Invisible realms in the Vedic Hindu Universe - for the Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies

This is a video I made to be premiered at a recent conference in Gainesville, Florida, organised by ISKCON's Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies (BIHS). Founded in 1974, the Bhaktivedanta Institute is a centre for Advanced Studies in science and vedanta. As a non-profit organisation, it is dedicated to facilitating communication between scientific and religious communities on a range of issues. This specific conference was focused on the 5th Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam, and how it could be understood and presented to the public at the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (ToVP) in Mayapur, West Bengal. My contribution to the conference is summarised in this video. I focus on my various influences, and then go on to make a number of suggestions about how to understand the more challenging parts of the 5th canto. Ultimately I conclude that the multi-dimensional universe of the Bhagavat Purana includes 'gateways' between the earth and the inner solar system and different realms. These other realms, or planets, are very far away in physical terms, but in more subtle ways they are quite near to us. I bring sacred geometry and architecture into the equation. Timecodes 0:00 - Introduction 0:45 - The work of Sadaputa das about Vedic Cosmography and Astronomy, and Antardwip das 3:07 - Distances of the planets from the sun and their diametres in the Surya Siddhanta 3:54 - The works of Danavir Goswami, and Antardwip das 4:58 - The size of the universe in the Bhagavat Purana 5:59 - The work of Ashish Dalela (Rsiraj das), especially his book 'Mystic Universe' 7:29 - Where and what is Jamhudvipa in the 5th Canto of the Bhagavat Purana 10:16 - Gateways to the Subterranean Planets 11:20 - The vertical aspect of the Vedic universe 12:36 - The Vedic universe as a cosmic tree 15:27 - Heavenly planets with exotic oceans and their place within the vertical aspect of the universe 18:35 - Connection Bhu-mandala with sacred geometry 19:41 - The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP): Some ideas by Radha Mohan das for its future exhibits