Superb Spirituality & Science Derived Myths .

1. Sri Krishna’s Milky Way
Galaxy
by Govardhan dasa
Dear Prabhu’s and Mataji’s, my humble obeisances to you all!

3. I am an initiated grand-disciple of Srila Prabhupada and the
son of devotees initiated by Srila Prabhupada. I grew up with
Srila Prabhupada in the forefront of my early life — His
great legacy, movement and devotees, his teachings &
amazing books are super near and dear to my heart.
For the past few years or so I’ve been reading Srimad
Bhagavatam with a focus on cosmology and creation (5th
Canto and others), in parallel with a journey into the basics of
modern Astronomy &Astrophysics.
The connections and discoveries I’ve stumbled upon by
comparing modern science and Bhagavata cosmology and
spirituality have been incredibly profound and “mind-
blowing.”
I beg to share with you something about that here as a
humble offering.
However, first here’s a very relevant conversation excerpt.
The following is from a conversation on April 30,
1977, in Bombay with ISKCON founder Srila A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada talking to a
renowned Vedic Scholar in an effort to find someone who
could properly explain the Fifth Canto of Bhagavata Purana
and help create a cosmology diagram for the Temple of the
Vedic Planetarium.
**** *** **
Agnihotram Ramanuja Tatachariar: …because as we
prepare diagram on the basis of pañcama-skandha,
Bhāgavata (5th Canto, Srimad Bhagavatam), all must be

4. given there. (continues reading verses from Bhāgavatam in
Sanskrit)
Gopala Kṛ ṣ ṇ a: Begin the drawing now, so that
Prabhupāda can see it before he leaves.
Agnihotram Ramanuja Tatachariar: No, because I am
not able to prepare the diagrams and other things. With the
help of my friends only I can do. I give the translation to
them and all do the work. Simply we can show to them.
Srila Prabhupada: I have tried to translate it as far as
possible, but I am not satisfied.
Agnihotram Ramanuja Tatachariar: A deep study of
the text is absolutely necessary.
Srila Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Agnihotram Ramanuja Tatachariar: Deep study of
text, and also with a mind of preparing diagram, study of
the…, that is… We ask Padma-bhūṣ aṇ a. How is Padma-
bhūṣ aṇ a…
Srila Prabhupāda: What is your idea of the seven planets,
sun…?
**** *** **
Reading and hearing this conversation for the first time was
amazing for me. I didn’t know Srila Prabhupada wasn’t
satisfied with his translation of Srimad Bhagavatam’s 5th
Canto. I was also not satisfied (with my own understanding),
but I was afraid to voice it.

5. 5th Canto Bhagavatam Model of the Cosmos
The Srimad Bhagavatam is Srila Prabhupada’s priceless gift.
It is the Supreme Lords magnificent sound and book
incarnation. However there is still this canto [and other
cosmological references] in this great scripture that remain
somewhat mysterious and transcendental to logic and
experience.
To recap, in 1977 in regard to his own translation of the
[already published] 5th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila
Prabhupada said:
“I have tried to translateit as far as possible,
but I am not satisfied.”
*** *** **

6. Puranic Descriptions of the Universe beg our faith, because
they rarely match up with the physical reality we see with our
eyes and telescopes when we look out into the heavens.
Cosmic Lila of Lord Vishnu (Kurma), Brahma, Shiva and the Devas

7. As a researcher of Bhagavatam cosmology, my opinion is that
Srila Prabhupada was not satisfied with his translation
because certain words and constructs didn’t have appropriate
Sanskrit dictionary translations or any logical explanations
by Astronomers like the Indian man in the 1977 interview.
The actual science which the 5th canto Bhagavatam
illustrates wasn’t clearly understood (or proved in reality) by
astronomers yet. It was more in the realm of theory.
Scientifically speaking, the core of Bhagavatam cosmology
was during Srila Prabhupada’s time mostly in the realm
of Theoretical Physics and Mathematics.

8. Astonishingly, some of the most important aspects of
Bhagavatam Cosmology was in part also predicted by Albert
Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity and revealed by
Schwarzschild in his solution to Einstein’s field equations.
I suppose you’re wondering what I’m talking by now? Let me
back up a bit in the story and explain.
**** *** **
A few years back, after many years of not being satisfied with
(or properly grasping) the 5th canto and other cosmological
references, I eventually I ventured to see if the cosmology
outlined in Srimad Bhagavatam had a “scientific basis.”
Not to challenge anything written or said by previous
Acaryas — but rather to see if there were any new clues,
because there have been many new and exciting scientific
discoveries and observations in recent decades.

9. So, I set out to get an udpated perspective on the Universe
from online learning materials (especially Astrophysics)
provided by http://science.nasa.gov and similar sites.
I was especially intrigued withGalaxy formation & evolution,
as well as Black Hole science and the incredible effects
of Dark Matter and Dark Energy on our visible universe. I’m
also fascinated withPaleoclimatology and cyclical climate
change events as they relate to mass extinctions and
evolutions, evident in our earth’s fossil record and other
sources.

16. The amazingly simple truth is that among other things “Bhu-
mandala” is ourMilky Way Galaxy with the Lord in the
Center.
It is clear to me that the great four-sided Sumeru
Mountain and Jambhudvipa is cosmically the central
bulge region of our “barred spiral galaxy,” with the Supreme
Lord as its basis — as the central core — the
“timeless,” exponentially massive, infinitely compressed,
gravitational “singularity” and “mathematically
infinite” Supermassive Black Hole.

20. There is evidence in the Srimad Bhagavatam to show that the
lotus bud in which Lord Brahma was born, was cosmically
the “Fermi bubbles (video,article),” observed by the Rishis
back eons ago when the bubbles emitted light in the visible
spectrum (like this).
The beautifully perplexing thing is that our Bhagavata
theology celebrates Sri Krishna and Vishnu as our Milky
Way’s central Supermassive Black Hole and the source of the
gravitational force itself.
Lord Krsna is the Paramatma of our Galaxy and we are all
attracted to His flute sound emanating from the Center. For
the Sages to have qualified Supermassive Black Holes like
this gives me goosebumps!

21. “Bhu Mata” is mother earth and “Bhu Mandala” is the
“svastika mandala” arrangement of stars, planets and matter

22. that makes up our home Galaxy, again with the Lord and His
abode in the middle.
SB 5.16.28 — In the middle of the summit of Meru is
the township of Lord Brahma. Each of its four sides is
calculated to extend for ten million yojanas [eighty million
miles]. It is made entirely of gold, and therefore learned
scholars and sages call it Satakaumbhī.

24. SB 5.16.11 — On the four sides of the great mountain
known as Sumeru are four mountains — Mandara,
Merumandara, Supārśva and Kumuda — which are like
its belts. The length and height of these mountains are
calculated to be 10,000 yojanas [80,000 miles].
Sages such as Vyasa were so incredibly genius, that along
with the science of divine love they encoded Astrophysics into
our Sastras! Also since ancient times and even in the Rig
Veda, cows were microcosmically stars. Lord Krishna, the
central fountainhead of divine love is the ultimate cow-
herder.
Stories like the birth of Brahmaji paint a picture of something
remarkably scientific, cosmically speaking — creation and

25. cosmic-energy-ignited stellar birth. The Rishi’s worshipped
cosmic energy. The “Rays of Visnu” is not simply a poetic
phrase. Quasars are the most luminous objects in the
Universe.

27. It’s strangely ironic and wonderful to me that
Astrophysics — a branch of modern science — helps
illuminate 5th Canto Srimad Bhagavatam cosmology. The
Lord works in mysterious ways.
The Sisumara Cakra is our home Milky Way Galaxy, and
there is located Jambudvipa and mount Sumeru with its 4
“belt-like mountain ranges.”

29. Our solar systemand earth is there in the Yellow dot.
* *** **
Why would the Lord Appear as a
Supermassive Black Hole?
Black Holes are literally “Masters of the Universe.” With help
from Dark Energy Black Holes shape Galaxies, and thus mold
most of the Universe. Active Black Holes/Quasars are sources
of the most powerful blasts of energy observed in our

30. Universe, yet paradoxically they are directly invisible or
black, as they absorb light.

32. The most powerful and “exotic objects” in the universe are
dark, black and attractive — and beautifully garmented if
you ask me (see above). Sound familiar? Scientifically
speaking, these incredible forces do destruction, maintenance
and creation work.
Black Holes are at heart of our very own experience of Time,
Space, Energy and Matter here in the material world. Our
Sun is orbiting our Milky Way’s central Supermassive Black
Hole as you read this. Far beyond Surya Deva (our Sun), it is
Lord Vishnu or Lord Jagannath that spins our Galactic Disc
round about.

40. **** *** **
Rays of Visnu: what are the
Brightest Lights in the Universe?
**** *** **
More Specifics on Bhagavata
Cosmology

41. A Brahmanda (or “brahma’s egg” or cosmic egg) is not our
Universe, literally… it is our Galaxy and our “local”
Brahmanda is our Milky Way Galaxy.
Billions of “anda’s” with different Brahma’s emanate from the
pores or “holes” of the one great central source Maha-Vishnu,
who is literally the Universe (this is my evolving
understanding)…. all the anda’s or galaxies expanded from

42. one great source. Science calls this expansion the Big Bang,
because they — as did the Rishis of yore — observed
that the Universe and all of its contents had originally
expanded from one point. I believe the Sages observed and
understoodredshift.

43. The Lord of the Universe has two
main Symbols: Disc or Wheel and
Conch

45. Our observable Universe mostly
consists of Elliptical Disc & Spiral
Galaxies:

48. *** *** **
Our Milky Way Galaxy — Our local
Manifestation of Sri Visnu, tri-
murti and Lord Govinda
The Srimad Bhagavatam explains the Milky Way Galaxy in so
many different ways, always with the Lord in the Center
surrounded by his Laksmis — or later in the Bhagavatam,
Lord Shyama Sundar plays his flute in the center of the Rasa
dance surrounded by the Gopis. This is analogous with the
physics and constitution of our Galaxy and the process of
creation (of stars and planets, and life!).

50. Galactic Avataras
Interestingly, every millennium the Earth sinks into the
cosmic ocean in despair, but the Lord heroically lifts her out
of the muck and into the clear, and places her gently upon the
surface of the ocean (Jaya Varahadeva!).
This Lila alludes to the perilous journey that earth takes
through space and is most probably the cause of the Yugas
and evolutions on earth. (Visnu causes extinctions and

51. evolutions through his Cosmic Rays & Energy, not random
processes).
Srila Vyasadeva and his ancestors observed and worshiped
the great Milky Way Galaxy orbiting (doing “parikrama”)
around a super-massive invisible yet radiant center, that is
the “Supermassive Black Hole” in the Galactic Core of our
Milky Way Galaxy.
That is the Sisumara (Dolphin) Cakra. The dolphin is the
Milky Way, and within the core of her heart is situated Lord
Narayana or, according toBrahma Samhita it is Lord Govinda
in the center and there the geometry of the innermost region
of the Galactic core is illuminated.

52. Does anyone see the sisumara cakra here? A dolphin shape in our milky way?
Once we learn even a little bit about our Galaxy and Black
Holes, the 5th canto (and many other cantos) of Srimad
Bhagavatam start to reveal an enormous meta layer of
“spiritual astrophysics” that runs throughout this remarkable
masterpiece.

53. Shiva’s dumaru drum?
Active Galactic Neuclei and Quasars are sources of the most
energetic explosions of cosmic energy in the Universe, and
Supermassive Black Holes are the hubs which spin the
Galactic wheels round.

54. Black Holes swallow and destroy stars and planets with
unimaginable force, but they do much more to sustain and
organize and evolve the Galaxies.