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Friday, 16 May 1975

Prabhupada's morning walk conversations continued to be topical, fascinating -- and sometimes controversial. According to the Vedic version, Prabhupada said, the modern astronomers' proposition that the moon is nearest to the earth should not be accepted. Actually, he said, the moon was far, far away and could not be approached by a so-called "moon expedition". As evidence, Prabhupada cited the chronological order in which people all over the world refer to the days of the week -- Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; Sunday referred to the Sun, Monday to the moon -- and so on. This, he said, corresponds to the Vedic order of the planets and thus circumstantiates the Vedic version.

Srutakirti doubted that the scientists would agree to such a proposal, but Prabhupada was not about to back down. "Who is accepting them as scientists?" He challenged Srutakirti to tell him where the idea of "Sunday first" came from. Srutakirti suggested that it came from the Greeks. Prabhupada conceded, but gave the whole picture.

The Greeks, he explained, had gotten the idea from India, since the Greek civilisation originally came from there. He gave the history. "Maharaja Yudhisthira ruled over 5,000 years ago. His grandson was Pariksit, and his son was Janamejaya. Janamejaya's son was Maharaja Yayati. Yayati banished his two sons to the European quarters. They started the Greek and Roman Empires. Later, they deviated from the pure Vedic culture. This is the history."

Amogha enquired whether the Greek civilisation kept any connection with Vedic culture.

"Oh, yes," Prabhupada said. "They were worshipping demigods from the Vedas."

Similarly, Srila Prabhupada explained, everything originally came from the Vedic culture. He gave the example of the Arabic system of counting. "Indian astrology was taken up by the Arabians. The 'one, two, three, four, five, six, up to nine, then zero' -- these figures were taken from India."

Getting back to his original point, Prabhupada re-stated that the "Sunday, Monday" argument supported his assertion that astronauts had never set foot on the moon. Prabhupada hinted at a massive cover-up.

"If they admit that they've never gone to the moon, then the whole civilisation will change; and if they stop, then they are 'failures'. So they will have to continue this. Otherwise they will be revealed as a farce before the world. They are in such a position."

Prabhupada compared the promises of the scientists to the demonic proposals of Ravana, who had challenged the followers of Vedic culture: "Why are you undergoing so much austerity to go to the heavenly planets? I shall build a staircase."

Prabhupada added that Ravana, of course, never attempted such a task. "He simply bluffed, that's all. So demon's proposals are like that. Therefore, it is a common saying in India that if someone proposes something unattainable, they say 'ravane svarge sidi' -- this is like Ravana's plans to build a staircase to the heavenly planets'."

Srila Prabhupada continued to give evidence how India was in fact the "cradle of civilisation". Two million years previously, Ravana's brother Mahiravana lived in South America and had built a tunnel through the Earth from Brazil to Ceylon. (Mahi, Prabhupada pointed out, meant "Earth".) Ceylon at the time was called Lanka, and every building there was covered in gold -- thus the name svarna lanka, "golden Lanka".

Prabhupada described how all the gold was transported through the tunnel from Brazil. "And," he said, "these Mexicans, South Americans, they resemble almost exactly Indian body." Contrary to modern theory, he said, the world at that time was fully populated.

Paramahamsa, intrigued by Prabhupada's descriptions, wondered how they were able to build such fantastic temples and palaces. Prabhupada explained. "Vedic civilisation was spread all over -- it was very prosperous, and so much advanced. Demons and giants were engaged for construction. They were very good artists. Such stories are in the Mahabharata also."

Prabhupada detailed how structures such as Lord Jagannatha's temple in Puri had been built. "Sand is stacked, just like this." Prabhupada pointed at the sand dunes bordering the beach. "The temple is being manufactured, and it is surrounded with sand, thrown all sides. When it is finished, the sand is taken away."

The devotees tried to picture the process. Ganesa asked whether Prabhupada meant that the temple was manufactured in the sand. Prabhupada gave more details.

"No, as usual. Just like they dig a well. They begin immediately, then dig the earth, and the structure goes down. Then again, then again, like that. They were expert, and practically there was no labour cost. Previously, this was the system. Now they employ the so-called first-class men, engineers, to construct, but this was meant for demons and giants."

Later, Amogha recounted a popular story he had heard from a devotee returning from Fiji. The local people described how Kaliya, the giant serpent described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, is still living, residing in a big lake on top of a mountain there.

Prabhupada verified the story. "Yes," he confirmed. "He was driven away from Vrndavana."


- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu