Compiled by Diraj puri dasa
The Hubble telescope has estimated the size of this single material universe we are in to be 93 billion light years in diameter.
This massive size is not accepted by Srimad Bhagavatam that claims our universe is a mere 4 billion miles in diameter.
Gauragopala dasa Acbsp has his explanation that claims our 4 billion mile diameter universe is like a "Hall of mirrors" where this material universe reflects on itself making it appear much, much bigger than what it is.
This idea also needs further research because modern science calculations of the observable universe is a massive 93 billion light years in diameter, an enormous size compared to just a mere 4 billion miles in diameter.
A 4 billion mile diameter material universe just does not seem right when the Hubble Telescope estimates its speculated size of 93 billion light years in diameter.
The Vedas on the other hand, explain there are billions of individual universes called Brahmandas and our smaller universe (Just a mere 4 billion miles in diameter), with its 14 Planetary Systems, is deep inside one of those Brahmandas.
Srimad Bhagavatam tells us that we cannot see other Brahmanda universes from deep inside our Brahmanda greater universe.
All that we see, all the planets and galaxies we see via the Hubble telescope, is all within our universe situated deep inside our Brahmanda.
Srimad Bhagavatam explains that everything we see is in this one universe and we cannot see other Brahmanda's outside our inner universe which is 4 billion miles in diameter.
And situated deep inside and surrounded by our Brahmanda universe that is a massive 44 quadrillion 444 trillion 444 billion miles in diameter!!
So sometimes it is explained there are 2 universes, the greater outer Brahmanda universe and the inner 4 billion mile diameter universe where Garbhodakashayi Vishnu, Lord Brahma and his 14 Planetary System creation is (ours is called Bhu-Mandala)
It is extremely hard to believe and accept our inner universe is just 4 billion miles in diameter when evidence is presented from the Hubble Telescope.
I personally believe this "understanding of size" described in Srimad Bhagavatam needs further reseach and investigation because it does NOT seem possible our entire observable universe is just 4 billion miles in diameter.
Although Gauragopala says it can be explained as an illusion called "The hall of mirrors" effect.
He was told by scientists at the Radio Telescope in Parks Australia -
"If you take that distant literally then may make everything else in Srimad Bhagavatam questionable, it seems the measurements of distances needs greater research".
These distances must be properly explained and not accepted literally by devotees until a proper understanding is reached.
The fact is Pluto just in our Solar System is 4.5 billion miles from earth!
So the 4 billion miles diameter Vedic universe explained in Srimad Bhagavatam needs deeper research because it seems that in no way is our observable universe just 4 billion miles in diameter.
The fact is, 4 billion miles diameter is a 5th the size of just our Solar System that is 24 billion miles in diameter.
According to modern science, the closest Solar System to ours is 4.5 light years away.
So deep research needs to be done here on how distances are properly measured in Vedas.
And yes I advise people NOT to follow without enquiries and asking questions about EVERYTHING in sastra (scriptures).
Question everything you hear from others so you are NOT cheated by different interpretations, read Prabhupada's Books carefully then no-one can mislead you.
For example Sadhaputa dasa PhD explained the comment in Canto 8 of Srimad Bhagavatam that the Moon is further away from earth than the Sun, in another way.
He explains that "above the Earth" the Sun the is away from earth than the moon.
But when modern distances are applied, the Moon far is closer to our earth being only 248,000 miles away from Earth.
Sadly many devotees believe in a "flat earth" that Prabhupada explains as a globe.
The proof that all distances are codes as Mayesa das believes makes sense
For example the Sun according to 5th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam is suppose to be 80,000 miles from Earth.
This figure must be a code because we know the Sun is 93 million miles from earth and not 80,000 miles away which is not right according to the Astronomy community.
Srila Prabhupada explain the following very nicely -
Srila Prabhupada - "The Lord is kavi; that is, He knows past, present and future and therefore knows everything.
He is the oldest personality because He is the origin of everything; everything is born out of Him. He is also the supreme controller of the universe, and He is the maintainer and instructor of humanity.
He is smaller than the smallest. The living entity is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of a hair, but the Lord is so inconceivably small that He enters into the heart of this particle.
Therefore He is called smaller than the smallest.
As the Supreme, He can enter into the atom and into the heart of the smallest and control him as the Supersoul. Although so small, He is still all-pervading and is maintaining everything.
By Him all these planetary systems are sustained. We often wonder how these big planets are floating in the air. It is stated here that the Supreme Lord, by His inconceivable energy, is sustaining all these big planets and systems of galaxies.
The word acintya ("inconceivable") is very significant in this connection. God's energy is beyond our conception, beyond our thinking jurisdiction, and is therefore called inconceivable (acintya).
Who can argue this point?
He pervades this material world and yet is beyond it. We cannot comprehend even this material world, which is insignificant compared to the spiritual world—so how can we comprehend what is beyond?
Acintya means that which is beyond this material world, that which our argument, logic and philosophical speculation cannot touch, that which is inconceivable.
Therefore intelligent persons, avoiding useless argument and speculation, should accept what is stated in scriptures like the Vedas, Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and follow the principles they set down. This will lead one to understanding". (Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 8 Text 9, Purport)
Compiled by Diraj puri dasa
