TEXT 17
ratnakaras ca ratnaughams
tat-patnyas cohur urmibhih
ksara-sidhu-ghrta-ksaudra-
dadhi-ksiramrtodakah
SYNONYMS
ratnakarahthe seas and oceans; caand; ratna-oghanvarious kinds of gems and valuable stones; tat-patnyahthe wives of the oceans and seas, namely the rivers; caalso; uhuhcarried; urmibhihby their waves; ksarathe salt ocean; sidhuthe ocean of wine; ghrtathe ocean of clarified butter; ksaudrathe ocean of sugarcane juice; dadhithe ocean of yogurt; ksirathe ocean of milk; amrtaand the very sweet ocean; udakahwater.
TRANSLATION
By the flowing of their waves, the various oceans of the universe, along with their tributaries, the rivers, which are compared to their wives, supplied various kinds of gems and jewels for Hiranyakasipus use. These oceans were the oceans of salt water, sugarcane juice, wine, clarified butter, milk, yogurt, and sweet water.
PURPORT
The water of the seas and oceans of this planet, of which we have experience, are salty, but other planets within the universe contain oceans of sugarcane juice, liquor, ghee, milk and sweet water. The rivers are figuratively described as wives of the oceans and seas because they glide down to the oceans and seas as tributaries, like the wives attached to their husbands. Modern scientists attempt excursions to other planets, but they have no information of how many different types of oceans and seas there are within the universe. According to their experience, the moon is full of dust, but this does not explain how it gives us soothing rays from a distance of millions of miles. As far as we are concerned, we follow the authority of Vyasadeva and Sukadeva Gosvami, who have described the universal situation according to the Vedic literature. These authorities differ from modern scientists who conclude from their imperfect sensual experience that only this planet is inhabited by living beings whereas the other planets are all vacant or full of dust.
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