New questions?

[Waterfall]

Hello


I would like to ask some questions about the universe and its inhabitants.


Let me begin by pointing to this question/answer:


http://www.krishna.com/info/how-did-we-get-here


That explains the reason for this universe.


But what do we begin as?


Lets say 10 souls falls from the spirituel world.


What happens then?


Do we then get 10 universes with 1 inhabitant (Brahma) or do we get 1 universe with 10 inhabitants?


If it is the latter then who begins as a demigod (Brahma) and who begins as a human or a cow? Is there not a problem here to? Why should you begin as a demigod (Brahma) and I begin as a human or a cow? Karma? How can there be any karma at this point in time?

First we have to be born (or created) as something that can make some karma...

So what do we begin as?


I hope it is alright to ask these (straightforward) questions and that we can have a good conversation about things.


The questions are for the Hare Krishna movement, but everybody are welcome to join in and come with their understanding of things.


Another question...


How are one to understand this picture:


http://www.krishna.com/description-goloka


I do not want a cow body?


And Krishna do not seem to want one either?


So do we all have a body like Krishna (two legs, two arms and one head)?


I am not used to think there are animals in heaven.

For those who want to understand where I am coming from I can point to this conversation:

https://debatingchristianity.com/for...ic.php?t=35611


It also explain how I got to this forum.


Best regards or namaste (what a great word)

[markandeya 108 dasa]

Hare Krsna Waterfall,

These discussions have been going on for quite some time within Hare Krsna circles, at least about 25 years and as far as I know there is no consensus or agreement to how we came into conditions of Birth and death, did we turn away, this cant be true if we are to accept Bhagavad Gita 8.21.

Partly the confusion due to mixing creationist ideas from Christian Theology with the creation of Dharma traditions, in short they simple do not mix and thats why there is no consensus or agreement. Christian Theology of creator God out there is man made and offers no real answers and is based on mundane sense perception and is in opposition to the purana vidyas, which transcends the senses into the supramental level of Buddhi Yoga, which is in the subtle.

But what do we begin as?


Lets say 10 souls falls from the spirituel world.


What happens then?


Do we then get 10 universes with 1 inhabitant (Brahma) or do we get 1 universe with 10 inhabitants?

We get 10 universes, where 10 brahmA's govern each individual universe, each jiva.

BrahmA deva is key to understanding and resolving the mystery, BrahmA as I understand is another term used for the citta in the narratives of the puranas. Also one important thing to consider is that all the shastra are spoken from the enlightened or awakened states. To make a simple thread to give some context in the Pali Suttas there is the story of the man shot by the hunters arrow, and the other 14 unanswerable questions from Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta, so while we are in ignorance these questions simple cant be answered, it becomes a waste of time. I gave a refrence to the pali suttas as its one of the only sources I know that talks about certain questions that cant be answered and we often spend time trying to answer these questions, which end up being a distraction.

BrahmA also appears in the Pali suttas, unfortunately due to the Christian Theologians that Created Hinduism and other isms they made a break and division and split the dharma traditions, where in sanatana dharma there is non by natural discourse, so its not a problem to cross reference if need be, this is quite simple but is made complex due to sectarian and religious identification, which again is not natural to the essence of the texts or the core of ones being ~in the liberated state, Karma, Dharma, Artha and Moksha, all align into one being within the purified citta, which acts as the medium between this world and the transcendent, they are not mundane concepts that come into any ism sectarian, religious or sentient state. To understand these things may need some cross referencing because at the moment cosmology has not be well developed in the translations and understanding the basic concept of the citta is very useful.

BrahmA is either in Ignorance, creating states of being through the gunas or modes of nature, sattva~goodness, rajas~ passion and tamas~ignorance, or he is awakened once he has understood his own limitation and seeks out MahaVishnu.

Each jiva or individual atomic spark is a BrahmA, so each individual person is the creator of their own universe jagat. According to Puranas BrahmA remains in illusion until he wakes up Sri Vishnu, the BrahmA becomes an expansion of Paramatma as Prajapati, then there is divine creation in the cosmos, there is nothing mundane in the texts, the cosmos is not the outer empirical universe, the system is different from the dharma point of view, its beyond the senses.

In the images of the puranas one can see MahaVishnu with another form of Garbhodaksayi Vishnu expanding from each pore of his body, and from this a lotus is born from his navel and BramA sits in the lotus.

An external God or creator God has no role in the puranas, as Paramatma is known as antariyami, or inner controller, Vishnu as Paramatma is then controlling BrahmA as ishwara and creating the causes for liberation in the states of being that bind one to repeated cycle of birth and rebirth of states of being. This is how the puranas should be read, not as external creation theories in the outside universe, or that the jiva has been caste down or rejected or turned away from the Supreme, nor that the mundane life is somehow the lila of Supreme, these do not apply. To fully understand one has to be fully enlightened and awakened, and to get to that state requires surrender to guru, which is not an individual person, individual statesmanship is rejected in veda.

[markandeya 108 dasa]

Hare Krsna Waterfall,

Some things to consider about Goloka, Go means cow and loka is sometimes translated by iskcon as a planet, a better word maybe abode, this is for simplistic explanation, so its the abode of cows, where govinda, gopal names of Krsna in relation to surabhi cows is the cowherd and protector of cows plays with cows in open fields and pastures with his friends and closest associates. The associates in this abode are usually rishis and great devotees.

The cows in this realm are surabhi cows, these cows are aspects of the divine mother in higher states far beyond anything physical, go meaning cow and mata as mother, gomata, when the citta or atomic mind is expanding or involuting into more refined and expansive spiritual realms or lokas in the ascent or journey upwards, upwards here does not mean upwards in outer space, but upwards in the inner space, more refined levels of consciousness, they are in states of samadhi, or absorption's. It may not be that one becomes a cow or takes a form of a cow as the same as we see in the external world, the cow we see in the external world can represent the cow but the surabhi cows in goloka are experienced in a different way. Mind has already transcended or gone beyond the physical, its not a projection that is the same as the outer forms, these putter forms represent just the tip of what lies beyond everything in much more subtle domains of conscious experience.

The surabhi cows are more to do with rasa, they provide in experience an ocean of blissful milk. I read in your comments in one of the threads that an animal cannot be self aware that it is an animal. These types of forms in the higher lokas are not the same as the forms that we see in the outside world, they are spiritual bodies that only know devotion to krsna, and from their devotion they experience bliss and absorption and ever deepening lila or pastimes.

I do not want a cow body?


And Krishna do not seem to want one either?


So do we all have a body like Krishna (two legs, two arms and one head)?

There is a lot of talk about spiritual form or swarupa, i think there does not to be any real need to be to concerned about these things, if one becomes absorbed into these higher states of divine bliss there will not be any consideration of what we look like or become.

[Waterfall]

Hare Krishna markandeya 108 dasa


I was hoping for an answer from you:


https://debatingchristianity.com/for...=964809#964809


Maybe you two could have a great conversation about things (my understanding is very limited, so...).


I started out asking these question to Krishna.com:


https://debatingchristianity.com/for...ic.php?t=35611


And have just recieved this answer:

Hare Krishna,


I think you have some incorrect understanding. I have never heard that we get our own universe. We are put on some planet to start our journey of self discovery and purification. Lord Brahma is a very high position, not for some fallen soul. He is instated, appointed to start the universe. The scriptures say that if there is not a qualified Brahma, then He will take the post. It is stated that we have to go through all the species and work our way to human form, then we are responsible for our next life because karma clicks in. There are unlimited fallen souls and unlimited universes, populated by only 1/4 th the amount of souls that have never fallen. Krishna places us here to learn our lesson to not be envious of Him and to purify our misused independence. We can choose, once in human form, to go to the higher planets or Vaikuntha planets, or hopefully, Krishna Loka, so we don't have to go through this again. I hope this helps some. One thing Srila Prabhpuada said was that we should not worry how we got here, but worry how to get out of here.


Sincerely,

I was not sure about their view on Brahma:


http://www.krishna.com/topic-term/brahma


Is Brahma a fallen soul? Do we all (all the fallen souls) begin as a demigod (Brahma)? I was just not sure about their view on this, but accordingly to this answer Brahma most be someone from the spirituel world who have not fallen. Or Krishna himself: "The scriptures say that if there is not a qualified Brahma, then He will take the post."


But what do we begin as then?


I would like to understand things from the beginning.


We have Brahma (who is not a fallen soul) and Brahma creates something. But what?


If Brahma creates a human and a cow, then there is a problem, because why should you begin as a cow and I begin as a human?


With regard to the fall then you point to Bhagavad Gita 8.21:


https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/8/verse/21


https://www.asitis.com/8/21.html


I do not understand how this cancel out a fall?


Just for the record.


It is a long time ago that I read Bhagavad Gita - as it is.


I read it "27" years ago and have forgotten most of it, so...


The book that I have believed in is this book:


http://uk.vandrermodlyset.dk/


But there is a decription of the universe in it that I have a problem with, so now I am taking a step back from it and is open for another understanding of things.


I am not used to many of the words you use:


Dharma traditions
purana vidyas
Buddhi Yoga
BrahmA deva
citta
shastra
Pali Suttas
Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta
sanatana dharma
Artha and Moksha
MahaVishnu
jagat
Sri Vishnu
Paramatma as Prajapati
antariyami
ishwara


Some of the words I can understand...purana...scripture...but many of them I would have to look up. Just so you know.


Do you think that we reincarnate as animals? I have never understod the meaning of that? According to this book (Toward the Light) we only reincarnate as human beings and that makes sense to me.


But as I have said then I am open to another view on thngs. Because I have a problem with the description of the universe in this book. Maybe there are other problems to...


I would like to understand this picture:

http://www.krishna.com/description-goloka


I think it is a beatyfull picture, but I would not like to have a cow body, so...?


Ps. I have just seen that you have come with an answer to this question. Thank you for that. It is very interesting and new to me.

[markandeya 108 dasa]

Hare Krsna Waterfall

I am not used to many of the words you use:


Dharma traditions
purana vidyas
Buddhi Yoga
BrahmA deva
citta
shastra
Pali Suttas
Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta
sanatana dharma
Artha and Moksha
MahaVishnu
jagat
Sri Vishnu
Paramatma as Prajapati
antariyami
ishwara

Dharma traditions, these are naturally arising spiritual traditions across asia that deal with our inherent nature according to conscious laws, and pre existed across the Globe before Abrahamic faiths converted in masses and ruled via a one religion regime. Dharma in the simplest terms means our natural inherent nature that is not modified by man made laws or systems.


purana vidyas~ puranas can mean scriptures it can also mean ancient universal profound experiences of the mind awakening into the universal state, vidyas meaning the insight knowledge into the awakening mind of the profound states beyond the ordinary senses, many of the puranas deal with creation and the supra subtle cosmic realms, they are deeply esoteric


Buddhi Yoga~ is spiritual intellect that directly connects ones individual consciousness to the Supreme Whole to awaken it to the Supreme state


BrahmA deva~ The creator in the puranas and the pali suttas


citta~ mind, conscious centre, its also known as purana, citta plays a central role in whats bound or liberated. In Ancient times citta was known as a follower, it can follow two directions, the worldly way which is full of corruption and self empowered self ways or it can follow the inward level of universal awakening into supra and ultimate states of awakening. Citta plays the main central role in the sutra and puranic texts, its what expands into the profound and ultimately absorbs back into Ultimate Being or Para Brahman. Although minute in size, measuring 1 billionth the size of an the physical atom observed in modern science it has an unlimited potential once it starts to awaken.


shastra~ spiritual texts


Pali Suttas~collection of suttas or texts from the Theravada tradition that deals with subjects of samadhi, and one source of my practice and reference over the years that has helped me to understand both cosmology and development of samadhi. Sutta is pali for sutra, su and tra, simple translated as su meaning a transcendent being and tra as vibration, they mostly cover the union of subtle conditions in the mind being purified for complete connection with Absolute Truth, most sutras deal with vast cosmological spiritual bodies or divine compounds forms rupa that act in various ways to reveal its own Being.


Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta~ is the sutta which explains 14 main questions that simple cant be answered with the ordinary intellect and will become a hindrance if deliberated on to much, asking how we originally and why we fell into this condition is one of them.


sanatana dharma~ simple translation is the eternal nature or lore of awakening, and is mostly again do with the 3rd state of universal being and status quo which is directly governed unhindered by the 4th realm of consciousness known in Vedanta as Turiya among other name and forms, nama and rupa of divine quality above the mundane spheres of the conditioned senses, which is simple translated as pure divine consciousness ~ brahman

Artha and Moksha~ artha means essence, its a quality of citta when its awakened or in the process of awakening Moskha means liberated


MahaVishnu~ Vishnu is one aspect of Brahman or the Supreme reality that is preserving self realised knowledge and the status quo of the spiritual states, beyond or more subtle than the outward mundane reality of the 5 senses.


jagat~ here i am translating it as subtle universe of conscious being within the states of prajna, as different from the outside universe that we all share and see with the normal outgoing senses. According to all the yoga shastra and systems matter evolves from the subtle realms, not an external event.



Sri Vishnu~ Another term for vishnu when he is accompanied by sri or laxmi the feminine aspect of divine consciousness


Paramatma as Prajapati~paramatma is the supersoul that resides in the centre of the atom, atom here refer to anu or the atomic spark of the individual citta, when consciousness of the citta is in union with paramatma supersoul where there is equation of brahmA as the citta the creative potency of the BrahmA is guiding and creating purifying potency in the cosmos for ultimate liberation


antariyami~ this again is paramtama or supersoul at the heart of the citta, which is subtle power within the atomic Jiva


ishwara~ centre of the universe or controller of the universe all within the centre of the citta, not as an outside Godhead controlling outer phenomenon as per Christian Theology.


These are just the simplest and off the top of my head translations, I have wrote these in because maybe a future dates others may read and want to do some further research.


I will make another post so it wont be to long and attempt an answer at some of your other questions which I think are important to be developed and needs some changes in the current translations and hopefully support a clearer idea of the universal and transcendent systems which can develop in more subtle sadhanas.

[Waterfall]

Hare Krishna markandeya 108 dasa


Thank you very much for taking the time to explain things to me (and others).


I look forward to your next post.

[markandeya 108 dasa]

Hare Krsna Waterfall

I am not an authority on this and all of this is exploring and growing into subtle cosmology, so take it as rough outlines and that is part of something that is developing and worth developing. Cosmology is vitally important, the vast majority of translated cosmology is wrong.

Also my studies on Srimad Bhagavatam is limited, I have mostly concentrated on Bhagavad Gita, few important slokas and some sutras and have always wanted to save Bhagavatam as deeper study when I get more time and retire. Its very deep over 18,000 slokas and within those slokas there are 250,000 thousand granthas which expand in devic abodes, so its no small subject and requires deep practice along side meditation on the slokas. Srimad Bhavatam as with all shastra is so beautiful, so profound, every sloka has so much depth, each word each syllable, what can us mere moratals do to explain it, but also there is a divine simplicity where each person can gain something not matter what level.

Essence of Srimad Bhagavatam is chatur Sloki all Srimad Bhagavatam is an expansion of these 4 sloka's.

SB 2.9.33

aham evāsam evāgre
 nānyad yat sad-asat param
paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca
 yo ’vaśiṣyeta so ’smy aham


Synonyms:

Translation:

Brahmā, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.

SB 2.9.34

ṛte ’rthaṁ yat pratīyeta
 na pratīyeta cātmani
tad vidyād ātmano māyāṁ
 yathābhāso yathā tamaḥ


Synonyms:

Translation:

O Brahmā, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness.

SB 2.9.35

yathā mahānti bhūtāni
 bhūteṣūccāvaceṣv anu
praviṣṭāny apraviṣṭāni
 tathā teṣu na teṣv aham


Synonyms:

Translation:

O Brahmā, please know that the universal elements enter into the cosmos and at the same time do not enter into the cosmos; similarly, I Myself also exist within everything created, and at the same time I am outside of everything.

SB 2.9.36

etāvad eva jijñāsyaṁ
 tattva-jijñāsunātmanaḥ
anvaya-vyatirekābhyāṁ
 yat syāt sarvatra sarvadā


Synonyms:

Translation:

A person who is searching after the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, must certainly search for it up to this, in all circumstances, in all space and time, and both directly and indirectly.

These four slokas are incredible deep, the translations are basic, indicating a certain level but has to be broadened and deepended along with ones sadhana. Some devotees get worked up about this because everything that Srila Prabhupada said has to be taken as literal. This goes against the way that Srimad Bhagavatam is spoken by Avadhuta Sukadeva Goswami, who was brahmavada speaking in para vak, or the highest Vedic speech which will always be expanding, so to make it literal defies the meaning and essence of Brahman always expanding, getting deeper and richer without any limit. Srila Prabhupada would not want to put a lid on it. We cant measure the depth of this with ordinary intellect, we have to surrender that intellect.

Hare Krishna,


I think you have some incorrect understanding. I have never heard that we get our own universe. We are put on some planet to start our journey of self discovery and purification. Lord Brahma is a very high position, not for some fallen soul. He is instated, appointed to start the universe. The scriptures say that if there is not a qualified Brahma, then He will take the post. It is stated that we have to go through all the species and work our way to human form, then we are responsible for our next life because karma clicks in. There are unlimited fallen souls and unlimited universes, populated by only 1/4 th the amount of souls that have never fallen. Krishna places us here to learn our lesson to not be envious of Him and to purify our misused independence. We can choose, once in human form, to go to the higher planets or Vaikuntha planets, or hopefully, Krishna Loka, so we don't have to go through this again. I hope this helps some. One thing Srila Prabhpuada said was that we should not worry how we got here, but worry how to get out of here.


Sincerely,

This is not surprising to me how they reply, its the general view that BrahmA is sitting on the edge of the outside external observable universe at a distance of certain amount of yojanas and is creating the universe and all living beings. This is mixing it to much with empirical scientific methods of studying the outer universe and basic Christian Theology of an external Creator God controlling and creating all phenomonon and all the individual jivas and living entities, ultimately both these man made theories deny free will and are not the subject of Vedanta or Srimad Bhagavatam but religious and educational conditioning is hard to overcome. But I have full faith and confidence due to the efforts that devotees put into sadhana and their dedication that at some point the tables will turn, it may take a few generations but it will come. Although some parts I can agree in principle

I will try to reply one something else which maybe of importance to align cosmology with conscious practices in another part of your messages in another post some time later.

[Waterfall]

Hare Krishna markandeya 108 dasa


I think you are doing a good job explaining things.


I just have one question because you say this:

This is not surprising to me how they reply, its the general view that BrahmA is sitting on the edge of the outside external observable universe at a distance of certain amount of yojanas and is creating the universe and all living beings.

Is it not Vishnu who creates the universe and then Brahma is created? I am not sure how to understand this:


http://www.krishna.com/topic-term/brahma

[timetraveler]

Past life and future life are not so important as this life. How to live in the present life is paramount importance.

Many things are helpful and important, such as yoga, meditation, caring for the people and animals on the planet.

Meditation actually can teach everything, and when Brahma woke up, he began to meditate. Brahma woke up and there was darkness, and so he meditated until Vishnu explained everything.

Yes, you are correct, Vishnu created Brahma who then created the universe.

Brahma was born from a flower.

[Brahmâ] in that water situated on the whorl of the lotus could not discern the world and spying all around in the four directions he [thus] received his four heads. (Bhagavatam, 3.8.16)

[Brahmâ] in that water situated on the whorl of the lotus could not discern the world and spying all around in the four directions he [thus] received his four heads.(Bhagavatam, 3.8.17)

'Who am I, seated on top of this lotus? Wherefrom has it originated? There must be something in the water below. Being present here implies the existence of that from which it sprouted!'(Bhagavatam, 3.8.18)

So, meditating,

When he failed to achieve the object of his desire, the godhead gave up the endeavor and seated himself upon the lotus again to control with confidence, step by step, his breath, withdraw his mind and unify his consciousness in meditation.(Bhagavatam, 3.8.21)

The view of His hands, legs, jewels, flower garland and dress, derided the panorama of the green coral of the evening splendor of the sun over the great, golden mountain summits with their waterfalls and herbs, flowers and trees.(Bhagavatam, 3.8.24)

The totality of the three worlds in all its variety was, with the length and width of the measurement of His transcendental presence, covered by the beauty of the divine radiance of the ornaments that dressed His body. (Bhagavatam 3.8.25)

(Bhagavatam, Canto 3, Ch. 8)

Brahma was once cursed by Shiva, never to receive worship. This is why there are not many temples to Brahma. Very few, almost none.

Shiva is worshipped in Lingam, and Shiva and Vishnu both have many temples in all of India.

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are also one, however. Together they came as one who is called Trimurti or Dattatreya.

In worshipping Datta, Brahma is also worshipped, as Datta is all three. And there are many temples to Datta.

God is formless, primarily. Taking form happens for our benefit, and to benefit the world.

Datta means 'gift,' and Dattatreya means 'Atri's gift', Sage Atri was his father, and Anasuya, which means 'without jealousy' was his Mother.

God gives himself to all who call on him.

Dattatreya did not have another name, although he is also known as Digambara, (who has the four directions as his clothing), and a few others

But as Dattatreya, God responds instantly..

Sri Datta Stavam is beautiful and refers to him as Smartrigami, (who repsonds instantly); it is very beautiful and worth looking up.


What is most important is this life. . . Many practices help...

Yoga, bhajans, meditation. . . Pranayama is wonderful and meditation is the key.

Simplicity is wonderful, key. . . Mauna, meaning silence, is a present.. Simplicity, austerity, peace, are indescribable.


Meditation, and physical tapas, are so good for us. To do these with no benefit toward ourselves, but rather for others, is ideal.

'Selflessness is God,' declared Vivekananda.

Bhajans are wonderful for so many reasons. They purify our heart and mind, they improve our mental and spiritual intelligence, they are beautiful sound, they bring beauty, and also improve our memory. We should practice bhajans many times to learn them well, for all these reasons.

As well as all these, they are blissful, bring good energy and purify the environment around us. They purify ourselves and they make the place where we are a holy atmosphere. It truly becomes spiritual.

Nada means sound. Bhajans and music play such a central aspect to spiritual life that they cannot be emphasized too much.

Digambara
Pahi Pahi Gajanana

But all these (bhajans, meditation, tapas (austerity), are for one purpose primarily: attaining spiritual knowledge. Knowledge of the Self, of the soul.

Who is Brahma? Brahma is God. But when Vishnu and Brahma fought over who was greater, they came to Shiva to settle it, but ended up that Shiva wanted to help Brahma from his mistake (of ego, ahankara).

But all those questions, are secondary to, who are you? Wondering who we were in past lives, or so many questions is like looking for something valuable when we have it with us.

We never lost it. Our curiosity and inquiry should be directed towards ourselves. Look for God in the heart.

After Bhagavatam a few times, Guru Gita, many others; Datta Stavam.

[markandeya 108 dasa]

Hare Krsna Waterfall

I have been busy with no time to reply , maybe next week if there is still interest.

Timetraveller, I am not picking straws or any intention of causing you stress, but your post is detracting from the posters questions and the essence of Bhagavatam and cosmology, which is a vitally important to cultivate for many reason, and waterfalls main reason for posting.

But all those questions, are secondary to, who are you? Wondering who we were in past lives, or so many questions is like looking for something valuable when we have it with us.

We never lost it. Our curiosity and inquiry should be directed towards ourselves. Look for God in the heart.

After Bhagavatam a few times, Guru Gita, many others; Datta Stavam.

No questions are secondary and the questions are based on finding answers in terms of the persons understanding and quest. Past present and future all play a role. The majority of the Upanishads, Puranas and many sutras are based on questions and answers.

After Bhagavatam, this is like saying that Srimad Bhagavatam is incomplete, perhaps you missed the 11th Canto and Uddhava Gita where Krsna is revealing the Avadhuta to Uddhava. One simple cant say that Bhagavatam is some preliminary, read it a few times and then graduate to something higher, each canto , sometimes even each sloka is loaded with enough jnana for full Self realisation.

Is it not Vishnu who creates the universe and then Brahma is created? I am not sure how to understand this:


http://www.krishna.com/topic-term/brahma

Firstly, and I speak only for myself here but I do not accept krishna.com as perfectly representing either Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam or Gaudia Vaishnavism, so there is little point in using what they say as any authority. Some things they say are OK but in general its misleading.

As timetraveller has quoted BrahmA is sitting on stem each coming from a pore of Mahavishnu as Garbhodhakaśāyī Vishnu, this explains the vedantic version of the multiple universe theory, which are multiple and countless jivas, its not that it is describing multiple universes in outer space.

This part of Cosmology of the puranas needs to be cultivated in the west as soon as possible, then the right perspective of consciousness is set.

The terms used as universe in Vedanta and universe in modern science and religion are different, each jiva, individual atomic being is its own universe or Jagat, BrahmA is central to creation of the devolution or evolution to involution to wake up Vishnu to then start creating the causes for liberation. BrahmA is not God, he is acintya Beda Abeda Tattva, the divine transparent medium non different to Shiva and Vishnu, this is very important to understand to know how to understand Shastra correctly, each BrahmA is time bound, vishnu and shiva are never timebound.

Vishnu is not a creator God, BrahmA creates, When Bhumi wakes up she seeks her creator as the cause of dukkha and worldly desires where the earth is over burdened by unruly kings, BrahmA then seeks Maha Vishnu who is yoga nidra sleeping from outside causal events, he is woken up and starts to Create divine potencies through mediums, Srimad Bhagavatam explains all these mediums and is a medium of devi, which reveals pure consciousness, Srimad Bhagavatam is the 3rd state, mahamaya revealing and concealing, with all its unlimited mediums the 4th turiya.

You posted some links to Christian site, i am not the right person to make any synthesis or arguments with Christianity or any form of their present and newer forms of mysticism, if you want to start a new thread I can explain in more details, but briefly the historical mysticism of Christianity post Constantine was from former Pagan cultures that was forced into Christianity and held their own previous traditions in disguise, we are past the times of having to disguise these things and should look more towards re-awaking the naturally arising pagan cosmologies without any Christian Tags, that pre existed before the Christian Monopoly.

There are still a couple of things I want to add if i get time, this is just a quick reply, but a couple of things maybe of greater importance to understand and develop cosmology.