The subtle horizontal Bhumandala, parallel to the ecliptic

Figure 1 shows a map of the bhumandala planetary system. Krishna has made it a thing of beauty. The bhumandala is shaped like a lotus-flower. The different dvipas (lit. between two waters, two (dvi) waters (pah)) or islands with their mountains and trees are like the petals of the flower. 

-- This map shows the Bhū-mandala planetary system as viewed from above. Bhū-mandala is like a lotus, and its seven islands (dvīpas) resemble its whorl. In the middle of the central island, Jambūdvīpa, stands Mount Sumeru, a mountain of solid gold. Jambūdvīpa is surrounded by an ocean of salt water, which is surrounded by the next island, Plaksadvīpa. Each island is thus surrounded by an ocean and then another is-land.

-- The outermost island, Puskaradvīpa, is divided in two by a great mountain named Mānasottara. The sun orbits on top of this mountain and thus encircles Mount Sumeru. On Mānasottara Mountain, in the four directions, are the residential quarters of four prominent demigods.

-- Beyond the outermost ocean and a land made of gold stands Lokāloka Mountain, which is extremely high and which blocks the sunlight so that Aloka-varsa, the land beyond it, is dark and uninhabited.

-- This map is not drawn to scale. In reality, the innermost island, Jambūdvīpa, is 100,000 yojanas wide. Each ocean is as broad as the island it surrounds, and each succeeding island is twice as broad as the one before it. The total diameter of the universe is 500 million yojanas. Thus if the entire map were drawn to the same scale as Jambūdvīpa, the distance from the center of the map to its outermost edge would have to be almost half a mile.

The Lokaloka Mountain forms the outermost and highest ring of petals. The top of Meru (which has a diameter of 32,000 yojanas) is 84,000 yojanas above the plane of the bhumandala planetary system, and its base (16,000 yojanas in diameter) is 16,000 yojanas below this plane. Meru is like a sort of cone, upside down.

The central island of the bhumandala is Jambudvipa with a diameter of 100,000 yojanas. On Jambudvipa, Mount (Su)Meru is made of solid gold. This mountain shines so brightly that it looks as if it is made of fire. Jambudvipa comprises nine different areas, each 9,000 yojanas long. Each area is divided from its neighbor varsa by eight long mountain ridges, each 2,000 yojanas broad and 10,000 yojanas high. The central part of Jambudvipa is Ilavrta-varsa. Arranged around Meru, there are four mountains, each 10,000 yojanas high and 10,000 yojanas broad. On the top of each mountain, there is a tree. Each tree is 1,100 yojanas high and 100 yojanas broad. The spread of these trees is 1,100 yojanas across.

On the first mountain there is a mango tree. The fallen, broken fruits of this tree are the source of a river of heavenly mango juice. On the second mountain there is a Jambu tree (rose apple tree) loaded with heavenly flowers and fruits of splendid colors. This tree is the source of a river of rose apple fruit juice. The third mountain has a Maha Kadamba tree, which is the source of five rivers of heavenly liquid honey, each twelve meters broad. The final mountain has a banyan tree whose roots are the source of a river of heavenly water. Between these four mountains there are lakes of milk, honey, sugar candy juice and pure, delicious, heavenly water. The lakes are set in beautiful gardens. The waters of these lakes have mystical powers (yoga siddhis) capable of fulfilling all desires.

From its landing on Mount Meru, the Ganges divides into four branches. One of these descends via the Himalayas to the earth planet.

There are many other rivers with hundreds of branches that have their source on Mount Meru. Each successive varsa and mountain ridge together, starting from Meru, is 90% of the length of the previous one. Immediately next to Meru lies Kesaracala, the  Mount Kesara. It is almost as high as Meru. Just beyond Mandara, Merumandara, Suparsva and Kumuda are eight mountain ridges, placed in the cardinal directions, each pair following the other. Each is 18,000 yojanas long and 2,000 yojanas broad and high. Kailasa is the first mountain south of Meru. This is where lord Siva has his principal abode. He has other residences elsewhere in the universe.

In one of the corners of the circular Jambudvipa, within its region of the subtle-dimensional Bharata-varsa, is the planet earth (also called Bharata-varsa) exactly as we know it in the gross dimension. All the other varsas of Jambudvipa and all other dvipas are bhauma-svarga or heavenly areas on the Bhumandala.

The climate of these bhauma-svargas is very pleasant with no extremes of icy cold or scorching heat. The inhabitants of these areas lead a happy life and have no fear of a premature death. They also do not experience fatigue or the infirmities of old age, grey hair, wrinkles or disability. Their bodies never lose their luster, and their perspiration does not smell unpleasantly.

(Srimad Bhag.5.16.25)

There are other mountains arranged around the foot of mount Meru, just like the stamens around the heart of a lotus flower. The names of these mountains are Kuranga, Kurara, Ksumbha, Vaikanka, Trikuta, Sishira, Patanga, Rucaka, Nisadha, Sinivasa, Kapila, Shanka, Vaidurya, Jarudhi, Hamsa, Rsaba, Naga, Kalanjara, and Narada ( Srimad Bhag. 5.16.26). The various Puranas describe these mountains in more detail. The residents of the other eight varsas or areas of Jambudvipa (next to Bharata-varsa), live, according to our earthly calculations, for 10,000 years and almost look like demigods.

In the other dvipas, outside Jambudvipa, a lifetime lasts 1,000 years. The inhabitants possess the power of 10,000 elephants and their body is as effulgent as lightning. They always remain young and men and women can enjoy sensual pleasures for a very long time. After years and years of sense enjoyment, when the wife has one more year to live, she at last becomes pregnant.

(Srimad Bhag.5.17.12)

In each of these tracts of land are many gardens filled with flowers and fruits according to the season and beautifully decorated hermitages. Between the great mountains that mark the borders of these lands are enormous lakes of clear water filled with fresh lotus flowers. Aquatic birds such as swans, ducks, water chickens, and cranes become intoxicated by the fragrance of the lotus flowers, and the charming sound of bumblebees fills the air. The inhabitants of these lands are important leaders among the demigods. Always attended by their respective servants, they enjoy life in the gardens beside the lakes.

(Srimad Bhag. 5.17.13)

Just as we have a gross and a subtle body, bound at the same place, similarly, the moon, sun and all the other planets and stars also have a subtle level where the devas, upadevas (demigods) and other living entities live. This reality is inaccessible to astronauts and their spaceships.

These subtle dimensions of the circular dvipas and oceans are connected to a gross dimension.

The perigee (the point situated nearest the earth in the orbit of a celestial body around the earth) of the orbit of Venus coincides with the outer coast of the ocean of ghee (clarified butter). The perigee of Mars is the inner coast of the ocean of milk. The perigee of Mercury is the outer coast of the ocean of milk. The perigee of Venus is the inner coast of the ocean of sweet water. The apogee (the point of the orbit of the moon, or a planet or a satellite that lies the farthest of the earth) of the planet Mars is the outer coast of the ocean of sweet water. The apogee of Mercury is Manasottara (see the map). The perigee of Jupiter is the inner edge of Kancana Bhumi (the golden land SB 5.20.35). The apogee of Saturn is the adrsya drsyaka giri, the Lokaloka-parvata (drsya means visible and loka inhabited; parvata or giri means mountain). Behind this mountain, which is higher than Dhruvaloka, no sunlight penetrates and nothing is visible to us. Saturn is the most distant planet of our solar system visible to the naked eye.

Plaksadvipa (see fig. 1) is 200,000 yojanas broad. This island is named after the Plaksa tree, a heavenly fig tree of 1,100 yojanas high, 100 yojanas broad and which shines like gold.

Salmalidvipa, 400,000 yojanas broad, has a Salmali tree, a heavenly silk cotton tree, also 1,100 yojanas high and 100 yojanas broad. This tree is the home of Garuda, the carrier of Lord Visnu.

Then there is Kusadvipa, 800,000 yojanas broad, with kusa grass that looks like fire, radiating light from all sides, but it has very mild and attractive flames. Kusa grass and the ghee of the nearby ocean are used for gigantic fire-sacrifices (yajnas), which are frequently performed on this island.

Next is Krauncadvipa, 1,600,000 yojanas, called after the mountain Kraunca on this island. Then Sakadvipa, 3,200,000 yojanas, thus named because of a heavenly Saka or teak tree. On Puskaradvipa, 6,400,000 yojanas, is a lotus-flower with 100,000,000 flower-leaves of pure gold. This place is the seat of Brahma - one of his many residences.