PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Course Description and contents:

1. Description of “The Bhū-maṇḍala - Horizontal Structure of the Universe”

* Priyavrata Maharaja dividing the Bhū-maṇḍala into 7-Islands and 7-Oceans

* Description of Jambudvīpa and Bhārata-varṣa

* Description of remaining six islands, Mānasottara Mountain and Lokaloka Mountain (SB 5.1, 16-20)

2. References From Srila Vādiraja Tirtā’s “Bhūgola Varnanam”

* Divisions and the shape of the Bhū-maṇḍala

* Position and shape of the Earth Globe

* Vedic Perspective on Stars and Stellar distances

* An understanding about why we are not able to see the rest of the universe

3. Fourteen Planetary Systems - ‘Vertical Structure of the Universe’

* Description about the Sun, Moon and other planets (Nava-grahas)

* Distances between Earth-Sun-Moon; and their natures.

* Moon Landing – Vedic and Modern understanding

* Description of upper planetary systems

* Description of the Outerspace (Bhuvar-loka)

* Description of the Lower planetary systems (Bila-svarga)

* Description of Lord Sesa and Hellish Planets (SB 5.21-26)

4. The Movement of the Planets – “Vedic Planetarium: Geocentric Model of SB”

* Spinning Earth Vs. Fast moving Sun

* Gravitational Force Vs. Control of Pole star

* Explanation of 4 the principle phenomena's as suggested by Srila Prabhupada

1. Formation of Day and Night

2. Change of the Moon Phases

3. Uttarayana and Daksinayana movements of Sun and Moon

4. The Science of Eclipses (SB 5.21-24)

This is a brief list of the topics that will be touched upon during the presentation.

Course materials: Nil

Target audience: Open for all

Assessment Plan: Nil

Course Requirement: Anyone can study