I was sent this question by Bhakta Das from England that many other devotees are also asking in 2020, because they want to know how to understand the correct truth in scripture and not just blindly follow.
They want correct answers to many confusing comments found in Srimad Bhagavatam. For example-
Srila Prabhupada says in Srimad Bhagavatam that all the planets float in outer space because of the "manipulation of the air".
But how can that be? How do we understand this comment?
We now have pretty strong evidence in 2020 that there is no air in outer space, and differently NOT the air we breath.
Even on tall mountains like Mt Everest, there is very little air, and many climbers need an oxygen tanks to breathe at 29,000 feet high.
747 planes are pressurised at 45,000 feet because no one can breath at that height.
So I am looking for a scientific mature answer to many comments made in scripture.
And NOT just some sentimental faith based answers given because of one's deep love and attachment, believing everything Prabhupada says is fact and can never be questioned.
Claiming if you do question anything he says, then that is blasphemy and committing the mad elephent offense (Vaishnava Aparadha)
To me, such committs are childish and foolish in this situation.
I am nearly 70 years of age, and not some immature scared kid who is threatened by such silly nonsense fear tactics meant to discourage one from questioning any Vedic conclusions.
Even Prabhupada told us to question EVERYTHING and not just follow blindly and sentimentally otherwise we are no better that dead stone
So this means a devotee must have solid scientific answers and not just believing something is true because we are told it's true.
No, that can be be seen as sentimental attachment to Guru's words based on one's emotions and blind faith and love towards him.
No one should be forced to follow blindly with immature threats, that by questioning Prabhupada conclusions in his Purports, is blasphemy.
No one should cave in or surrender to such childish fear tactics.
What is so offensive about wanting to know the truth anyway?
The fact is, we should NEVER blindly follow, we should question EVERYTHING, especially guru and his writings. Prabhupada even said this.
Aspiring devotees and seekers of "real truth" always have the right to question any comments in Bhagavatam, to get the proper answers, because for many aspiring devotees, some of Prabhupada's Purports clearly need further explanation, for example -
Srila Prabhupada says in the 8th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam that the Moon is further away from Earth than the Sun, and it is impossible to go to the Moon in three days because of this?
Today we know that these comments need further clarification because we know India, China, Japan, America, Russia, Israel, have all sent probes to the Moon, reaching the Moon in three days or less.
Of course, we accept they could never see, detect or enter Chandraloka due to being a heavenly world in a higher dimension, only attained by pious activities and acquiring the right type of material body to enter, as Prabhupada has said all along.
However, in regards to the Moon, we also know there are microwave beacons on the Moon that prove the Moon is 238,000 miles from Earth, measured from the Radio Telescope at Parks Australia, and other Radio Telescopes around the world.
Also, other scriptures like the Surya-Siddhanta, are almost in agreement with modern science with distance to the Moon, but Prabhupada never had that book in the 1970s, written by his Spiritual Master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, when he was translating the 5th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam in 1975.
Often when we are young and inexperienced, we are overwhelmed by the presence of Guru instead of being more attached to learning and questioning scripture to aquire knowledge.
We should not be overwhelmed by "sentimental love and emotions" because that love can turn to "sentimental emotion" that makes us blindly follow without first checking all past Acharays and devotees.
Srila Prabhupada said himself that his knowledge of how the material cosmos work is limited and needed help to also understand.
That is why he sent Tamal Krishna Maharaj to South India to find a Vedic Brahman expert on Vedic Cosmology, sadly no one qualified was found.
Therefore some of Prabhupada's comments, like all moon rocks come from the Arizona desert, are just Prabhupada's opinion.
Also Bhu-Mandala and Bhu-gola are often used to describe the name of our single material universe that Srimad Bhagavatam says is 4 billion mile in diameter.
This inner 4 billion mile diameter universe is deep inside our surrounding Brahmanda universe according to Srimad Bhagavatam's 5th Canto.
Our inner 4 billion mile diameter universe has Garbhodakashayi Vishnu, Lord Brahma and 14 different Planetary Systems in it.
Although many scholars believe the figure of 4 billion miles diameter is possibly a code because in no way is our material universe just 4 billion miles in diameter.
This figure is way too small and not accepted by any Cosmologists today in 2020.
According to the Voyager space craft that has now travelled outside our Solar, just our Solar System is 22 billion miles in diameter.
And it is 4.5 light years to the nearest Solar System.
Just one light year is 6 trillion miles in distance.
These things must be understood instead of being told do not think and accept shastric or Vedic conclusions without question.
Well, no I will NOT accept such nonsense describing our material universe is a mere 4 billion miles in diameter. (Pluto is 4.5 billion miles from earth)
So this is another controversy that needs to be researched and investigated because the figure of 4 billion miles taken literally in the 5th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam is wrong, our material universe is NOT 4 billion miles in diameter.
We think that the Spiritual Master is infallible because, yes, he IS a pure devotee and inflallible!
However, being infallible also means seeing the balance between spiritual loving reciprocal relationships and solid knowledge of scripture.
Only Spiritual maturity can understand this.
Over the years, during these immature pioneering early days, we were constantly told by fanatical young fundamentalist, "rules and regulation conscious", narrow minded devotees, that Prabhupada sees what ever Krishna sees and knows what ever Krishna knows.
This is simply not true.
The fact is, the Guru is NOT Krishna but IS Krishna's very dear pure servant.
However, that does not necessarily mean he see everything Krishna sees, even as Krishna's dear pure devotee.
Therefore we should not foolishly, blindly and immaturely claim that all what the scientist say is a big hoax and bluff, no, we must correctly understand what is fact and what is right.
Our material senses are imperfect but perfect enough to know what is too hot, too cold, walk across the road, drive a car etc, it is foolish to say we cannot make any judgements based on what our material senses perceive, we make these decisions and judgements every day.
Devotees love to say our material senses are imperfect, yes that is true, but as explained above, we could not live without having trust in our material senses in many life saving activities.
Sadly,
sentimental devotees believe Prabhupada should never be questioned to give a clearer explanation on many points, and it hurts them deeply when others question his comments on a particular point.
Such as, there is air in outer space thst holds up the planets, or the Moon is further away from earth than the Sun is.
So how are we to MATURELY understand these comments by Prabhupada?
We need to thoroughly search scriptures for scientific answer to these questions instead of thowing sentimental faith based beliefs at people that have no logical proof and makes us look like fools?
The sentimental past answers young pioneering devotees have given me over the years are given blinded by their love for Prabhupada, so I have never accepted their non scientific emotional responses.
It is important to seek out all sastra or scripture to get a proper mature answer for all these cooments mentioned above.
