Text 2] A Description of Jambidvipa 91

varenyam: the sunshine spreads throughout Bha-mandala. Therefore
the sun is worshipable. The stars, which are known as naksatra, are not
different suns, as modern astronomers suppose. From Bhagavad-gita
(10.21) we understand that the stars are similar to the moon (nak-
satranam aham Sasi). Like the moon, the stars reflect the sunshine.
Apart from our modern distinguished estimations of where the planetary
systems are located, we can understand that the sky and its various
planets were studied long, long before Srimad-Bhagatavam was com-
piled. Sukadeva Gosvami explained the location of the planets, and this
indicates that the information was known long, long before Sukadeva
Gosvami related it to Maharaja Pariksit. The location of the various
planetary systems was not unknown to the sages who flourished in the

Vedic age.

TEXT 2

aaft fraaacracnaitert: aati: aq fae sqaam aa
Taal: again way ag afad caearfaand
aan sanagy ad fafaaranfe i 2 i

tatrapi priyavrata-ratha-carana-parikhataih saptabhih sapta sindhava
upaklpta yata etasyah sapta-dvipa-visesa-vikalpas tvaya bhagavan
khalu sicita etad evakhilam aham mdnato laksanatas ca sarvam vi-
Jyfidsami.

tatra api—in that Bhi-mandala; priyavrata-ratha-carana-
parikhataih—by the ditches made by the wheels of the chariot used by
Priyavrata Maharaja while circumambulating Sumeru behind the sun:
saptabhih—by the seven: sapta—seven; sindhavah—oceans:
upaklptah—created; yatah—because of which; etasyah—of this Bha-
mandala; sapta-dvipa—of the seven islands: visesa-vikalpah—the mode
of the construction; tuaya—by you; bhagavan—O great saint: khalu—
indeed; sicitah—described: etat—this:; eva—certainly: akhilam—
whole subject: aham—1; manatah—from the point of view of measure-
ment; laksanatah—and from symptoms: ca—also; sarvam—every-
thing: vijijidsami—wish to know.
