Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 2
The Orbit of the Sun, the Measure of Day and Night, and the Sun-God’s Chariot
एतेन हि दिवो मण्डलमानं तद्विद उपदिशन्ति यथा द्विदलयोर्निष्पावादीनां ते अन्तरेणान्तरिक्षं तदुभयसन्धितम् ॥ २ ॥
etena hi divo maṇḍala-mānaṁ tad-vida upadiśanti yathā dvi-dalayor niṣpāvādīnāṁ te antareṇāntarikṣaṁ tad-ubhaya-sandhitam.
Así como un grano de trigo, al partirse en dos, permite estimar la medida de la parte superior conociendo la inferior, así enseñan los sabios conocedores de la geografía cósmica: con las medidas de la región inferior se comprende la medida de la región superior del universo. El cielo entre la esfera terrestre y la esfera celeste se llama antarikṣa, el espacio exterior, unido a la cima de la tierra y a la base del cielo.
FAQs
This verse explains antarikṣa as the intervening region between two domains, compared to the space between the two halves of a split seed—connected to both sides.
He uses a simple, visual analogy to help the listener grasp how learned teachers describe the measure and divisions of the celestial sphere and the ‘in-between’ region.
It encourages careful learning through clear analogies—approaching complex spiritual or philosophical topics with humility, structure, and intelligible examples.