Namaste .
1. in a purport to the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is written (http://vedabase.net/sb/2/2/28/en) : "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 is calculated to be diametrically (both ways) four billion miles. Then the coverings of the universe begin. The first stratum of the covering is calculated to extend eighty million miles, and the subsequent coverings of the universe are respectively of fire, effulgence, air and ether, 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."
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In some other place it is written (http://vedabase.net/sb/3/26/52/ ) : "The dimensions of the universe are estimated here. The outer covering is made of layers of water, air, fire, sky, ego and mahat-tattva, and each layer is ten times greater than the one previous. The space within the hollow of the universe cannot be measured by any human scientist or anyone else, and beyond the hollow there are seven coverings, each one ten times greater than the one preceding it. The layer of water is ten times greater than the diameter of the universe, and the layer of fire is ten times greater than that of water. Similarly, the layer of air is ten times greater than that of fire. These dimensions are all inconceivable to the tiny brain of a human being."
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It is understood from this verse that all the planets in outer space are floating, and they all hold living entities. The word svasatam means "those who breathe," or the living entities. In order to accommodate them, there are innumerable planets. Every planet is a residence for innumerable living entities, and the necessary space is provided in the sky by the supreme order of the Lord. It is also stated here that the total universal body is increasing. It is covered by seven layers, and as there are five elements within the universe, so the total elements, in layers, cover the outside of the universal body. 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.
1.So, is the first layer of our universe made of water or earth, because the above mentioned purports to SB give contradictory information. (SB 2.2.28 and SB 3.26.52 says it is water and SB 3.29.43 says it is earth)?
2.Also, what is the breadth of the first layer ? Because the purport to SB 2.2.28 says it is 80 000 000 miles while the diameter of the universe is 4 000 000 000 miles ,SB 3.29.43 says the first layer "is 10 times greater in size than the space within the universe" , BUT 80 000 000 is definatly not 4 000 000 000 X 10.
Please answer if anyone knows, and provide some other scriptural references about the size and composition of the above mentioned layers
Replies
All previous calculations of the size of our Brahmanda Universe are wrong here is the correct size now revealed
"The full size of our Brahmanda Egg shaped Universe is a massive 44 Quadrillion 444 Trillion 444 billion miles in diameter"
Our Material Universe called a Brahmanda is but just one in a multi-verse, even the latest scientific speculation believe our individual Brahmanda Universe is but one of billions of other Universes.
Each bubble in the painting is a different Brahmanda Universe in a multi-verse all originating from the Body of Maha Vishnu
Our Brahmanda is considered to be small compared to others and is a massive 44 Quadrillion 444 Trillion 444 billion miles in diameter
Around 22 Quadrillion 222 Trillion 222 billion deep inside the Brahmanda at its middle is found another smaller inner Universe that is just 4 billion miles in diameter and called the Bhu-Mandala Universe that has 14 different Planetary Systems within it.
Also at the bottom of the Bhu-mandala Univere is an expansion of Maha Vishnu caled Garbhodakashayi Vishnu from whom a stem grows from His naval and at the top of the stem is a lotus flower where Lord Brahma resides.
Within and surrounding the stem which is Mt Meru, possibly symbolically exists all 14 Planetary Systems.
The Brahmanda greater bubble Universe may even be bigger
The inner Bhu-Mandala Universe is 4 billion miles in diameter.
There are "seven material layers" of the Brahmanda Universe
The first layer of the outer Brahmanda Dome encasing the Bhu-Mandala Universe is earth which is 10 times thicker than the 4 billion mile diameter Bhu-Mangala inner Universe which equals -
1 - Bhu-Mandala Universe is 4,000,000,000 (4 billion miles in size)
2 - Earth layer is 10×4 = 40,000,000,000 (40 billion miles thick)
3 - Water layer is 10×40 = 400,000,000,000 (400 billion)
4 - Fire layer is 10×400 = 4000,000,000,000 (4000 billion which is 4 Trillion)
5 - Air layer is 10×4 = 40,000,000,000,000 (40 Trillion)
6 - Sky layer is 10×40 = 400,000,000,000,000 (400 Trillion)
7 - Ego layer is 10×400 = 4000,000,000,000,000 (4000 Trillion which is 4 Quadrillion)
8 - Mahat-tattva layer is 10×4000 = 40,000,000,000,000,000 (40 Quadrillion)
So the full size of our Brahmanda Egg shaped Universe is a massive 44 Quadrillion 444 Trillion 444 billion miles in diameter
FB_IMG_1497741346720.jpg
HK,
The first layer is the earth, then water, fir, air, ether, mind and False ego. Each is 10 times thicker than the other.
so the layer of earth is 40 billion miles thick...80 billion miles is the total thickness of the 1st shell along the diameter.
second layer is 400 billion miles thick.
If we assume that the first shell has a radial thickness of forty billion miles, and that each successive shell is ten times as thick as the one preceding it, then the outer radius of the seventh shell comes to 44,444,442 billion miles.
In SB 3.26.52p Srila Prabhupada states, "The space within the hollow of the universe cannot be measured by any human scientist or anyone else." This also suggests that something unexpected must happen to space (as well as time) as one approaches the universal shell, for it hardly seems impossible to measure a distance of 2 billion miles in ordinary space.
Reference : Vedic Cosmography and Astronomy by Richard L Thompson (Sadaputa Pr), Chapter 6.
Please refer the book for more details. http://bhaktivedantacollege.org/bvc_site/resources_services/article...
Ys,
Deepak.
So the first layer is out of earth. Because earth contains all previous elements. Water does not contain earth. Fire does not contain water, air does not contain fire, ether does not contain air...
If the diameter of the universe is 4 billion miles then the thickness of the layer is 80 million miles which covers all that 4 billion miles in this way it has much space. But the thickness of it 80 million miles.
Hopes someone who knows well also will correct me if i am doing mistake.
Your servant,