Text 18] Hiranyakasipu Terrorizes the Universe 183
PURPORT
The water of the seas and oceans of this planet, of which we have ex-
perience, are salty, but other planets within the universe contain oceans
of sugarcane juice, liquor, ghee, milk and sweet water. The rivers are
figuratively described as wives of the oceans and seas because they glide
down to the oceans and seas as tributaries, like the wives attached to their
husbands. Modern scientists attempt excursions to other planets, but
they have no information of how many different types of oceans and seas
there are within the universe. According to their experience, the moon is
full of dust, but this does not explain how it gives us soothing rays from a
distance of millions of miles. As far as we are concerned, we follow the
authority of Vyasadeva and Sukadeva Gosvami, who have described the
universal situation according to the Vedic literature. These authorities
differ from modern scientists who conclude from their imperfect sensual
experience that only this planet is inhabited by living beings whereas the
other planets are all vacant or full of dust.
TEXT 18
aon ature aay TI SAT: |
TA STEMS TT THTMTT 2 CII
Saila dronibhir akridam
sarvartusu gunadn drumah
dadhara loka-palanam
eka eva prthag gunan
Sailéh—the hills and mountains; dronibhih—with the valleys between
them; Gkridam—pleasure grounds for Hiranyakasipu; sarva—all:
rtusu—in the seasons of the year; gundn—different qualities (fruits and
flowers); drumaéh—the plants and trees; dadhara—executed: loka-
palanadm—of the other demigods in charge of different departments of
natural activity; ekah—alone; eva—indeed; prthak—different:
gunan—qualities.
TRANSLATION
The valleys between the mountains became fields of pleasure
for Hiranyakasipu, by whose influence all the trees and plants
