Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.20.37
Sthāna· The universe in orderThe Cosmic Boundary Established by Kṛṣṇa
“By the supreme will of Kṛṣṇa, the mountain known as Lokāloka has been installed as the outer border of the three worlds — Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka and Svarloka — to control the rays of the sun throughout the universe. All the luminaries, from the sun up to Dhruvaloka, distribute their rays throughout the three worlds, but only within the boundary formed by this mountain. Because it is extremely high, extending even higher than Dhruvaloka, it blocks the rays of the luminaries, which therefore can never extend beyond it.”
What the purport teaches
- By Kṛṣṇa’s supreme will, Lokāloka forms the outer border of Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka and Svarloka. The purport explains that these are the three primary planetary systems.
- Lokāloka regulates the distribution of rays from the sun and other luminaries. Rising higher than Dhruvaloka, it prevents those rays from extending beyond its boundary.
- Śukadeva Gosvāmī received this knowledge through disciplic succession and spoke it to Mahārāja Parīkṣit. The purport emphasizes the perfection and antiquity of knowledge received in this way.
Try this today
Reread the opening sentence and pause to remember Kṛṣṇa’s supreme will.
Ask yourself
How does learning that this arrangement rests on Kṛṣṇa’s will affect my reading?
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.