Vedic Model of the Universe

Srila Prabhupada wrote me a letter in April 1976 saying, "Now our Ph.D's must collaborate and study the 5th Canto to make a model for building the Vedic Planetarium. My final decision is that the universe is just like a tree, with root upwards. … So now you all Ph.D.'s must carefully study the details of the 5th Canto and make a working model of the universe. If we can explain the passing seasons, eclipses, phases of the moon, passing of day and night, etc. then it will be very powerful propaganda. I am sending this letter to you, and you can make photocopies of it and send to our other Ph.D.'s and begin serious research into the matter in detail. But one thing, I am convinced that the universe is just like a great tree as described therein." [Letter to Svarupa Damodara 27 April, 1976]

Srila Prabhupada believed that with this model we will be able to show that the so-called astronauts never went to the moon or Mars. According to the Vedic conception, the moon is farther than the sun, and therefore the claim that astronauts went to the moon was incorrect because they did not even know the distance of the moon from the Earth.

"…can you tell me what is the scientific opinion of the days being consecutively Sunday then Monday, then Tuesday …? What is the history of this setup? According to our sastra, Sun is first, then Moon, then Venus, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, like that. In other words, from Bhagavatam we understand that the moon is 1,600,000 miles above the sun. If this is true, then is it possible to go to the Moon planet by persons who can never imagine to go the distance to the Sun planet? Under the circumstances, if we say that they have never gone to the Moon planet, is it exaggeration? … If the moon planet is actually far away from the sun planet, how they can go there and publish in the paper that the moon planet is the nearest planet." [Letter to Svarupa Damodara das, 24 October, 1975]

"Regarding the 'dust' supposedly brought from the moon, that dust can be gotten anywhere. It has already been openly admitted that the same dust is available on the earth planet. The astronauts and scientists are all bluffing." [Letter to Trivikrama Swami, January 3, 1976]

Srila Prabhupada used to say that the different 'atmospheres' of different planets are meant for living entities with different kinds of mentality.

"…just as fish have a body suitable for living in the water …. in the sun globe … they have a body suitable to live in the sun globe …. In the Vedic literatures, it is said that there are germs (agni-pok) within the fire." [Letter to Svarupa Damodar das, 17 December, 1975]