Shape of the Earth in Hinduism

A number of Hindu scriptures, including the Vedas, Puranas, and the Mahabharata, describe the earth as flat and motionless. These texts often mention the earth being leveled, firmly fixed, and held steady by mountains, along with references to its “four corners.” In this worldview, a flat and stationary earth was considered part of the cosmic structure arranged by the gods. However, such descriptions stand in clear contrast to modern scientific understanding, which shows that the Earth is a sphere, constantly rotating on its axis and revolving around the sun.

📖Padma Purana 1.3.55
The beginningless supreme being, then having flattened the earth, piled the mountains on it according to (its) divisions.

This verse directly mentions the earth being “flattened,” which reflects a flat earth concept. It even describes mountains being placed on the surface like weights, which aligns with the ancient worldview that mountains stabilize the earth from shaking.

📖Rig Veda 10.58.3
Thy spirit, that went far away, away to the four cornered earth.
The phrase “four-cornered earth” implies the earth was viewed as a flat plane with edges or corners, not as a sphere. A spherical earth has no corners, so this description clearly reflects a flat, four-sided earth model.

📖Shiva Purana Section 7.1 – Vāyavīya-saṃhitā Chapter 11 Verses 35-35
The Boar (Vishnu) brought the earth to its own place. It then assumed his natural form and fixed it there. He levelled (Flat) the earth, fixed the mountains and set up the four worlds on the earth as before.

The text states that Vishnu “levelled” the earth, which means he made it flat. Again, it links flatness with mountains being “fixed” on top to keep it stable. The description of setting up the worlds “on” the earth implies a horizontal surface, not a globe.

📖Padma Purana Section 1 Chapter 19 Verses 166-171
O you creator of the worlds, you are the protector and creator of us and (also) of the worlds. This flat world will be elevated by your favour.
Here the term “flat world” is explicit. It shows that the cosmology in this text considered the earth as a flat plane, which could be “elevated” or held up by divine support. Such phrasing reflects mythological geography rather than scientific reality.

📖Mahabharata Book 5: Udyoga Parva Bhagwat Yana Parva 76
Behold, O Krishna, these–the firmament and the earth–which are immovable.

The Mahabharata portrays both the sky (firmament) and the earth as stationary. But modern science shows the earth rotates and revolves, and the “sky” appears to move because of this rotation. The text reflects the ancient belief in a fixed earth under a dome-like sky.

Conclusion

All of these verses consistently point towards a flat and stationary earth concept: flattened ground, four corners, mountains placed to hold it steady, and immovability under the sky. These descriptions are not compatible with the scientific model of a spherical, rotating planet orbiting the sun. They reveal how Hindu scriptures reflect ancient flat-earth cosmology rather than scientific knowledge.