Hare Krishna dear devotees! I have a question based upon Shrimad Bhagavatam's fifth canto chapter - the rotation of the sun. I hope someone can answer this question.
If the Sun oscillates from east to west, how does its singular presence within the universe create vastly different durations of illumination across various planetary systems, from Earth’s 10 to 16 hours to the thousands or even millions of hours on higher planes? If the Sun oscillates from east to west, creating the familiar cycle of day and night on Earth, how does this same Sun, positioned within a single universe, manage to provide such vastly different durations of illumination across the various planetary systems? Specifically, how can it illuminate Earth for only 12 to 14 hours, while simultaneously shining for thousands to billions of hours on higher planes? The only way it could make sense for a day light on Brahmaloka to last billions of years is if the Brahmaloka follows the sun during its day and then does not follow it during its night or at the very least should rotate in such a way along the sun that light stay there for a long time.
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Hare Krsna
According to lunar calculations, two fortnights — one of the waxing moon and the other of the waning — form one month. That same period is one day and night for the planet Pitṛloka. (SB5.22.5)
When the moon is waxing, the illuminating portions of it increase daily, thus creating day for the demigods and night for the pitās. When the moon is waning, however, it causes night for the demigods and day for the pitās.(SB5.22.9)
Thus day & night in higher planetary systems are not solely due movement of Sun as it is on earth. It is connected tovmovement of the moon.
Hare Krsna
Hare Krsna
Specifically, how can it illuminate Earth for only 12 to 14 hours, while simultaneously shining for thousands to billions of hours on higher planes?
The time difference with earthly planetary system and higher planetary system is mentioned in Canto 3, Chapter 11.
The aggregate of two fortnights is one month, and that period is one complete day and night for the Pitā planets. Two of such months comprise one season, and six months comprise one complete movement of the sun from south to north. ( SB 3.11.11)
Two solar movements make one day and night of the demigods, and that combination of day and night is one complete calendar year for the human being. The human being has a duration of life of one hundred years. ( SB 3.11.12)
The sun’s path on the northern side is called Uttarāyaṇa, and its path on the southern side is called Dakṣiṇāyana. One side represents a day for the demigods, and the other represents their night. ( SB 5.20.30)
Higher plentary systems are not necessarily limited upto 3 dimensions of space like us, but they are certainly bound by time. Their time scale itself is different from ours.
There is interlinkage between time and space as given below
Atomic time is measured according to its covering a particular atomic space. That time which covers the unmanifest aggregate of atoms is called the great time. ( SB 3.11.4)
Time and space are two correlative terms. Time is measured in terms of its covering a certain space of atoms. Standard time is calculated in terms of the movement of the sun. The time covered by the sun in passing over an atom is calculated as atomic time. The greatest time of all covers the entire existence of the nondual manifestation. All the planets rotate and cover space, and space is calculated in terms of atoms. Each planet has its particular orbit for rotating, in which it moves without deviation, and similarly the sun has its orbit.( Purport SB 3.11.4)
While the above may not have helped you understand how the time differs in different planetary systems, it can be concluded that it cannot be understood without understanding the linkage of time and space. Because the higher planetary systems exist on a different level, their time scale is also different.
Hare Krsna
Thank you Prabhuji! your answer to my question helped me widen my imagination about time and space🤔. You've mentioned that - Higher plentary systems are not necessarily limited up to 3 dimensions of space... which eventually led me to think of Achintya Bheda Abheda. Some things are inconceivable for us to understand. If even Brahma gave up on his intelectual abilities to understand the truth and surrendered, what to speak of me; an insignificant being in this vast universe. Although it was not a burning question I'm very curious soul to know and understand how things work in details.
My humble obeisances 🙏
Hare Krsna
Srila Prabhupada gives the following in one purport
The subject matters of physics, chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, time and space dealt with in the above verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are certainly very interesting to students of the particular subject, but as far as we are concerned, we cannot explain them very thoroughly in terms of technical knowledge. (Purport SB 3.11.14)
Hare Krsna