BHOOGOLAM - A STUDY ON EARTH

 

The Earth, spherical in shape, is the third planet from the Sun in the solar system and is the only one that has sustainable living conditions. Because of the existence of water, the Earth appears blue when viewed from outer space, earning it the nickname “blue planet.” We must be extremely cautious about its preservation because life is not possible on any of the planets other than Earth and it has one Moon. The composition of the Earth's surface is 70% water and only 30% land. Water bodies such as oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers and seas make up 70% of the water content on Earth.

The sixteenth Chapter, fifth Skanda of Bhagavata Puranam in Sanskrit describes in detail about the earth. (https://gaudiya.redzambala.com/srimad-bhagavatam/srimad-bhagavatam-canto-5-chapter-16.html)

“भूमण्डले सूर्यः तपति, तथैव शुक्लपक्षकृष्णपक्षयोः नक्षत्रगणैः सह असौ चन्द्रः दृश्यते, भूगोलकविशेषं नाम-रूप-मान-लक्षणतो व्याख्यास्यामः,”

The radius of Bhū-maṇḍala extends as far as the sun spreads its light and heat and as far as the moon and all the stars can be seen.  There is no limit to the expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s material energy. This material world is a transformation of the material qualities [sattva-guṇa=Nobleness; rajo-guṇa=Violence; and tamo-guṇa=Ignorance], yet no one could possibly explain it perfectly, even in a lifetime as long as that of Brahmā. No one in the material world is perfect, and an imperfect person could not describe this material universe accurately, even after continued speculation. The principal regions, such as Bhūloka, with their names, forms, measurements and various symptoms are described.

In Sanskrit, the earth is called Bhooma devi.  According to Mahabharata, Bhoomi was the daughter of Brahma who was married by MahaVishnu.  The earth on which we live is the Mrtpinda i.e. a clay in the form of a ball of which the basic deity is Bhoomadevi.    

Tenth skandha of Bhagavatapuranam says, Narakasura was Bhoomidevi’s son by Mahavishnu.  When Hiranyaksha, in the form a pig, carried Bhoomadevi on his horn to Patalaloka the nether world, Mahavishnu saved her by the divine incarnation of Varaha = wild Boar.

The germinating period of geographical documentation begins with Nadisukta in RigVeda, chapter X - 75. 

Aitareya Brahmanam chapter VIII - 14 accounts regional geography of Bharatam=India.

MahaBharatam chapter VI - 11. 12, Bhoomiparva gives physiographical, climatological and meteorological details of the earth.

Sathapatha Brahmanam (1.2.5.2-7) traces the oldest Indian term “Vedi” (Synonym of Map) to the Vedic period.

These points clearly show that the land of our country Bharatham was measured and its boundaries were fixed or mapped on sheets in ancient India with Cartographical effects.

 

(This blogpost is a part of Blogchatter's  # BLOGCHATTERA2Z2023)