{"id":12764,"date":"2014-07-12T06:38:15","date_gmt":"2014-07-12T06:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=12764"},"modified":"2014-10-08T18:22:26","modified_gmt":"2014-10-08T18:22:26","slug":"reconciling-seemingly-outrageous-figures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=12764","title":{"rendered":"Reconciling Seemingly Outrageous Figures"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Madhavananda Das and Hari Parshad Das<\/b><\/p>\n


<\/b><\/p>\n

Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja often said that he wanted to show that everything was in Srila Prabhupada’s books. The following article is a humble offering to him to help serve that desire.<\/i><\/p>\n

—————<\/p>\n

Some of the numbers given in Vedic literatures seem too large to be true. For example, the forty-first verse of chapter ninety of the tenth canto of \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam<\/i> states:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

tasra\u1e25 ko\u1e6dya\u1e25 sahasr\u0101\u1e47\u0101m a\u1e63\u1e6d\u0101\u015b\u012bti-\u015bat\u0101nica<\/i>
\u0101san yadu-kul\u0101c\u0101ry\u0101\u1e25 kum\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u0101m iti \u015brutam
<\/i>
[In Dwarka] the Yadu family [had so many children] that they employed 38,800,000 teachers to educate them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n


<\/b><\/p>\n

Quadrillions of Bodyguards<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The next verse says lak\u1e63e\u1e47\u0101stesa \u0101huka\u1e25<\/i> \u2014 Maharaja Ugrasena had an entourage of thirty trillion attendants. In chapter ninety of Krishna Book<\/i>, Srila Prabhupada gives an even more fantastic figure: \u201c… it is said that King Ugrasena alone had ten quadrillion soldiers as personal bodyguards.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

One quadrillion is equivalent to a thousand million millions \u2014 a one with 15 zeros following it. The world population today is estimated to be 7.148 billion persons. In other words, according to Srila Prabhupada, King Ugrasena had over 100,000 times more personal bodyguards than the entire present population of the earth planet. And aside from that, there were also cooks, laborers, priests, housewives, children, soldiers, and the rest of a variegated population of Dwarka. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Regarding the number of personal servants of Maharaja Ugrasena, Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakura offers an explanation in his commentary to the \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam<\/i> 10.90.42 as follows:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

atr\u0101yut\u0101n\u0101m iti bahu-vacana\u1e41 kapi\u00f1jal\u0101dhikara\u1e47a-ny\u0101yena. tritva-vi\u015bi\u1e63\u1e6d\u0101y\u0101\u1e41 sa\u1e45khy\u0101y\u0101\u1e41 paryavas\u0101yitam ayut\u0101n\u0101m ayuta-lak\u1e63a\u1e47ena bindu-trayoda\u015ba-yuktena traye\u1e47a \u015ba\u1e45kha-traye\u1e47ety artha\u1e25. \u0101s\u012bd iti vaktavye \u0101sta iti nitya-l\u012bl\u0101-sph\u016brty\u0101 uktam.<\/i><\/p>\n

The plural in the term \u201cayut\u0101n\u0101m<\/i>\u201dshould be understood according to the maxim of kapi\u00f1jala-ny\u0101ya<\/i>.[The kapi\u00f1jala-ny\u0101ya<\/i>says that whenever plural is used in context of numbers, it should be understood as the number 3]. Thus, the number here is 3 followed by thirteen zeros (30,000,000,000,000).<\/p>\n

The present tense term \u201c\u0101ste<\/i>\u201d (are) in this verse is used instead of the past tense \u201c\u0101s\u012bd<\/i>\u201d (were) and this indicates that this great number is being spoken of by Srila Shukadev Goswami from the remembrance of the continuous ongoing nitya-l\u012bl\u0101<\/i> of the Lord [in Goloka Vrindavan, and not from the pastimes that happened on earth]. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Unlimited Cows<\/b><\/p>\n


<\/b><\/p>\n

What to speak of the cows of Vrindavan! In his purport to \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam<\/i> 10.12.2, Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur says that the number of Krishna\u2019s cows exceeded one followed by seventeen zeros. That\u2019s in the realm of one hundred quadrillion cows. And Visvanath says that was just the young calves, the older cows far exceeded that amount. In his commentary on Bh\u0101gavatam <\/i>10.12.2, Srila Jiva Goswami explains:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

eva\u1e41 vats\u0101n\u0101\u1e41 b\u0101l\u0101na\u00f1c\u0101nantyam uktam. ittha\u1e41 vane b\u0101lai\u1e25 p\u0101lyam\u0101n\u0101n\u0101m api vats\u0101n\u0101\u1e41 yad\u012byatt\u0101 n\u0101bh\u016bt tarhi vraje ruddh\u0101n\u0101m abhinav\u0101n\u0101\u1e41 t\u1e5b\u1e47a-car\u0101\u1e47\u0101\u1e41 tath\u0101 go-sa\u1e45ge gat\u0101n\u0101\u00f1ca mukta-stany\u0101n\u0101\u1e41 vats\u0101n\u0101\u1e41 tath\u0101 tan-m\u0101t\u1e5d\u1e47\u0101m any\u0101s\u0101\u00f1ca gav\u0101\u1e41 tath\u0101 vatsatar\u012b\u1e47\u0101\u1e41 v\u1e5b\u1e63\u0101\u1e47\u0101\u00f1ca \u015br\u012b-gop\u0101la-deva-prabh\u0101ve\u1e47a nitya\u1e41 vivardham\u0101n\u0101n\u0101m iyatt\u0101 katham \u0101st\u0101m? mahi\u1e63y\u0101daya\u015bca kena v\u0101 ga\u1e47y\u0101 ity evam asa\u1e45khyey\u0101\u1e25 pa\u015bavas tad-anus\u0101re\u1e47a gopa-gopy\u0101daya\u015b c\u0101nant\u0101 j\u00f1ey\u0101.<\/i><\/p>\n

The boys and calves of Vrindavan together could not be counted. If the number of calves that they herded in the forest was beyond calculation, how many more calves must have been left back in Vraja — the small calves taking milk from their mothers, as well as the mothers of the calves that went to the forest, other cows, the elder male and female calves, the bulls, whose numbers kept increasing daily by the power of Gopal, and the buffalo as well? Thus the animals, cowherd and cowherd women were unlimited in number. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

How do we understand such numbers? Are they exaggeration? Allegory?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur gives an answer in his S\u0101r\u0101rtha-dar\u015bini <\/i>commentary on \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam<\/i> 10.12.3:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

na ca \u1e63o\u1e0da\u015ba-kro\u015b\u012b-m\u0101trasya v\u1e5bnd\u0101vanasya prade\u015be t\u0101vanto vats\u0101\u1e25 naiva bh\u0101nt\u012bti v\u0101cya\u1e41 bhagavad-vigrahasyaiva dh\u0101mna\u015b c\u0101sya tath\u0101parimitatve \u2018py acintya-\u015bakty\u0101 vibhutv\u0101t tat-prade\u015baika-de\u015be \u2018pi pa\u00f1c\u0101\u015bata-ko\u1e6di-yojana-pram\u0101\u1e47a-brahm\u0101\u1e47\u1e0d\u0101rbud\u0101n\u0101\u1e41 bhagavataiva brahma\u1e47e etat-uttar\u0101dhy\u0101ye dar\u015bayi\u1e63yam\u0101\u1e47atv\u0101d ata
<\/i>
One should not argue that such a large number of cows could not possibly fit into the thirty-two square mile area of Vrindavan, because the dh\u0101ma<\/i> is unlimited by the inconceivable energy of the Lord. Even a small portion of the holy dh\u0101ma<\/i> is sufficient to accommodate billions of universes each measuring fifty million miles in diameter. Krishna showed this to Brahma in a later chapter. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

Srila Prabhupada similarly writes in his purport to \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam <\/i>10.12.3:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In this verse the words k\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a-vatsairasa\u1e45khy\u0101tai\u1e25<\/i> are significant. The word asa\u1e45khy\u0101ta<\/i> means \u201cunlimited.\u201d Krishna\u2019<\/i>s calves were unlimited. We may speak of hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions, billions, trillions, tens of trillions, and soon, but when we go further to speak of numbers impossible for us to count, we are speaking of unlimited numbers. Such unlimited numbers are indicated here by the word asa\u1e45khy\u0101tai\u1e25<\/i>. Krishna is unlimited, his potency is unlimited, his cows and calves are unlimited, and his space is unlimited. Therefore he is described in Bhagavad-g\u012bt\u0101<\/i> as Para-brahman. The word brahman means \u201cunlimited,\u201d and Krishna is the Supreme Unlimited, Para-brahman. Therefore, we should not consider the statements of this verse to be mythological. They are factual, but inconceivable. Krishna can accommodate an unlimited number of calves and an unlimited measurement of space. This is neither mythological nor false, but if we study Krishna\u2019<\/i>s potency with our limited knowledge, that potency will never be possible to understand. Ata\u1e25 \u015br\u012b-k\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a-n\u0101m\u0101di na bhaved gr\u0101hyam indriyai\u1e25<\/i> [Padma Pur\u0101\u1e47a <\/i>quoted in Cc. madhya<\/i> 17.136]. Our senses cannot perceive how he could keep an unlimited number of calves and cows and have unlimited space in which to do so.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Another example is found in \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam <\/i>10.33.38 which states brahma-r\u0101tra up\u0101v\u1e5btte <\/i>\u2014 Krishna danced with the gop\u012bs<\/i> for an entire night of Lord Brahma. Krishna describes the length of Lord Brahma\u2019s day and night in Bhagavad-g\u012bt\u0101 <\/i>(8.17):<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahma\u1e47o vidu\u1e25<\/i>
r\u0101tri\u1e41 yuga-sahasr\u0101nt\u0101\u1e41 te \u2019ho-r\u0101tra-vido jan\u0101\u1e25<\/i><\/p>\n

By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together form the duration of Brahma\u2019s one day. And such also is the duration of his night.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

A th
\nousand yugas <\/i>together equals four million three hundred and twenty thousand years. The Bh\u0101gavatam <\/i>describes that the duration of those thousand yugas<\/i> entered into a single twelve-hour night in Vrindavan during which the gop\u012bs <\/i>danced with Krishna. Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur compares this inconceivable expansion of time to the fact that many universes fit within the forty-mile range of earthly Vrindavan. Similarly, he says, one may consider how Mother Yasoda  was unable to encircle the abdomen of her child Krishna using many, many ropes, or how on another occasion Krishna displayed many universes in his mouth to Mother Yasoda. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Srila Rupa Goswami writes in his Laghu Bh\u0101gavat\u0101m\u1e5bta<\/i> (1.5.515):<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

ata\u1e25 prabho\u1e25 priy\u0101\u1e47\u0101\u1e41 ca dh\u0101mna\u015b ca samayasya ca<\/i>
avicintya-prabh\u0101vatv\u0101d atra ki\u1e41 ca na durgha\u1e6dam<\/i><\/p>\n

In Gokula, nothing is impossible for the Lord, the devotees, the abode, and everything in the abode, by the power of the Lord\u2019s inconceivable energy.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Evidences from the Puranas<\/b><\/p>\n


<\/b><\/p>\n

Krishna, his devotees, and his abode are not in this material world and cannot be understood by the material senses. In his \u015ar\u012b Mathur\u0101 M\u0101h\u0101tmya<\/i>, Srila Rupa Goswami cites many evidences from various Pur\u0101\u1e47as<\/i> regarding the unlimited glories of Vrindavan. In text fifty-one he quotes the \u0100di-var\u0101ha Pur\u0101\u1e47a:<\/i><\/p>\n


<\/i><\/p>\n

\u1e63a\u1e63\u1e6dhi-ko\u1e6di-sahasr\u0101\u1e47i \u1e63a\u1e63\u1e6dhi-ko\u1e6di-\u015bat\u0101ni ca<\/i>
<\/span>t\u012brtha-s\u0101\u1e45khy\u0101 tu vasudhe mathur\u0101y\u0101\u1e41 mayodit\u0101
<\/i>
O Vasudha, I have manifested six-hundred-sixty billion holy places in Mathura.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

In the next text Rupa quotes the Mathur\u0101-kha\u1e47\u1e0da <\/i>of the Skanda Pur\u0101\u1e47a<\/i>:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

bh\u016bme raj\u0101\u1e41si ganan\u0101 k\u0101len\u0101pi bhaven n\u1e5bpa<\/i>
<\/span>m\u0101thure yani t\u012brth\u0101ni te\u1e63\u0101\u1e41 sa\u1e45khy\u0101 na vartate<\/i><\/p>\n

O king, the particles of dust in this world may be counted in due course of time, but it is impossible to count the number of holy places that are present in Mathura.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Rupa Goswami declares atha prapa\u00f1c\u0101t\u012btam<\/i> \u2014 \u201c[This area of Mathura] is transcendental to the material world.\u201d he then quotes from the \u0100di-var\u0101ha Pur\u0101\u1e47a:<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

anyaiva k\u0101cit s\u0101 s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6dir vidh\u0101tur vyatireki\u1e47\u012b<\/i>
na yat k\u1e63etra-gu\u1e47\u0101n vaktum \u012b\u015bvaro \u2019p\u012b\u015bvaro yata\u1e25<\/i><\/p>\n

Mathura is completely different from the creation of the creator, because even the controller of this world is unable to describe the unlimited qualities of this holy place. (text 121)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

Vrindavan is Like a Lotus<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Another perspective is given in the book Prema-vil\u0101sa <\/i>(chapter 16, texts 174 \u2013 191), <\/i>wherein the author Nityananda Das relates a conversation that he had with Srila Raghunath Das Goswami that took place while the two were at Radha-kunda:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Raghunath Das Goswami said, \u201cWhile staying here and visiting the various pastime places, be careful not to commit any offense even in your mind. The pastimes of Krishna cannot be understood, but if you read the books of Srila Rupa Goswami then you will understand them. If you cannot hear about these subjects from the mouth of your guru then you should hear from persons in whom you have full faith, for by doing so you will become fixed in your mind. You should understand the different pastimes that Radha and Krishna are performing day and night in different places in Vrindavan. Although Radha and Krishna are always performing pleasure pastimes in Vrindavan, no one can perceive them. The amazing conjugal pastimes of Radha and Krishna are only understood by the gop\u012bs<\/i>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

Nityananda Das replied to Raghunath Das, \u201cThere is one doubt in my heart. If you give me your kind permission I will express it to you. My inquisitive mind has become blessed by hearing from your lotus mouth about Vrindavan.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cThe distance between Vrindavan and the bank of Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda is about eight kro\u015bas<\/i> [a kro\u015ba<\/i> is about two miles or three kilometers] and Govardhan is two kro\u015bas<\/i> from the ku\u1e47\u1e0das<\/i>. Sanketa is eight kro\u015bas<\/i> from Vrindavan, Nandishwara is two kro\u015bas<\/i> and Yavat is one kro\u015ba<\/i>. Radha and Krishna travel between these places in a moment. How is it possible for Radha, Krishna, and their associates to travel such distances daily? For a long time I have had a desire to hear the answer to this question. Otherwise how can a s\u0101dhaka<\/i> understand these pastimes?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

Mercifully, Das Goswami said, \u201cListen, Nityananda Das! Krishna\u2019<\/i>s pastimes are always going on in these places. Through \u015b\u0101stra<\/i>, Mahaprabhu has established that Vrindavan is just like a lotus flower.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n


mudita prak\u0101\u015ba haila dui ta prak\u0101ra<\/i>
vil\u0101se mudita hana l\u012bl\u0101ya vist\u0101ra<\/i> <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cAs a lotus, Vrindavan is manifested in two ways, closed and open. It closes itself in pleasure, vil\u0101sa<\/i>; and opens itself in sport, l\u012bl\u0101<\/i>. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

ei r\u016bpe haya saba gaman\u0101gamana<\/i>
tad\u0101\u015brita yei t\u0101\u1e45ra haya ei mana
<\/i>
\u201cIn this way Radha Krishna and their associates come and go. Only those favored devotees of the Lord can understand this.<\/p>\n

yogam\u0101y\u0101 bale ih\u0101 gha\u1e6dan\u0101 \u0101chaya<\/i>
y\u0101\u1e45h\u0101ra gamana sei kichu n\u0101 j\u0101naya<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cBy the strength of yogam\u0101y\u0101 <\/i>one can understand these matters. Other persons cannot understand.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As unimaginably tiny creatures in this vast creation, the only way that we can hope to understand the inconceivable pastimes, abode and associates of the Lord is if they manifest themselves to us. Srila Prabhupada writes in chapter three of Beyond Birth and Death:<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n


<\/i><\/p>\n

According to Brahma-sa\u1e41hit\u0101 <\/i>there are two ways of acquiring knowledge \u2014 the ascending process and the descending process. By the ascending process one is elevated by knowledge acquired by himself. In this way one thinks, \u201cI don\u2019t care for any authorities or books. I will attain knowledge myself by meditation, philosophy, etc. In this way I will understand God.\u201d The other process, the descending process, involves receiving knowledge from higher authorities. Brahma-sa\u1e41hit\u0101 <\/i>states that if one takes to the ascending process and travels at the speed of mind and wind for millions of years, he will still end up not knowing. For him, the subject matter will remain elusive and inconceivable. But that subject matter is given in Bhagavad-g\u012bt\u0101<\/i>: ananya-cet\u0101\u1e25<\/i>. Krishna says to meditate on him without deviation from the path of devotional service in submission. For one who worships him in this way \u2014tasy\u0101ha\u1e41 sulabha\u1e25<\/i>: \u201cI become easily available.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

—————
<\/i><\/p>\n

This article was excerpted from issue 329 of the email magazine <\/i>Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu<\ni>, produced by ISKCON Gopal Jiu Publications. To read back issues or to get a free subscription go to: www.gopaljiu.org<\/a><\/i>
<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Bibliography<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2014 Bhaskar Uma. Mathur\u0101 M\u0101h\u0101tma. <\/i>Sanskrit with Hindi translation. Vrindavan Research Institute. Vrindavan. 1994.<\/p>\n

\u2014Nityananda Das. Prema-vil\u0101sa<\/i>. Mahesh Library. Calcutta. 1999. Bengali.<\/p>\n

\u2014 \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam.<\/i> English translation and commentary by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Juhu, Bombay. 1987.<\/p>\n

\u2014 \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam <\/i>with commentaries by Srila Viswanath Chakravarti Thakur and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur.<\/i> Gaudiya Math. Bagbazar. 1992. Bengali.<\/p>\n

\u2014 \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam, S\u0101r\u0101rth Dar\u015bin\u012b <\/i>commentary of Srila Viswanath Chakravarti Thakur. <\/i>English translation by Bhanu Swami. Sri Vaikuntha Enterprises. Chennai, India.2009.<\/p>\n

\u2014 \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam.<\/i> English translation and commentary by the humble servants of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Los Angeles. 1985.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"HareBy Madhavananda Das<\/strong><\/p>\n

One should not argue that such a large number of cows could not possibly fit into the thirty-two square mile area of Vrindavan, because the dh\u0101ma is unlimited by the inconceivable energy of the Lord. Even a small portion of the holy dh\u0101ma is sufficient to accommodate billions of universes each measuring fifty million miles in diameter. Krishna showed this to Brahma in a later chapter. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12764"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12764\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13454,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12764\/revisions\/13454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}