Questioner: shree
Private:no
Subject: Gita
Question:
hi! mr john of all faith,this is my first question 4 u.lord shree krishna states in bhagavat gita chap 10 verse 21 that he is the radiant sun among the luminaries and moon among the stars. my question is
is moon a star?
is there only one sun in this universe?
can u pls giv ur mail id?
why did lord krishna say that moon is a star?is it an error?is there any scientific error in bhagawat gita?hope i m not hurting u.
i am waiting for ur reply anxiously.pls giv a satisfying and relevant answer.
My reply:
How would you answer this question?
Namaskar Shree,
My translation has this verse as:
Of the Adityas I am Vishnu; of lights I am the radiant sun. Of the Maruts I am Marici; of the stars I am the moon.
(http://www.srijagannatha.com/gita/gita10.html)
The purpose of this section of the Gita is to explain that Ek Devata, the One God beyond all comprehension, is supreme over all else and that all other glories are but reflections of His greater Glory.
Therefore the Sanskrit words "naksatranam aham sasi" tell us that Ek Devata is the greatest of all luminaries under the authority of the Sun (an ancient/eternal symbol of divinity). Sri Krsna isn't actually defining the moon as a "star" in the astronomical sense.
In this section Sri Krsna is addressing how the very make up of the universes reflect and affirm God's glory, even as the Sun is radiant and enlightens the whole world, so too God is Radiant and everywhere present. As the Sun, all life is dependent on God.
Likewise, even as the Moon is glorious and lights the night sky and holds authority over all other luminous bodies and has greater glory than them, so too even glorious personages be they gods or men, are subservient to and of lesser glory than Ek Devata.
Please understand that the context of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the allaying of Arjuna's concerns regarding the impending battle. The Gita is but a small section of the much larger work known as the Srimad Mahabharata. It is not intended as a scientific treatise. I discuss this background here: http://srijagannatha.com/gita/gitaintro.html
The Vedic understandings of the structure of the Universes is a complex topic. In the Gita Sri Krsna is not addressing this topic even though many gitabhasyas (studies on the Gita) tend to draw out much information.
One might say for instance, "I'll come visit you after the sun sets" and yet we know the sun does not actually set. In the same way the Gita simply is not intended to be a scientific treatise.
The Vedas and post Vedic materials often use "flowery" or poetic imagery to make points. Chapter ten uses such language in abundance. Ek Devata is not the Sun, nor the Moon, nor one of the twelve Adityas etc. He is superior to all else. Such phrases are merely examples or similes intended to help Arjuna, and us, gain some limited comprehension of Ek Devata's Utter and Inconceivable Greatness.
Whatever we say of God, God is more!
God is much greater than anything perceived in the material realms of existence and yet by considering the material manifestation we can learn more about God.
Hope this helps,
~ John of AllFaith
~ Jagannatha Prakasa
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