Chapter 3
अध्यायः 3
Amsha VI — Pralaya (Dissolution), Chapter 3
Shlokas (40)
+ Add ShlokaThree different kinds of dissolution - Verse 1
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.1
सर्वेषाम एव भूतानां त्रिविधः प्रतिसंचरः नैमित्तिकः प्राकृतिकस तथैवात्यन्तिको मतः ।।
sarveṣām eva bhūtānāṃ trividhaḥ pratisaṃcaraḥ naimittikaḥ prākṛtikas tathaivātyantiko mataḥ ||
For all beings, there are three types of movements: occasional, natural, and also the ultimate, as understood.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 2
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.2
ब्राह्मो नैमित्तिकस तेषां कल्पान्ते प्रतिसंचरः आत्यन्तिकश च मोक्षाख्यः प्राकृतो द्विपरार्धिकः ।।
brāhmo naimittikas teṣāṃ kalpānte pratisaṃcaraḥ ātyantikaś ca mokṣākhyaḥ prākṛto dviparārdhikaḥ ||
The Brahman is the occasional cause; at the end of the cycle, the ultimate liberation is called the absolute state, which is the natural state of the duality.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 3
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.3
परार्धसंख्यां भगवन ममाचक्ष्व यया तु सः द्विगुणीकृतया ज्ञेयः प्राकृतः प्रतिसंचरः ।।
parārdhasaṃkhyāṃ bhagavan mamācakṣva yayā tu saḥ dviguṇīkṛtayā jñeyaḥ prākṛtaḥ pratisaṃcaraḥ ||
O Lord, please tell me the number of the parardha, by which it is known that the natural state is doubled.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 4
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.4
स्थानात स्थानं दशगुणम एकस्माद गण्यते द्विज ततो ऽष्टादशमे भागे परार्धम अभिधीयते ।।
sthānāt sthānaṃ daśaguṇam ekasmād gaṇyate dvija tato 'ṣṭādaśame bhāge parārdham abhidhīyate ||
From one place to another, it is counted as ten times, and in the eighteenth part, the parardha is mentioned.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 5
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.5
परार्धद्विगुणं यत तु प्राकृतः स लयो द्विज तदाव्यक्ते ऽखिलं व्यक्तं स्वहेतौ लयम एति वै ।।
parārdhadviguṇaṃ yat tu prākṛtaḥ sa layo dvija tadāvyakte 'khilaṃ vyaktaṃ svahetau layam eti vai ||
The parardha that is twice the original state is the dissolution, O twice-born; in that unmanifest state, all that is manifest merges for its own reason.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 6
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.6
निमेषो मानुषो यो ऽयं मात्रामात्रप्रमाणतः तैः पञ्चदशभिः काष्ठा त्रिंशत काष्ठास तथा कला ।।
nimeṣo mānuṣo yo 'yaṃ mātrāmātrapramāṇataḥ taiḥ pañcadaśabhiḥ kāṣṭhā triṃśat kāṣṭhās tathā kalā ||
The human moment is measured by a fraction; with it, fifteen pieces of wood and thirty pieces are also counted.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 7
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.7
नाडिका तु प्रमाणेन कला दश च पञ्च च ।।
nāḍikā tu pramāṇena kalā daśa ca pañca ca ||
The measurement of the nāḍikā is ten and five.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 8
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.8
उन्मानेनाम्भसः सा तु पलान्य अर्धत्रयोदश हेममाषैः कृतच्छिद्रं चतुर्भिश चतुरङ्गुलैः मागधेन प्रमाणेन जलप्रस्थस तु स स्मृतः ।।
unmānenāmbhasaḥ sā tu palāny ardhatrayodaśa hemamāṣaiḥ kṛtacchidraṃ caturbhiś caturaṅgulaiḥ māgadhena pramāṇena jalaprasthas tu sa smṛtaḥ ||
By the measurement of the Magadha, the water surface is remembered as having a hole made by golden beans, measuring fourteen and a quarter fingers.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 9
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.9
नाडिकाभ्याम अथ द्वाभ्यां मुहूर्तो द्विजसत्तम अहोरात्रं मुहूर्तास तु त्रिंशन मासो दिनैस तथा ।।
nāḍikābhyām atha dvābhyāṃ muhūrto dvijasattama ahorātraṃ muhūrtās tu triṃśan māso dinais tathā ||
From two nāḍikās, the duration is measured as thirty muhūrtas, both day and night.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 10
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.10
मासैर द्वादशभिर वर्षम अहोरात्रं तु तद दिवि त्रिभिर वर्षशतैर वर्षं षष्ट्या चैवासुरद्विषाम ।।
māsair dvādaśabhir varṣam ahorātraṃ tu tad divi tribhir varṣaśatair varṣaṃ ṣaṣṭyā caivāsuradviṣām ||
With twelve months, a year is measured, and in that divine realm, it is counted as three hundred years of the asuras.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 11
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.11
तैस तु द्वादशसाहस्रैश चतुर्युगम उदाहृतम चतुर्युगसहस्रं तु कथ्यते ब्रह्मणो दिनम ।।
tais tu dvādaśasāhasraiś caturyugam udāhṛtam caturyugasahasraṃ tu kathyate brahmaṇo dinam ||
Thus, the four yugas are said to be measured by twelve thousand, and the day of Brahma is described as a thousand cycles of the four yugas.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 12
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.12
स कल्पस तत्र मनवश चतुर्दश महामुने तदन्ते चैव मैत्रेय ब्राह्मो नैमित्तिको लयः ।।
sa kalpas tatra manavaś caturdaśa mahāmune tadante caiva maitreya brāhmo naimittiko layaḥ ||
In that kalpa, the fourteenth Manu, O great sage, is present. At the end of that, O Maitreya, the Brahman dissolution occurs.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 13
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.13
तस्य स्वरूपम अत्युग्रं मैत्रेय गदतो मम शृणुष्व प्राकृतं भूयस तव वक्ष्याम्य अहं लयम ।।
tasya svarūpam atyugraṃ maitreya gadato mama śṛṇuṣva prākṛtaṃ bhūyas tava vakṣyāmy ahaṃ layam ||
O Maitreya, listen to my words about the extremely fierce nature of that dissolution. I shall explain to you in detail.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 14
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.14
चतुर्युगसहस्रान्ते क्षीणप्राये महीतले अनावृष्टिर अतीवोग्रा जायते शतवार्षिकी ।।
caturyugasahasrānte kṣīṇaprāye mahītale anāvṛṣṭir atīvogrā jāyate śatavārṣikī ||
At the end of the four yugas, when the earth is mostly depleted, a severe drought occurs lasting a hundred years.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 15
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.15
ततो यान्य अल्पसाराणि तानि सत्त्वान्य अशेषतः क्षयं यान्ति मुनिश्रेष्ठ पार्थिवान्य अनुपीडनात ।।
tato yāny alpasārāṇi tāni sattvāny aśeṣataḥ kṣayaṃ yānti muniśreṣṭha pārthivāny anupīḍanāt ||
Then, all the beings with little essence perish completely due to the absence of pressure from the great sages.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 16
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.16
ततः स भगवान कृष्णो रुद्ररूपधरो ऽव्ययः क्षयाय यतते कर्तुम आत्मस्थाः सकलाः प्रजाः ।।
tataḥ sa bhagavān kṛṣṇo rudrarūpadharo 'vyayaḥ kṣayāya yatate kartum ātmasthāḥ sakalāḥ prajāḥ ||
Then, the Supreme Lord Krishna, who bears the form of Rudra, strives for the destruction of all beings that are self-sufficient.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 17
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.17
ततः स भगवान विष्णुर भानोः सप्तसु रश्मिषु ।। स्थितः पिबत्य अशेषाणि जलानि मुनिसत्तम ।।
tataḥ sa bhagavān viṣṇur bhānoḥ saptasu raśmiṣu || sthitaḥ pibaty aśeṣāṇi jalāni munisattama ||
Then the Lord Vishnu, standing in the seven rays of the sun, drinks all the waters, O best of the sages.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 18
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.18
पीत्वाम्भांसि समस्तानि प्राणिभूमिगतानि वै शोषं नयति मैत्रेय समस्तं पृथिवीतलम ।।
pītvāmbhāṃsi samastāni prāṇibhūmigatāni vai śoṣaṃ nayati maitreya samastaṃ pṛthivītalam ||
Having drunk all the waters that have entered the earth, Maitreya, he causes the entire surface of the earth to dry up.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 19
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.19
समुद्रान सरितः शैलान शैलप्रस्रवणानि च पातालेषु च यत तोयं तत सर्वं नयति क्षयम ।।
samudrān saritaḥ śailān śailaprasravaṇāni ca pātāleṣu ca yat toyaṃ tat sarvaṃ nayati kṣayam ||
The waters from the oceans, rivers, mountains, and springs, as well as those from the netherworld, all lead to destruction.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 20
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.20
ततस तस्यानुभावेन तोयाहारोपबृंहिताः त एव रश्मयः सप्त जायन्ते सप्त भास्कराः ।।
tatas tasyānubhāvena toyāhāropabṛṃhitāḥ ta eva raśmayaḥ sapta jāyante sapta bhāskarāḥ ||
Then, due to his influence, the waters collected from the rains give rise to the seven rays, the seven suns.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 21
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.21
अधश चोर्ध्वं च ते दीप्तास ततः सप्त दिवाकराः दहन्त्य अशेषं त्रैलोक्यं सपातालतलं द्विज ।।
adhaś cordhvaṃ ca te dīptās tataḥ sapta divākarāḥ dahanty aśeṣaṃ trailokyaṃ sapātālatalaṃ dvija ||
Above and below, they shine; then the seven suns burn the entire three worlds and the netherworld, O twice-born.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 22
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.22
दह्यमानं तु तैर दीप्तैस त्रैलोक्यं द्विज भास्करैः साद्रिनद्यर्णवाभोगं निःस्नेहम अभिजायते ।।
dahyamānaṃ tu tair dīptais trailokyaṃ dvija bhāskaraiḥ sādrinadyarṇavābhogaṃ niḥsneham abhijāyate ||
When burned by those radiant suns, the entire three worlds, O Brahmin, become devoid of affection, like the water of rivers and oceans.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 23
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.23
ततो निर्दग्धवृक्षाम्बु त्रैलोक्यम अखिलं द्विज भवत्य एषा च वसुधा कूर्मपृष्ठोपमाकृतिः ।।
tato nirdagdhavṛkṣāmbu trailokyam akhilaṃ dvija bhavaty eṣā ca vasudhā kūrmapṛṣṭhopamākṛtiḥ ||
Then, the entire three worlds, O Brahmin, become like the earth, resembling the back of a tortoise, after the trees are burned.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 24
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.24
ततः कालाग्निरुद्रो ऽसौ भूत्वा सर्वहरो हरिः शेषाहिश्वाससंभूतः पातालानि दहत्य अधः ।।
tataḥ kālāgnirudro 'sau bhūtvā sarvaharo hariḥ śeṣāhiśvāsasaṃbhūtaḥ pātālāni dahaty adhaḥ ||
Then, the fierce fire of time, becoming the all-consuming Hari, born from the serpent Shesha, burns the nether worlds below.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 25
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.25
पातालानि समस्तानि स दग्ध्वा ज्वलनो महान भूमिम अभ्येत्य सकलं बभस्ति वसुधातलम ।।
pātālāni samastāni sa dagdhvā jvalano mahān bhūmim abhyetya sakalaṃ babhasti vasudhātalam ||
Having burned all the nether worlds, that great blazing one approaches the earth and illuminates the entire surface of the world.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 26
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.26
भुवर्लोकं ततः सर्वं स्वर्लोकं च सुदारुणः ज्वालामालामहावर्तस तत्रैव परिवर्तते ।।
bhuvarlokaṃ tataḥ sarvaṃ svarlokaṃ ca sudāruṇaḥ jvālāmālāmahāvartas tatraiva parivartate ||
From there, the entire bhuvarloka and the dreadful svarga also revolve in a great circle of flames.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 27
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.27
अम्बरीषम इवाभाति त्रैलोक्यम अखिलं तदा ज्वालावर्तपरीवारम उपक्षीणचराचरम ।।
ambarīṣam ivābhāti trailokyam akhilaṃ tadā jvālāvartaparīvāram upakṣīṇacarācaram ||
At that time, the entire universe shines like Ambarisha, surrounded by the flames of fire, with all beings, mobile and immobile, in a state of distress.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 28
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.28
ततस तापपरीतास तु लोकद्वयनिवासिनः कृताधिकारा गच्छन्ति महर्लोकं महामुने ।।
tatas tāpaparītās tu lokadvayanivāsinaḥ kṛtādhikārā gacchanti maharlokaṃ mahāmune ||
Then, those who reside in the two worlds, afflicted by heat, with authority, proceed to the great realm, O great sage.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 29
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.29
तस्माद अपि महातापतप्ता लोकास ततः परम गच्छन्ति जनलोकं ते दशावृत्त्या परैषिणः ।।
tasmād api mahātāpataptā lokās tataḥ param gacchanti janalokaṃ te daśāvṛttyā paraiṣiṇaḥ ||
Therefore, those worlds, afflicted by great heat, proceed to the realm of people, seeking the path of tenfold.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 30
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.30
ततो दग्ध्वा जगत सर्वं रुद्ररूपी जनार्दनः मुखनिश्वासजान मेघान करोति मुनिसत्तम ।।
tato dagdhvā jagat sarvaṃ rudrarūpī janārdanaḥ mukhaniśvāsajān meghān karoti munisattama ||
Then, having burned the entire world, Janardana, in the form of Rudra, creates clouds from the breath of his mouth, O best of sages.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 31
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.31
ततो गजकुलप्रख्यास तडिद्वन्तो निनादिनः उत्तिष्ठन्ति तदा व्योम्नि घोराः संवर्तका घनाः ।।
tato gajakulaprakhyās taḍidvanto ninādinaḥ uttiṣṭhanti tadā vyomni ghorāḥ saṃvartakā ghanāḥ ||
Then, the elephants, known for their thunderous roars, rise in the sky, the dreadful clouds of destruction.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 32
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.32
केचिन नीलोत्पलश्यामाः केचित कुमुदसंनिभाः धूम्रवर्णा घनाः केचित केचित पीताः पयोधराः ।।
kecin nīlotpalaśyāmāḥ kecit kumudasaṃnibhāḥ dhūmravarṇā ghanāḥ kecit kecit pītāḥ payodharāḥ ||
Some are blue like the blue lotus, some resemble the moonflower; some are dark-colored, some are yellow like clouds.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 33
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.33
केचिद रासभवर्णाभा लाक्षारसनिभास तथा केचिद वैडूर्यसंकाशा इन्द्रनीलनिभाः क्वचित ।।
kecid rāsabhavarṇābhā lākṣārasanibhās tathā kecid vaiḍūryasaṃkāśā indranīlanibhāḥ kvacit ||
Some have the color of a wild ass, resembling lac; some are like the color of a cat's eye, and some are like the blue sapphire.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 34
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.34
शङ्खकुन्दनिभाश चान्ये जात्यञ्जननिभास तथा इन्द्रगोपनिभाः केचिन मनःशिलनिभास तथा ।।
śaṅkhakundanibhāś cānye jātyañjananibhās tathā indragopanibhāḥ kecin manaḥśilanibhās tathā ||
Some are like the color of conch and jasmine; others are like the color of indragopa, and some resemble the color of mind stone.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 35
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.35
चाषपत्रनिभाः केचिद उत्तिष्ठन्ति घना घनाः केचित पुरवराकाराः केचित पर्वतसंनिभाः ।।
cāṣapatranibhāḥ kecid uttiṣṭhanti ghanā ghanāḥ kecit puravarākārāḥ kecit parvatasaṃnibhāḥ ||
Some are like the color of a leaf, rising thickly; some resemble the form of a city, and some are like mountains.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 36
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.36
कूटागारनिभाश चान्ये केचित स्थलनिभा घनाः महारावा महाकायाः पूरयन्ति नभस्तलम ।।
kūṭāgāranibhāś cānye kecit sthalanibhā ghanāḥ mahārāvā mahākāyāḥ pūrayanti nabhastalam ||
Some are like the color of a fortress; others are dense like the earth; the great ones, of great size, fill the sky.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 37
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.37
वर्षन्तस ते महासारास तम अग्निम अतिभैरवम ।। शमयन्त्य अखिलं विप्र त्रैलोक्यान्तरविस्तृतम ।।
varṣantas te mahāsārās tam agnim atibhairavam || śamayanty akhilaṃ vipra trailokyāntaravistṛtam ||
The great clouds, pouring forth, quell the fierce fire that spreads throughout the three worlds.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 38
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.38
नष्टे चाग्नौ शतं ते ऽपि वर्षाणाम अधिकं घनाः प्लावयन्तो जगत सर्वं वर्षन्ति मुनिसत्तम ।।
naṣṭe cāgnau śataṃ te 'pi varṣāṇām adhikaṃ ghanāḥ plāvayanto jagat sarvaṃ varṣanti munisattama ||
Even when a hundred of your rains are lost in the fire, the great sages still pour forth and rain upon the entire world.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 39
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.39
धाराभिर अक्षमात्राभिः प्लावयित्वाखिलां भुवम भुवर्लोकं तथैवोर्ध्वं प्लावयन्ति दिवं द्विज ।।
dhārābhir akṣamātrābhiḥ plāvayitvākhilāṃ bhuvam bhuvarlokaṃ tathaivordhvaṃ plāvayanti divaṃ dvija ||
With streams of rain, they inundate the entire earth, and similarly, they also flood the heavens above.
Three different kinds of dissolution - Verse 40
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 6 · Verse 3.40
अन्धकारीकृते लोके नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे वर्षन्ति ते महामेघा वर्षाणाम अधिकं शतम ।।
andhakārīkṛte loke naṣṭe sthāvarajaṅgame varṣanti te mahāmeghā varṣāṇām adhikaṃ śatam ||
In the darkened world, when the stationary and moving beings are lost, the great clouds rain down a hundred times more.