The following videos produced by Richard Thompson discuss subjects engaging cosmography, astronomy and cosmology within Puranic literature. Please also view the "Books" section of this website for more information about his two books that focus on this topic, Vedic Cosmography and Astronomy (1989) and Mysteries of the Sacred Universe (2000).
Of note, the second two videos in this section by Thompson, both relatively short clips, refer to his work during the late 1990s on planetarium museum exhibit proposals. In one he speaks about projects designed for the Temple of the Vedic Planeterium (TOVP), and the second offers a draft proposal utilizing research drawn primarily from his two books. The draft proposal video walk-through includes a link for viewing a pdf offering detailed descriptions of panel exhibits and video productions.
More information on planetarium exhibit proposals and related topics is available in the "Cosmography and Astronomy: Essays & Presentations" section of this website. Please also see "Bhaktivedanta Institute: Video Presentations" for additional productions.
Please click on video images to view.
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MYSTERIES OF THE SACRED UNIVERSE (42min) This video offers a summary of Thompson's book by same name. Mysteries of the Sacred Universe shows that the cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana presents a description of a sophisticated system offering multiple levels of meaning that encode at least four different astronomical, geographical, and spiritual world models. A closer of examination of the text reveals unexpected depths of knowledge in ancient cosmology. |
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MYSTERIOUS ORBITS (23min) With stunning computer graphics, Mysterious Orbits illustrates how the islands and oceans described by the Bhagavata Purana's Bhu-mandala model offer mathematical correspondence to the inner and outer boundaries of the orbits of the planets, as seen from earth. Thompson argues that the level of fit between observational data and the Bhu-mandala model was only exceeded in the mid-19th century with the development of powerful telescopes. |
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THOMPSON DISCUSSES TOVP DESIGN (2 min) Short discussion on exhibit design for the Temple of the Vedic Planeterium (TOVP) in Mayapur. Conversation took place late 1990s at Thompson's Gainesville, Florida office of the Bhaktivedanta Institute. |
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Exhibits and Scripts Two minute video walk-through of a 1998 New Delhi museum exhibit proposal for the Glory of India Vedic Cultural Center, partially implemented. Please click here to view pdf version of full presentation with detailed descriptions of panel exhibits and other aspects of the proposal. |
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VIDEOS BY OTHER AUTHORS
The following four videos produced by Richard J. Cole (Radha Mohan, Communications Secretary Bhaktivedanta Manor UK) complement research by Richard Thompson. Please click here to view additional presentions on similar themes offered on Cole's YouTube channel.
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