Wonderful presentation! However, it is my duty to point out some error in Bharata-varasa geography in this lecture for the benefit of others. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! At 1.16.00 you say the sons of Sagara make nine divisions of Bharata-varasa. Although HH Danavir Goswami has also claimed this thing in his 2019 paper, it is not supported by Srimad Bhagavatam. As described in verse SB 5.19.29-30: Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, in the opinion of some learned scholars, eight smaller islands surround Jambūdvīpa. When the sons of Mahārāja Sagara were searching all over the world for their lost horse, they dug up the earth, and in this way eight adjoining islands came into existence. According to the previous verse, SB 9.8.9-10: "Thereafter, in the northeastern direction, they saw the horse near the āśrama of Kapila Muni" they were digging in the area of Sinhala (Ceylon) to see the sacrificial horse in the north-east at the Ganga-Sagara Kapila Ashrama. The names of these islands are Svarṇaprastha, Candraśukla, Āvartana, Ramaṇaka, Mandara-hariṇa, Pāñcajanya, Siṁhala and Laṅkā. Notice that these islands are not the list of nine divisions of Bharata-varsa created by King Bharata and divided amongst his nine brothers to rule (see below), while his other brothers all become brahmanas: SB 11.2.19 states: Nine of the remaining sons of Ṛṣabhadeva became the rulers of the nine islands [nava-dvīpa] of Bhārata-varṣha, and they exercised complete sovereignty over this planet. Eighty-one sons became twice-born brāhmaṇas and helped initiate the Vedic path of fruitive sacrifices (karma-kāṇḍa). So we see here in Bhagavatam that the nine so-called khandas of Bharata (not named in Srimad Bhagavatam, but named in other Puranas as Kumārikā (Bhārata-Khanda), Indradvīpa, Kaśeru, Tāmraparṇa, Gabhastimān, Nāgadvīpa, Saumya, Gāndharva and Vāruṇa) were made by Bharata Maharaja, while the islands in the Lavana 'sea of salt', Svarṇaprastha (Indonesia), Candraśukla (a heavenly island west of Uttarakuru), Āvartana, Ramaṇaka, Mandara-hariṇa (Madagasgar), Pāñcajanya, Siṁhala (Sri Lanka or Ceylon) and Laṅkā (located on the equator south of Ujjain according to Surya-Siddhanta) listed in SB 5.19.30 were created by the digging of the sons of King Sagara, and are further described as "upa-dvipas" in more detail the Vayu Purana's 48th Chapter. Furthermore, after Bharata Maharaja left his kingdom for the forest, he had divided his Bharata-varsa kingdom into FIVE for each son to rule: SB 5.7.2 "Just as the false ego creates the subtle sense objects, Mahārāja Bharata created five sons in the womb of Pañcajanī, his wife. These sons were named Sumati, Rāṣṭrabhṛta, Sudarśana, Āvaraṇa and Dhūmraketu." SB 5.7.8 "Destiny fixed the time for Mahārāja Bharata’s enjoyment of material opulence at one thousand times ten thousand years. When that period was finished, he retired from family life and divided the wealth he had received from his forefathers among his sons. He left his paternal home, the reservoir of all opulence, and started for Pulahāśrama, which is situated in Hardwar. The śālagrāma-śilās are obtainable there." These slokas from Bhagavatam provide evidence that Bharata-varasa was first divided into 9 regions by Bharata Maharaja, then into five regions to be ruled by his sons. They were never divided into islands by the sons of Sagara. At 1.18.00 you say "Earth is one of the nine divisions here". This is not supported by Bhagavatam. In the commentary by Srila Vasvanatha Cakravati Thakhura on the 5th Canto, he quotes these nine "Khandas" from Vishnu Purana, but he says that "Bharata Khanda is Punya Bhumi, the 1,000 yojana section of India, from the Himalaya Mountains to Cape Kanya-Kumari, where liberation is very easy". There are sixteen verses in Srimad Bhagavatam where Srila Prabhupada also states that "India" was known as "Bharata-varsa" or "Punya-Bhumi". Thus, Srila Prabhupada often referred to our Earth as Bharata-varsa / Karma-Bhumi, and India as Bharata-varsa / Punya-Bhumi in the Srimad Bhagavatam: 1) ŚB 4.25.13 “Once, while wandering in this way, he saw on the southern side of the Himālayas, in a place named Bhārata-varṣa [India], a city that had nine gates all about and was characterized by all auspicious facilities.” Purport: “The tract of land south of the Himālaya Mountains is the land of India, which was known as Bhārata-varṣa.” 2) ŚB 5.4.9 Purport: “On e who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India (Bhārata-varṣa) should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.” 3) ŚB 5.6.13 "Oh, this earthly planet contains seven seas and many islands and lands, of which Bhārata-varṣa is considered the most pious. People of Bhārata-varṣa are accustomed to glorifying the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His incarnations of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva and others.” Purport: “Śrīla Madhvācārya also recognizes the land of Bhārata-varṣa: viśeṣād bhārate puṇyam. Throughout the world, there is no question of bhagavad-bhakti or devotional service, but the people of Bhārata-varṣa can easily understand the devotional service of the Lord. Thus every inhabitant of Bhārata-varṣa can perfect his life by discharging bhagavad-bhakti and then preaching this cult throughout the world for the benefit of everyone.” 4) ŚB 5.16.9 “They mark the boundaries of the three varṣas named Hari-varṣa, Kiṁpuruṣa-varṣa and Bhāratavarṣa [India].” 5) ŚB 5.17.9 “The Ganges known as Alakanandā flows ... down onto the tract of land known as Bhārata-varṣa” Purport: “Thus it is a special facility for all the people of India that they can bathe in the water of the Ganges at so many places of pilgrimage.” 6) CHAPTER NINETEEN (5.19) “A Description of the Island of Jambūdvīpa. This chapter describes the glories of Bhārata-varṣa. When Devarṣi Nārada descended to instruct Sārvaṇi Manu, he described the opulence of Bhārata-varṣa, India.” 7) ŚB 5.19.10 Synonyms: bhāratībhiḥ - of the land known as Bhārata-varṣa (India). Purport: “The real success or fulfillment of the mission of human life can be achieved in India, Bhārata-varṣa ... this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has been started not only for the inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa but for all the people of the world” 8) ŚB 5.19.16 “In the tract of land known as Bhārata-varṣa, as in Ilāvṛta-varṣa, there are many mountains and rivers.” In this sloka, every mountain listed is found in the Indian sub-continent. 9) ŚB 5.19.17-18 “These are other great rivers that are very prominent ... Thus the inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa become purified.” All 47 rivers listed in this sloka only flow in the Indian subcontinent. 10) ŚB 5.19.21 Purport: “One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people. There are many facilities in India, Bhārata-varṣa, for executing devotional service.” 11) ŚB 5.19.24 “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, specifically in Bengal, in the district of Nadia, where Navadvīpa is situated. It is therefore to be concluded, as stated by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, that within this universe, this Earth is the best planet, and on this planet the land of Bhārata-varṣa is the best; in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, Bengal is still better, in Bengal the district of Nadia is still better, and in Nadia the best place is Navadvīpa because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared there to inaugurate the performance of the sacrifice of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.” 12) ŚB 5.19.26 “In India [Bhārata-varṣa], there are many worshipers of the demigods, the various officials appointed by the Supreme Lord, such as Indra, Candra and Sūrya, all of whom are worshiped differently.” 13) ŚB 5.19.29-30 Purport: “Although the demigods are situated in exalted positions in the heavenly planets, they nevertheless desire to descend to the land of Bhārata-varṣa on the planet Earth. This indicates that even the demigods are unfit to reside in Bhārata-varṣa.” 14) ŚB 6.10.10 Purport: “One who has taken birth as a human being in the land of India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.” 15) ŚB 6.16.58 Synonyms: iha - in this material world (especially in this pious land of Bhārata-varṣa, India) “A human being can attain perfection in life by self-realization through the Vedic literature and its practical application. This is possible especially for a human being born in India, the land of piety.” 16) ŚB 7.7.53 Purport: “Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised all human beings born in India to make their lives perfect by Kṛṣṇa consciousness and then preach the gospel of Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world” More recent research into the Puranic geography of Bharata-varsa can be read here: www.harekrsna.com/sun/editorials/05-19/puranic-geography.pdf and here: soolaba.wordpress.com/puranic-geography/
Hare Krishna prabhuji..PAMHO.. .i have a doubt about why inside brahmanda become dark...my answer is Kshirodaka sai vishnu become virad form and covering whole brahmanda..like backword position...means..friend side face stomach are outside or outmost covering...and the back head bend towerds heel of foot touching position...so that friend side will glow with effulgent of kshirodaka sai vishnu as golden lightning...but inner side or the backside of kshirodakasai vishnu is tottaly dark...or maaya....When Garbodakasai vishnu is entering into brahmanda...it become glow due to the effulgents..of Garbodakasai vishnu ...also filled with water as swetting from GARBODAKASAI vishnu..as Garba ocean....am bindumathi Radha devi dasi...from krishna kadha desh...
