond the grasp of our knowledge.'' (Krsna Book 87)
We CANNOT see from one universe to another, this is because our individual universe is surrounded and encased by 7 thick material layers that is our outer shell egg shaped universe called a Brahmanda.
So it is impossible to see the millions of other Brahmandas outside our inner universe (inside a massive Brahmanda) because of those 7 thick material layers that only rare mystic yogis and advanced devotees like Arjuna can see and pass through.
So of course Krishna and Arjuna did not encounter such limitations that we experience with the combination of these elements like earth, water, fire all gross elements as Bhagavad Gita explains.
Srila Prabhupada - ''The Lord is not visible to the eyes of ordinary men, those who are beyond the covering layers because of their transcendental devotional service can still see Him''. (Krsna Book 87.)
We cannot see through our Brahmanda that surrounds and encases our small universe, Srila Prabhupada is clear on this.
Srila Prabhupada - ''Lord Krishna and Arjuna crossed over the great region of darkness covering the material universes. Arjuna then saw the effulgence of light known as the brahmajyoti. The brahmajyoti is situated ''outside the covering of the material universes'', and because it cannot be seen with our present eyes, this brahmajyoti is sometimes called avyakta''. (Krsna Book, 89)
Srila Prabhupada - ''Each universe is covered by various layers of material elements (The 7 layers of the outer Brahmanda covering), and therefore although the universes are clustered together, we CANNOT see from one universe to another. In other words, whatever we see is within this one universe. In each universe there is one Lord Brahmā, and there are other demigods on other planets, but there is only one sun''.- (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 5 Chapter 21 Text 11, Purport)
In the purport in Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 2 Chapter 2 Text 28-
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī confirms that a part of the material nature, after being initiated by the Lord, is known as the mahat-tattva. A fractional portion of the mahat-tattva is called the false ego. A portion of the ego is the vibration of sound, and a portion of sound is atmospheric air. A portion of the airy atmosphere is turned into forms, and the forms constitute the power of electricity or heat.
Heat produces the smell of the aroma of the earth, and the gross earth is produced by such aroma. And all these combined together constitute the cosmic phenomenon. The extent of the cosmic phenomenon or our individual universe is calculated to be diametrically four billion miles in size.
Then the outer covering, known as the Brahmanda shell begins.
The first covering of Earth is calculated to extend forty billion miles, (10 times the size of the inner universe) and the subsequent coverings of the universe are respectively of water, fire, air, sky, total material energy, false ego one after another, each extending ten times further than the previous.
The fearless devotee of the Lord penetrates each one of them and ultimately reaches the absolute atmosphere where everything is of one and the same spiritual identity.
Then the devotee enters one of the Vaikuṇṭha planets, where he assumes exactly the same form as the Lord and engages in the loving transcendental service of the Lord.
That is the highest perfection of devotional life. Beyond this there is nothing to be desired or achieved by the perfect yogī."
Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 6 Chapter 16 Text 37
kṣity-ādibhir eṣa kilāvṛtaḥ
saptabhir daśa-guṇottarair aṇḍa-kośaḥ
yatra pataty aṇu-kalpaḥ
sahāṇḍa-koṭi-koṭibhis tad anantaḥ
Synonyms:
kṣiti-ādibhiḥ — by the ingredients of the material world, headed by earth; eṣaḥ — this; kila — indeed; āvṛtaḥ — covered; saptabhiḥ — seven; daśa-guṇa-uttaraiḥ — each ten times more than the previous one; aṇḍa-kośaḥ — egg-shaped universe; yatra — in whom; patati — falls; aṇu-kalpaḥ — like a minute atom; saha — with; aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭibhiḥ — millions of such universes; tat — therefore; anantaḥ — (You are called) unlimited.
Translation:
Every universe is covered by seven layers — earth, water, fire, air, sky, the total energy and false ego — each ten times greater than the previous one. There are innumerable universes besides this one, and although they are unlimitedly large, they move about like atoms in You. Therefore You are called unlimited [ananta].
Purport:
The Brahma-saṁhitā (5.48) says:
yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya
jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ
viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
The origin of the material creation is Mahā-Viṣṇu, who lies in the Causal Ocean. While He sleeps in that ocean, millions of universes are generated as He exhales, and they are all annihilated when He inhales.
This Mahā-Viṣṇu is a plenary portion of a portion of Viṣṇu, Govinda (yasya kalā-viśeṣaḥ). The word kalā refers to a plenary portion of a plenary portion.
From Kṛṣṇa, or Govinda, comes Balarāma; from Balarāma comes Saṅkarṣaṇa; from Saṅkarṣaṇa, Nārāyaṇa; from Nārāyaṇa, the second Saṅkarṣaṇa; from the second Saṅkarṣaṇa, Mahā-Viṣṇu; from Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu; and from Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu controls every universe.
This gives an idea of the meaning of ananta, unlimited. What is to be said of the unlimited potency and existence of the Lord? This verse describes the coverings of the universe (saptabhir daśa-guṇottarair aṇḍa-kośaḥ).
The first covering is earth, the second is water, the third is fire, the fourth is air, the fifth is sky, the sixth is the total material energy, and the seventh is the false ego.
Beginning with the covering of earth, each covering is ten times greater than the previous one. Thus we can only imagine how great each universe is, and there are many millions of universes.
As confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhu-Mandala is far too big to be our small earth globe.
athavā bahunaitena
kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam
ekāṁśena sthito jagat
But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.” The entire material world manifests only one fourth of the Supreme Lord’s energy. Therefore He is called ananta. (End of Purport)
So is the first layer of our outer Brahmanda shell Earth or water?
Yes
Most passages in Bhagavatam says the first layer is earth and in other places in Bhagavatam, it says the first layer is water.
Also in same places in Bhagavatam, only 6 layers are mentioned and not 7.
Also the names of the layers sometimes change, for example, Maha tattva is said to be a layer and ether is also mentioned.
Srila Prabhupada says there are 7 layers beginning with EARTH that make up our outer Brahmanda shell that surrounds our single universe that is deep within it, 8 including the 4 billion miles diameter Bhu-Mandala single universe with its 14 Planetary Systems deep within the greater massive outer Brahmanda shell.
The circumference of our small single universe inside the Brahmanda shell is 12.6 billion miles. And within that area are the 14 Planetary Systems.
Srila Prabhupada - ''The extent of the cosmic phenomenon or our individual universe is calculated to be diametrically four billion miles in size.
Then the outer covering known as the Brahmanda shell begins.
The first covering of Earth is calculated to extend forty billion miles, (10 times the size of the inner universe) and the subsequent coverings of the universe are respectively of water, fire, air, sky, total material energy, false ego one after another, each extending ten times further than the previous" (Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 2 Chapter 2 Text 28 Purport)
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is referring to the circumference of our Brahmanda universal shell our single universe is within in following text-
Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 21.84:
Translation
“Kṛṣṇa said, ‘Your particular universe has a diameter of four billion miles; therefore it is the smallest of all the universes. Consequently you have only four heads''.
Purport
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, one of the greatest astrologers of his time, gives information from the Siddhānta-śiromaṇi that this universe measures 18,712,069,200,000,000 x 8 miles
(In easy terms this figure means 18 quadrillion, 712 Trillion, 69 Billion, 200 million yojanas. So multiply 18,712,069,200,000,000 x 8 miles to get the real size of our outer Brahmanda shell in miles which is 149 quadrillion 696 Trillion 553 Billion 600 million miles in circumference).
This is the circumference of this universe. According to some, this is only half the circumference''. End of quote
The diameter of our Brahmanda shell is about 44 quadrillion 444 trillion 444 billion and if it is the radius then that figure is half the REAL size of our Brahmana
149 quadrillion 696 Trillion 553 Billion 600 million miles is circumference of our ''Brahmanda Universal shell'' that our 4 billion mile diameter universe is deep within it.
By your servant Gauragopala dasa ACBSP Vedic Cosmology Decoding the 5th Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
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