Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

uc0u346 ru299 mad Bhu257 gavatam 5.20.13

evau109 u769 surodu257 d bahis tad-dvi-gunu803 ahu803 samu257 nenu257 vru803 to ghru803 todena yathu257 -pu363 rvahu803 kuu347 a-dvu299 po yasmin kuu347 a-stambo deva-kru803 tas tad-dvu299 pu257 khyu257 karo jvalana ivu257 parahu803 sva-u347 asu803 pa-rocisu803 u257 diu347 o viru257 jayati

SYNONYMS

evam '97 thus; surodu257 t '97 from the ocean of liquor; bahihu803 '97 outside; tat-dvi-gunu803 ahu803 '97 twice that; samu257 nena '97 equal in width; u257 vru803 tahu803 '97 surrounded; ghru803 ta-udena '97 an ocean of clarified butter; yathu257 -pu363 rvahu803 '97 as previously with Su257 lmalu299 dvu299 pa; kuu347 a-dvu299 pa '97 the island called Kuu347 advu299 pa; yasmin '97 in which; kuu347 a-stambahu803 '97 kuu347 a grass; deva-kru803 tahu803 '97 created by the supreme will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tat-dvu299 pa-u257 khyu257 -karahu803 '97 giving the island its name; jvalanahu803 '97 fire; iva '97 like; aparahu803 '97 another; sva-u347 asu803 pa-rocisu803 u257 '97 by the effulgence of the young sprouting grass; diu347 ahu803 '97 all directions; viru257 jayati '97 illuminates.

TRANSLATION

Outside the ocean of liquor is another island, known as Kuu347 advu299 pa, which is 800,000 yojanas [6,400,000 miles] wide, twice as wide as the ocean of liquor. As u346 u257 lmalu299 dvu299 pa is surrounded by a liquor ocean, Kuu347 advu299 pa is surrounded by an ocean of liquid ghee as broad as the island itself. On Kuu347 advu299 pa there are clumps of kuu347 a grass, from which the island takes its name. This kuu347 a grass, which was created by the demigods by the will of the Supreme Lord, appears like a second form of fire, but with very mild and pleasing flames. Its young shoots illuminate all directions.

PURPORT

From the descriptions in this verse, we can make an educated guess about the nature of the flames on the moon. Like the sun, the moon must also be full of flames because without flames there cannot be illumination. The flames on the moon, however, unlike those on the sun, must be mild and pleasing. This is our conviction. The modern theory that the moon is full of dust is not accepted in the verses of u346 ru299 mad-Bhu257 gavatam. In regard to this verse, u346 ru299 la Viu347 vanu257 tha Cakravartu299 Tu803 hu257 kura says, suu347 asu803 pu257 nu803 i sukomala-u347 ikhu257 s tesu803 u257 u109 u769 rocisu803 u257 : the kuu347 a grass illuminates all directions, but its flames are very mild and pleasing. This gives some idea of the flames existing on the moon.

Kusa grass glows by reflecting the sun with the color of the entire plant. Similar to a ripe field of wheat.

science slowly comes to vedic conclusion:
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/04/17/1622225