Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.16.1
Sthāna· The universe in orderBhū-maṇḍala Extends to the Limits of Sunshine
“King Parīkṣit said to Śukadeva Gosvāmī: O brāhmaṇa, you have already informed me that the radius of Bhū-maṇḍala extends as far as the sun spreads its light and heat and as far as the moon and all the stars can be seen.”
What the purport teaches
- King Parīkṣit recalls that Bhū-maṇḍala extends as far as the sun spreads its light and heat, and where the moon and stars can be seen.
- The purport explains that bhūr in the Gāyatrī mantra refers to Bhū-maṇḍala. It describes the stars as reflecting sunshine, like the moon.
- The locations of the planetary systems were known to the sages of the Vedic age. Śukadeva Gosvāmī was sharing knowledge that was already ancient.
Try this today
Reread the translation today and summarize in one sentence what Parīkṣit remembered.
Ask yourself
What does Parīkṣit’s careful recollection teach me about listening?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.