The vertical cross-section of the universe.

The universe has the form of an egg (andah-kosah) and is divided in fourteen parts. The content of the universe is a gigantic building or machine, created and controlled by Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That it is designed is easilly understood seeing the rounded figures (for example 100,000 yojanas and not 101,000 yojanas or 98,000 yojanas) of the relative distances; all the planets and stars are exactly synchronized in relation to each other and rotate harmoniously in their respective circular orbits. The fourteen planetary systems to which these planets belong are placed vertically under each other and parallel to the orbit of the sun. For simplification, on the map the planets are placed under each other. They each have their own orbit around Meru.

The Hellish Planets and Patala, the Underground Heavens 

Just above the Garbhodaka Ocean is the region of hellish (naraka) planets, with a thickness of 60,000 yojanas and a diameter of 500 million yojanas. This area begins 70,000 yojanas below the bhumandala and extends to 130,000 yojanas below the bhumandala. There are 550 million hellish planets in that region.

Above the region of hellish planets and below the bhumandala are the seven bila-svargas, seven cubic cellars, each side 10.000 yojanas. These are the pleasure grounds of the demons. They have wonderful houses, gardens and places for sense enjoyment that are even more luxurious than those on the demigod planets. It is because of the karma of the demons that they live on the very highest level as far as sensual pleasure, wealth and power are concerned. Most of the inhabitants of these planets, known as the Daityas, Danavas and Nagas, live in family relationships. They are all, including women, children, friends, and relatives, completely immersed in illusory, material happiness. The demon Maya Danava, a very gifted artist and architect, has built many splendid cities with many beautiful houses, walls, gates, meeting-halls, temples, temple grounds, squares and hotels, to give shelter to visitors. Additionally, he has made many vimanas (UFOs or flying saucers) in which they can travel in the universe.

The leaders of these planets have houses built of very costly jewels. There are pigeons, parrots and many other types of birds. The parks and gardens in these heavens appear more beautiful than those on the heavenly planets. The trees in these gardens are covered by climbing-plants, their branches bend under the load of fruits and flowers and they look very wonderful. Such sensuous beauty charms and delights everyone. There are many lakes and ponds with clear, transparent water, jumping fishes stir the waters, which are further beautified by splendid lilies, kuvalayas, kahlaras and red and blue lotuses. Pairs of cakravakas and many other birds have their nests on the lakes. They make pleasant, sweet songs, pleasing to the ear, because they are always in an excellent mood and thus create the right mood for sense enjoyment.

The sun does not shine in these underground planets, so time is not divided into days and nights, therefore there is no fear of the passing of time. Great snakes with brilliantly shining jewels in their heads illuminate these places, so there is no darkness. The inhabitants of these planets drink and bathe in the juices and elixirs of wonderful herbs so they are free of fear and never become ill. There is no experience of the infirmities of age as grey hair, wrinkles or disability; their bodies never lose their luster, their perspiration does not smell unpleasant. Even when they age, the inhabitants retain their enthusiasm and energy and remain un-fatigued. They lead a happy life and are not afraid of premature death. The fixed moment of their death is the only thing that scares them because then death appears before them in the form of the effulgence of the Sudarsana-cakra of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Srimad Bhagavatam 5.24.8-14)

The Upper, Demigod and Sages, Planets

The next, the eighth, planetary system of the fourteen, is the bhumandala. 

Beyond this, there are the planets of the upadevas (bhuvarloka, the ninth planetary system) and that of the devas (svarloka, the tenth planetary system) (Srimad Bhagavatam 8.15.12-22).

SB 8.15.12: King Indra's city was full of pleasing orchards and gardens, such as the Nandana garden. Because of the weight of the flowers, leaves and fruits, the branches of the long time existing trees were bending down. The gardens were visited by pairs of chirping birds and singing bees. The entire atmosphere was celestial.

SB 8.15.13: Beautiful women, protected by the demigods sported in the gardens, which had lotus ponds full of swans, cranes, cakravakas and ducks.

SB 8.15.14: The city was surrounded by trenches full of Ganges water, known as Akasa-ganga, and by a high wall, which was the color of fire. Upon this wall were parapets for fighting.

SB 8.15.15: The doors were made of solid gold plates, and the gates were of excellent marble. These were linked by various public roads. The entire city had been constructed by Visvakarma.

SB 8.15.16: The city was full of courtyards, wide roads, assembly houses, and not less than one hundred million airplanes. The crossroads were made of pearl, and there were sitting places made of diamond and coral.

SB 8.15.17: Everlastingly beautiful and youthful women, who were dressed with clean garments, glittered in the city like fires with flames. They all possessed the quality of syama- cool in summer, warm in winter.

SB 8.15.18: The breezes blowing in the streets of the city bore the fragrance of the flowers falling from the hair of the women of the demigods.

SB 8.15.19: Apsaras passed on the streets, which were covered with the white, fragrant smoke of aguru incense emanating from windows with golden filigree.

SB 8.15.20: The city was shaded by canopies decorated with pearls, and the domes of the palaces had flags of pearl and gold. The city always resounded with the vibrations of peacocks, pigeons and bees, and above the city flew airplanes full of beautiful women who constantly chanted auspicious songs that were very pleasing to the ear.

SB 8.15.21: The city was filled with the sounds of mridangas, conchshells, kettledrums, flutes and well-tuned stringed instruments all playing in concert. There was constant dancing and the Gandharvas sang. The combined beauty of Indrapuri defeated beauty personified.

SB 8.15.22: No one who was sinful, envious, violent toward other living entities, cunning, falsely proud, lusty or greedy could enter that city. The people who lived there were all devoid of these faults.

This scale drawing shows a basic cross-section of the universe in which we live. For simplicity, the planets are represented in a straight line, one above another, although the Bhāgavatam describes that the sun, the moon and the other planets are actually revolving around the polestar in their own orbits and at various speeds. These planets are revolving in obedience to the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for the great machinery of the universe is all working according to His order. The area between the planet Saturn and the Garbhodaka Ocean has also been depicted in a larger scale in the box on the right of the illustration. The drawing does not attempt to represent accurately the relative sizes of the planets, nor does it show the full depth of the Garbhodaka Ocean — 249,800,000 yojanas (nearly half the universe). The total height of the universe, from top to bottom, is 510,000,000 yojanas. This is but one of the innumerable universes in the material world, which constitutes only a small fraction of the creation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since one cannot understand the details of even one universe in the vast material creation, certainly one cannot estimate the expansiveness of the spiritual world.