KURMA AS EARTH, MERU AS NORTH POLE

I started researching on books which will help me to understand Indian Cosmology. There were many ancient Indian astronomers who wrote books on Hindu cosmology. Acharya Varahamihira, Bhaskaracharya, Aryabhatta, etc. are some of those ancient Indian astronomers. Books written by these astronomers are still available. The most ancient books which explained Hindu Cosmology are Vasistha Sidhanta, Paitamaha Siddhanta, Romaka Siddhanta, Paulisa Siddhanta and Saura Siddhanta. These ancient books are now not available completely. Some portions of these books might be available somewhere in Indian libraries. Acharya Varahamihira wrote two important books which explained Hindu cosmology as well as temple architecture in detail. Panchasiddhantika written by Varahamihira is the most important book available which explains Hindu Cosmology in detail. Acharya Varahamihira wrote Panchasiddhantika book taking five ancient siddhantas

 mentioned earlier as base reference. Other important book written by Acharya Varahamihira is Brihat Samhita which explains temple architecture in detail.

I searched for these two books and I found these books in pdf format. These books in pdf format also had english translation. The first book I found was ‘Panchasiddhantika of Varahamihira’ (with english translation and notes) which was translated by T.S. Kuppanna Sastry and it was edited and improved by K.V. Sharma. Professor T.S. Kuppanna Sastry (1900-1982) M.A.L.T.,was a polymath. A Sanskritist by profession, he was also a keen student of sciences, both eastern and western. His forte was early Indian astronomy, which he studied in comparison with modern astronomy. The combination had given him the insight and analytical skill to understand and appreciate early Indian astronomy in terms of modern astronomy. Professor K.V. Sarma, B.Sc., M.A.(Sanskrit), D.Litt (History of Astronomy), formerly director of the wellknown V.V. Institute of Sanskrit and Indological studies, Hoshiarpur(Panjab) and Hon. Professor of Sanskrit, Adyar Library and research centre, Madras, has been a student of Indian astronomy for nearly forty years.

The second book I found was ‘Varahamihira’s Brihat Samhita’ (with english translation and notes) which was translated by Panditabhushana V. Subrahmanya Sastry, B.A. Asst, Secretary to the government of Mysore (Retd.) and Vidwan M. Ramakrishna Bhat  M.A., lecturer in Sanskrit and superintendent of Indian languages, St. Joseph’s college, Bangalore. Other than these two books, I found lot of information regarding Hindu cosmology and temple architecture mentioned in Puranas.

I found some description about Kurma and Meru in Adhyay 8 (Chapter8) of Bhagwat Purana, Adhyay 14

 Kurma description in Gitagovinda of Jayadeva

(Chapter 14, Kurmavibhaga) of Brihat Samhita and Adhyay 13 (Chapter 13, Trailokyasansthan) of Panchasiddhantika.

In Bhagwat Purana, there is a story of the Kurma Avtara of Lord Vishnu. This Kurma Avatar story has some description of Kurma’s shape and size.

In the story it is mentioned that once Devas and Daityas had fight about the distribution resources available on Earth. Daityas felt that even though they are equally capable to handle  like Devas. So, Devas and Daityas went to three supreme gods i.e. Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma. They explained the situation to three supreme gods. Daityas explained the injustice happening with them to three supreme gods. They asked for permanent solution to this problem from three supreme gods. It was a tough situation for Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma. Finally, they gave a solution to Devas and Daityas.

According to this solution, Devas and Daityas were asked to churn the ocean on which Earth is floating. Whatever things Devas and Daityas discover while to churning of the ocean should be equally distributed between Devas and Daityas. Devas and Daityas accepted this solution. To churn such a huge ocean they required huge churner and a huge rope to handle that churner. To solve this problem, Lord Vishnu took a form of a Kurma i.e. a huge tortoise which can handle the pressure of churner. Mount Merumandar became the churner and Vasunki who was a huge serpent became a rope.

The size of the Kurma was so huge that its whole area cover 1 lakh yojanas of distance. Yojana is ancient Indian unit to measure distances. Here the Kurma’s size is said to be equivalent to the Jambudvipa continent.

Earth as Kurma, Meru as North Pole

Also, I found some description of Kurma in Gitagovida book written by Jayadeva. In Geetagovinda, it is mentioned that Lord Vishnu is floating on the water of cosmic ocean in the form of huge Kurma Avatara. This Kurma is floating at the center of the spherical shaped Brahmanda. This has two main divisions Swarga and Patala. This Kurma is supported by Sheshanaga who stays under the the water of cosmic ocean.

I found some description of Kurma and Mount Meru in Panchasiddhantika. Here is the description of Kurma and Mount Meru mentioned in Panchasiddhantika:

The spherical earth which is constituted of the five elements, stands poised in the region of space, marked by the host of stars forming a cage as it were. The whole earth-surface is spotted by trees, mountains, cities, rivers, oceans, etc. The Meru mountain, (founding the North Pole), is abode of Devas. The asuras (demons), are down below (i.e. at the South Pole). Just as the reflection of the objects on the bund of the water course is upside-down, so the Asuras are, (with respect to the Devas). The Asuras too consider the Devas to be upside-down. Just as the flame of the fire, observed by men here, flares upwards, and anything thrown up falls down towards the earth, the same upwards flaring of the flame, and the downward falling of a heavy object is experienced by the Asuras, (at the antipodal region). The axis of the earth extends right up and right down to the stellar sphere. The stellar sphere, bound by the axis to the earth, rotates by the wind system called Pravaha.

When I researched more I found that ancient Indian astronomers compared spherical upper (northern) half above equator with a tortoise back or a Kurma. Just like I compared the Nehru planetarium structure with a back of tortoise. I also found that compared the sky visible from

 Meru, Deva and Asura places description in Panchasiddhantika Adhyaya 13 by Varaha Mihira

Earth with a huge sphere which is like a shell of an egg. Just like I compared the Nehru planetarium structure with an egg. So, they imagined Earth like an egg yolk floating in the Egg liquid (Cosmic Ocean) present within the limits of egg shell.

They imagined the upper (northern) half part of Earth’s sphere as Devas side and named it as Jambudvipa. They imagined the lower (southern) half part of Earth’s sphere as Daityas side. As they considered upper (northern) half part of Earth’s sphere is above the water of cosmic ocean, they imagined North Pole as the highest point on Earth and named it as Meru Mountain.

I after reading above mentioned part of the books I downloaded I got some convincing answers regarding the Kurma and the Mount Meru. Somehow I was able to understand these descriptions as I recently visited Nehru planetarium. The knowledge of modern astronomy was helping to understand ancient Hindu cosmology. The comparison of shapes of groups of stars in the night sky with animals as explained in Nehru Planetarium helped me to understand comparison of the Kurma or the back of tortoise with the upper (northern) half part of Earth’s sphere.   

But still I had many questions which were unanswered.

1)      If the Kurma is compared with the upper (northern) half part of Earth’s sphere, what is the significance of other  idols in the temple?

2)      Why Mount Meru is considered as the highest point on the Earth and not the South Pole?

3)      Why the upper (northern) half part of Earth’s sphere was considered as Devas side?

4)      How the Mount Meru from Hindu cosmology is represented in temple architecture?

5)      Why the lower (southern) half part of Earth’s sphere was considered submerged in the ocean?

6)      Why the lower (southern) half part of Earth’s sphere was considered as Daitya’s side?

I started drawing the diagram of the structure of Earth and Brahmanda as imagined by ancient Indian astronomers. I kept searching for answers of my unanswered questions.