Post No. 10,737
Date uploaded in London – – 12 MARCH 2022
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“The earth is round like a wheel, produced by the Creator t the end of darkness. It consists of five elements, in the midst of it is the Meru of the gods “.
-Paulisa Siddhanta
Paulus of Greece , fouth century CE
“Vruttaa chakravadavanistamasya pare vinirmitaa dhaatraa
Panchamahaabhutamayii tanmadhye merurmaraanaama”
Though the above sloka is attributed to Paulus of Greece by Bhatta Utpala, the concept of Meru, the concept of Pancha Bhuta, the concept of God creating Earth are all in the Vedas.
Continued from yesterday………………………
Anyway let us look at a few more Sanskrit words in 2000 year old Sangam Tamil Literature :-
1.MANDILAM (Round / Circle). Found in Sangam Tamil
Sanskrit word Mandalam/ Mandilam occurs in many places in Sangam Tamil literature which is 2000 year old. But only in a few places it is associated with earth.
There are other words for Round:
2.Round/Rotary/ Rotate = Ratha
These are related to Tamil word (r)Urundu, ( r) Urundai,
Urul = Roll (if you reverse Ratha, you get Ther; even in Tamil literature they always say URUL perum THER= Rolling Chariot)
This Urundai is associated with Earth and Universe even by Manikka vasagar in his Tiru Vasagam (See Tiru Anda Pakuthi)
This Urul (U/roll), Urundai(r/ound) , Rotate(Ratha) and Wheel (valam) are also Sanskrit words, but used in Sangam Tamil literature.
Here I wanted to emphasize my theory. Linguists would say that any word find in European languages is Sanskrit. They are shy to use the word Sanskrit, so they would say IE or Proto IE (Indo-European). If we accept their arguments all Tamil words – Mandilam, Urul, Urundai, Valam etc are IE. But I say all the ancient languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew) came from Sanskrit and Tamil. I have shown it in 150 articles so far.
Let us continue…………….
3.Andam = Egg (Brahma+andam, Akila+andam etc)
4.Kolam = Globe
5.Oval = Ovum (Tamil Aval/pounded rice, which is oval shaped)
6.Wheel = Valam in Tamil (found in Sangam Tamil literature)
7.Circle = Chakra
8.Cakata = Vandi/ Cart (found in Sangam)Tamil Literature
If you look at these words deeply, you can see all are linked to Sanskrit or Tamil. All are associated with round shape and earth.
Bhagavatha Purana is the mainstay of Krishna Bhaktas where we have the full life history of Krishna. In Mahabharata, we see adult statesman Krishna.
Bhagavatha in Sanskrit have all these ANDA/egg with Brahmandam etc.
Though Bhagavatha is dated around Gupta period by foreigners, I would place it in Pre Sangam period. I will cite only 3 references just to cut it short.
1.Sangam Tamil book Akananuru has reference to Krishna and Gopis and river Yamuna (Thozunai in Tamil Akam verse 59)
2. A Greek called himself Parama Bhagavata (Great Bhakta of Lord Krishna/Vishnu) in 113 BCE (see Heliodorus Pillar in Besnagar)
3.Balarama and Krishna are in coin of Agathocles (see my article 1323 of Oct.2014 and earlier Dr Nagaswamy’s articles)
So we know Krishna cult was all over India around 200 BCE.
That means Anda, Brahmanda are as old as Bhagavata purana. But yet I would give the credits to Tamils because Sangam Literature dating is beyond doubt, beyond debate.
Based on the ‘Tamil’ words PARUTHI (see my first part of this article), MANDILAM and URUL/URUNDAI, I would confirm that Tamils knew Earth is Round at least from Sangam Period.
Here are the references:–
Akam 59-4 Krishna, Gopis and River Yamuna
Mandilam in Tamil linked to Earth:-
In most of the places it is used with Sun. At least in 4 places Tamil poets use Round/Mandilam with Earth. I have highlighted them below:-
Aka – 11-1, 31-1, 104-5, 122-11, 260-1, 263-2, 277-1, 363-3, 367-1, 378-14, 381-5, 71-13; 269-17;nedu.161;pari- 17-32, 21-2313-8; Pura.8-6, 30-3,367-1, 175-9;madu.190, 390
Kuru. 300-7 (by Siraikkudi Anthaiyar, Earth is mentioned)
Narrinai 67-1, 69-1;Perum. 442;Kali. 7-7, 25-1, 71-1, 141-12;
Kurinji 216
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Conclusion
Sanskrit books from the period of Brhat Samhita of Varaha Mihira clearly say that Earth is Round. But Tamil Sangam books are dated earlier than Varahamihira. They are crystal clear in saying that the Earth is Round. So Hindus knew it at least for 2000 years. There may be earlier references.
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Sanskrit references
Meaning of the Sanskrit Word ANDA in Srimad Bhagavatam (SB):
Anda SB means Srimad Bhagavatam and NOT Satapata Brahmanam in ISKCON dictionary)
aṇḍa—universes
Compound Sanskrit Words Containing: anda
aṇḍa-golayoḥ—and the globe of the universe SB 5.20.43
aṇḍa-ja—one born from an egg SB 5.18.32
aṇḍa-ja-indram—Garuḍa, the king of all the birds, who are born from eggs SB 8.10.57
aṇḍa-kaṭāha—the covering of the universe (consisting of seven layers SB 5.17.1
aṇḍa-kaṭāha-bhittim—the strong coverings of the universe Antya 1.164
aṇḍa-kaṭāham—the covering of the universe SB 7.8.15
aṇḍa-kośa—the whole universe SB 7.14.36
aṇḍa-kośasya—of the universe SB 2.8.16
aṇḍa-kośaḥ—the universe, which resembles a big egg SB 5.26.38
aṇḍa-kośaḥ—egg-shaped universe SB 6.16.37
aṇḍa-kośe—within the universal shell SB 2.1.25
aṇḍa-kośāt—from the egg SB 3.26.53
aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭibhiḥ—millions of such universes SB 6.16.37
aṇḍa-madhya-gataḥ—situated in the center of the universe SB 5.20.43
aṇḍa-rāśayaḥ—huge combination of universes. SB 3.11.41
hiraṇya-aṇḍa-samudbhavaḥ—his material body was created from Hiraṇyagarbha. SB 5.20.44 āṇḍa-kośaḥ—the universe SB 3.11.40
āṇḍa-kośaḥ—egg SB 3.20.15
āṇḍa-kośe—within the global universe SB 3.6.6
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Meaning of MANDALA
Sanskrit dictionary
Maṇḍala (मण्डल).—a. [maṇḍ-kalac] Round, circular; मण्डलाग्रा बृसीश्चैव गृहान्याः पृष्ठतो ययुः (maṇḍalāgrā bṛsīścaiva gṛhānyāḥ pṛṣṭhato yayuḥ) Rām.5.18.12.
-laḥ 1 circular array of troops.
2) A dog.
3) A kind of snake.
-lam 1 A circular orb, globe, wheel, ring, circumference, anything round or circular; न्यग्रोधं च सुमण्डलम् (nyagrodhaṃ ca sumaṇḍalam) Mb.12.169. 12; करालफणमण्डलम् (karālaphaṇamaṇḍalam) R.12.98; आदर्शमण्डलनिभानि समुल्लसन्ति (ādarśamaṇḍalanibhāni samullasanti) Ki. 5.41; स्फुरत्प्रभामण्डलया चकाशे (sphuratprabhāmaṇḍalayā cakāśe) Ku.1.24; so रेणुमण्डल, छाया- मण्डल, चापमण्डल, मुखमण्डल, स्तनमण्डल (reṇumaṇḍala, chāyā– maṇḍala, cāpamaṇḍala, mukhamaṇḍala, stanamaṇḍala) &c.
2) The charmed circle (drawn by a conjurer); मण्डले पन्नगो रुद्धो मन्त्रैरिव महाविषः (maṇḍale pannago ruddho mantrairiva mahāviṣaḥ) Rām.2.12.5; जानन्ति तन्त्रयुक्तिं यथास्थितं मण्डलमभि- लिखन्ति (jānanti tantrayuktiṃ yathāsthitaṃ maṇḍalamabhi- likhanti) Mu.2.1.
3) A disc, especially of the sun or moon; तेनातपत्रामलमण्डलेन (tenātapatrāmalamaṇḍalena) R.16.27; अपर्वणि ग्रहकलुषेन्दुमण्डला (aparvaṇi grahakaluṣendumaṇḍalā) (vibhāvarī) M.4.15; दिनमणिमण्डलमण्डन भवखण्डन ए (dinamaṇimaṇḍalamaṇḍana bhavakhaṇḍana e) Gīt.1.
4) The halo round the sun or moon.
5) The path or orbit of a heavenly body.
6) A multitude, group, collection, assemblage, troop, company; एवं मिलितेन कुमारमण्डलेन (evaṃ militena kumāramaṇḍalena) Dk.; अखिलं चारिमण्डलम् (akhilaṃ cārimaṇḍalam) R.4.4.
7) Society, association.
8) A great circle.
9) The visible horizon.
1) A district or province.
11) A surrounding district or territory.
12) (In politics) The circle of a king’s near and distant neighbours; मण्डलचरितम् (maṇḍalacaritam) Kau. A. 1.1.1; सततसुकृती भूयाद् भूपः प्रसादितमण्डलः (satatasukṛtī bhūyād bhūpaḥ prasāditamaṇḍalaḥ) Ve.6.44; उपगतोऽपि च मण्डलनाभिताम् (upagato’pi ca maṇḍalanābhitām) &c. R.9.15.
And many more.
–subham—
tags- Earth , Round, Mandilam, Sangam Tamil, Discovery
Tamil and Vedas 