From the flat earth to the sun�s chariot, traditional spiritual texts seem wedded to outmoded cosmologies that show, at best, the scientific limitations of their authors. The Bhagavata Purana, one of the classical scriptures of Hinduism, seems at first glance to be no exception. However, a closer examination of this text reveals unexpected depths of knowledge in ancient cosmology.  This knowledge is encoded in the form of multiple interpretations of the text, each of which is supported by a series of textual statements. Although this creates a contradictory impression for the modern reader, it is typical of ancient modes of expression, in which several meanings are packed into one text or work of art.