विष्णुपुराणम् — षष्ठांशे चतुर्थोऽध्यायः | viṣṇupurāṇam

श्रीपराशर उवाच ।

सप्तर्शिस्थानामाक्रम्य स्थितेंभसि महामुने ।
एकार्णवं भवत्येतत्त्रैलोक्यमखिलं ततः ॥

Summary AI O great sage, when the waters rise and occupy the region of the Saptarṣis, the entire triple world dissolves into a single vast ocean.

६.४.२

मुखनिश्वासजो विष्णोर्वायुस्ताञ्जलदांस्ततः ।
नाशयन्वाति मैत्रेय वर्षाणामपरं शतम् ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, a wind born from the breath of Viṣṇu's mouth then blows for another hundred years, dispersing and destroying those clouds.

६.४.३

सर्वभूतमयो ऽचिन्त्यो भगवान्भूतभावनः ।
अनादिरादिर्विश्वस्य पीत्वा वायुमशेषतः ॥

Summary AI The inconceivable Lord, who consists of all beings, is the creator of all, beginningless, and the origin of the universe, completely consumes that wind.

६.४.४

एकार्णवे ततस्तस्मिञ्छेषशय्यागतः प्रभुः ।
ब्रह्मरूपधरः शेते भगवानादिकृद्धरिः ॥

Summary AI Then, in that universal ocean, the Lord Hari, the primal creator, assuming the form of Brahmā, sleeps while reclining upon His serpent-bed, Śeṣa.

६.४.५

जनलोकगतैः सिद्धैः समकाद्यैरभिष्टुतः ।
ब्रह्मलोकगतैश्चैव चिन्त्यमानो मुमुक्षुभिः ॥

Summary AI He is praised by the Siddhas like Sanaka and others residing in Janaloka and is meditated upon by seekers of liberation dwelling in Brahmaloka.

६.४.६

आत्ममायामयीं दिव्यां योगनिद्रां समास्थितः ।
आत्मानं वासुदेवाख्यं चिन्तयन्मधुसूदनः ॥

Summary AI Absorbed in divine yogic sleep (Yoganidrā) produced by His own Māyā, Madhusūdana remains contemplating His own self, known as Vāsudeva.

६.४.७

एष नैमित्तिको नाम मैत्रेयः प्रतिसंचरः ।
निमित्तं तत्र यच्छेते ब्रह्मरूपधरो हरिः ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, this is called the Naimittika dissolution. Its occasional cause (nimitta) is the fact that Hari, in the form of Brahmā, sleeps.

६.४.८

यदा जागर्ति सर्वात्मा स तदा चेष्टते जगत् ।
निमीलत्येतदखिलं मायाशय्यां गते ऽच्युते ॥

Summary AI When the Soul of all awakes, the world becomes active; when Acyuta retires to His bed of Māyā, this entire universe dissolves into repose.

६.४.९

पद्मयोनेर्दिनं यत्तु चतुर्युगसहस्रवत् ।
एकार्णवीकृते लोके तावती रात्रिरिष्यते ॥

Summary AI A single day of the lotus-born Brahmā lasts for a thousand cycles of four Yugas; when the world is turned into one ocean, a night of equal duration follows.

६.४.१०

ततः प्रबुद्धो रात्र्यन्ते पुनःसृष्टिं करोत्यजः ।
ब्रह्मस्वरूपधृग्विष्णुर्यथा ते कथितं पुरा ॥

Summary AI At the end of that night, the unborn Viṣṇu, waking up and assuming the form of Brahmā, performs the work of creation again, just as I previously described to you.

६.४.११

इत्येष कल्पसंहारो ऽवान्तरप्रलयो द्विज ।
नैमित्तिकस्ते कथितः प्राकृतः शृण्वतः परम् ॥

Summary AI O twice-born, thus have I described the Naimittika dissolution, also known as the intermediate Kalpa-destruction. Now, listen to the account of the Prākṛta dissolution.

६.४.१२

अनावृष्ट्यादिसंपर्कात्कृते संक्षालने मुने ।
समस्तेष्वेव लोकेषु पातालेष्वखिलेषु च ॥

Summary AI O Sage, when the cleansing of all the worlds and all the nether regions is accomplished through the effects of drought and other calamities...

६.४.१३

महदादेर्विकारस्य विशेषान्तस्य संक्षये ।
कृष्णेच्छाकारिते तस्मिन्प्रवृत्ते प्रतिसंचरे ॥

Summary AI When this dissolution, driven by Kṛṣṇa's will, proceeds toward the destruction of all modifications from Mahat down to the gross elements...

६.४.१४

आपो ग्रसंति वै पूर्वं भूमेर्गन्धात्मकं गुणम् ।
आत्तगन्धा ततो भूमिः प्रलयत्वाय कल्पते ॥

Summary AI First, the waters swallow the quality of smell belonging to the earth. The earth, having its fragrance taken away, then prepares for total dissolution.

६.४.१५

प्रणष्टे गन्धतन्मात्रे भवत्युर्वी जलात्मिका ।
आपस्तदा प्रवृद्धास्तु वेगवत्यो महास्वनाः ॥

Summary AI When the Tanmātra of smell is destroyed, the earth merges into water. Then the waters, greatly increased, become swift and loud-sounding.

६.४.१६

सर्वमापूरयन्तीदं तिष्ठन्ति विचरन्ति च ।
सलिलेनोर्मिमालेन आलोकान्तात्समन्ततः ॥

Summary AI Filling everything, the waters remain and surge with garlands of waves, spreading everywhere to the very limits of the worlds.

६.४.१७

अपामपि गुणो यस्तु ज्योतिषा पीयते तु सः ।
नश्यन्त्यापस्ततस्ताश्च रसतन्मात्रसंक्षयात् ॥

Summary AI The quality of water, which is taste, is consumed by fire. Consequently, due to the destruction of the Tanmātra of taste, the waters themselves perish.

६.४.१८

ततश्चापो हृतरसाज्योतिषं प्राप्नुवन्ति वै ।
अग्नावस्थे तु सलिले तेजसा सर्वतो वृते ॥

Summary AI Then the waters, deprived of their taste, merge into fire. Once the water is gone, the entire universe is completely enveloped by radiance.

६.४.१९

स चाग्निः सर्वतो व्याप्य चादत्ते तज्जलं तथा ।
सर्वमापूर्यतेर्चिर्भिस्तदा जगदिदं शनैः ॥

Summary AI That fire, spreading everywhere, absorbs the remaining water; then this entire world is gradually filled with glowing flames.

६.४.२०

अर्चिर्भिः संवृते तस्मिंस्तिर्यगूर्ध्वमधस्तदा ।
ज्योतिषो ऽपि परं रूपं वायुरत्ति प्रभाकरम् ॥

Summary AI When the world is covered horizontally, upwards, and downwards with flames, the wind then devours the brilliant supreme form of fire.

६.४.२१

प्रलीने च ततस्तस्मिन्वायुभूते ऽखिलात्मनि ।
प्रनष्टे रूपतन्मात्रे हृतरूपो विभावसुः ॥

Summary AI Then, as the all-pervading element of air dissolves into the universal soul and the subtle element of form (rūpa-tanmātra) is destroyed, the fire (vibhāvasu) is deprived of its form.

६.४.२२

प्रशाम्यति तदाज्योतिर्वायुर्देधूयते महान् ।
निरा लोके तथा लोके वाय्ववस्थे च तेजसि ॥

Summary AI Then the light is extinguished, and the great wind blows violently. As the world becomes devoid of light, the element of fire subsides into the state of air.

६.४.२३

ततस्तु मूलमासाद्य वायुःसंभवमात्मनः ।
ऊर्ध्वं चाधश्च तिर्यक्च दोधवीति दिशो दश ॥

Summary AI Thereafter, reaching the root of its own origin, the wind blows fiercely in all ten directions—upwards, downwards, and horizontally.

६.४.२४

वायोरपि गुणं स्पर्शमाकाशो ग्रसते ततः ।
प्रशाम्यति ततो वायुः खं तु तिष्ठत्यनावृतम् ॥

Summary AI Subsequently, the ether (ākāśa) swallows the quality of touch (sparśa) belonging to the wind. The wind then subsides, and only the unobstructed ether remains.

६.४.२५

अरूपरसमस्पर्शमगन्धं न च मूर्तिमत् ।
सर्वमापूरयच्चैव सुमहात्तत्प्रकाशते ॥

Summary AI Devoid of form, taste, touch, and smell, and possessing no physical body, that immense ether shines forth, filling everything.

६.४.२७

भूतेन्द्रियेषु युगपद्भूतादौ संस्थितेषु वै ।
अबिमानात्मको ह्येष भूतादिस्तामसःस्मृतः ॥

Summary AI When the elements and senses are simultaneously absorbed into the principle of ego (bhūtādi), this ego, characterized by self-conceit, is known as tāmasa.

६.४.२८

भीतादिं ग्रसते चापि ।
महान्वे बुद्धिलक्षणः ॥

Summary AI The great principle (mahat), characterized by intellect (buddhi), then swallows the ego (bhūtādi).

६.४.२९

उर्वी महंश्च जगतः ।
प्रतिन्तर्बाह्यतस्तथा ॥

Summary AI The earth and the great principle (mahat) pervade the universe, existing both internally and externally.

६.४.३०

एवं सप्त महाबुद्धे क्रमात्प्रकृतयःस्मृताः ।
प्रत्याहारे तु ताःसर्वाः प्रविशन्ति परस्परम् ॥

Summary AI O wise one, thus the seven principles are traditionally enumerated in sequence. During the process of dissolution (pratyāhāra), they all enter into one another.

६.४.३१

येनेदमावृतं सर्वमण्डमप्सु प्रलीयते ।
सप्तद्वीपसमुद्रान्तं सप्तलोकं सपर्वतम् ॥

Summary AI This entire cosmic egg, containing the seven continents, oceans, seven worlds, and mountains, which was enveloped by water, is dissolved into those waters.

६.४.३२

उदकावरणं यत्तु ज्योतिषा पीयते तु तम् ।
ज्योतिर्वायौ लयं याति यात्याकाशे समीरमः ॥

Summary AI The covering of water is consumed by fire. The fire then merges into the wind, and the wind (samīramaṇa) dissolves into the ether (ākāśa).

६.४.३३

आकाशं चैव भूतादिर्ग्रसते तं तथा महान् ।
महान्तमेभिः सहितं प्रकृतिर्ग्रसते द्विज ॥

Summary AI The ego (bhūtādi) swallows the ether, and the great principle (mahat) likewise swallows the ego. O twice-born one, primordial nature (prakṛti) then swallows the mahat along with all these elements.

६.४.३४

गुमसाम्यमनुद्रिक्तमन्यूनं च महामुने ।
प्रोच्यते प्रकतिर्हेतुः प्रधानङ्कारणं परम् ॥

Summary AI O great sage, the state where the qualities (guṇas) are in perfect equilibrium, neither increased nor diminished, is called prakṛti. She is the cause, the primary principle (pradhāna), and the supreme source.

६.४.३५

इत्येषा प्रकृतिःसर्वा व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपिणी ।
व्यक्तस्वरूपमव्यक्ते तस्मान्मैत्रेय लीयते ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, such is the nature of all prakṛti, possessing both manifest and unmanifest forms. Therefore, the manifest form eventually dissolves into the unmanifest.

६.४.३६

एकः शुद्धो ऽक्षरो नित्यःसर्वव्यापी तथा पुमान् ।
सो ऽप्यंशःसर्वभूतस्य मैत्रेय परमात्मनः ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, likewise, there is the singular, pure, imperishable, eternal, and all-pervading soul (pumān). He is also a portion of the Supreme Soul (Paramātman), who resides in all beings.

६.४.३७

न संति यत्र सर्वेशे नामजात्यादिकल्पनाः ।
सत्तामात्रत्मके ज्ञेये ज्ञानात्मन्यात्मनः परे ॥

Summary AI In the Lord of all, who is pure existence, the object of knowledge, the essence of wisdom, and the supreme self, there are no conceptions of name, caste, or other distinctions.

६.४.३८

तद्ब्रह्म परमं धाम परमात्मा स चेश्वरः ।
स विष्णुःसर्वमेवेदं यतो नावर्तते यतिः ॥

Summary AI That Brahman is the supreme abode; He is the Paramātman and the Lord (Īśvara). He is Viṣṇu, who is indeed everything, and from whom an ascetic (yati) does not return to the cycle of rebirth.

६.४.३९

प्रकृतिर्या मयाख्याता व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपिणी ।
पुरुषश्चाप्युभावेतौ लियते परमात्मनि ॥

Summary AI Both the primordial nature (prakṛti), which I described as having manifest and unmanifest forms, and the individual soul (puruṣa) dissolve into the Supreme Soul (Paramātman).

६.४.४०

परमात्मा च सर्वेषामाधारः परमेश्वरः ।
विष्णुनामा स वेदेषु वेदान्तेषु च गीयते ॥

Summary AI The Supreme Soul (Paramātman) is the foundation of all and the Supreme Lord. He is celebrated by the name Viṣṇu in the Vedas and the Vedānta.

६.४.४१

प्रवृत्तं च निवृत्तं च द्विविधङ्कर्म वैदिकम् ।
ताभ्यामुभाभ्यां पुरुषैः सर्वमूर्तिःस इज्यते ॥

Summary AI Vedic actions are of two kinds: active (pravṛtta) and contemplative (nivṛtta). Through both of these, men worship Him, who is the embodiment of all forms.

६.४.४२

ऋग्यजुःसामभिर्मार्गैः प्रवृत्तेरिज्यते ह्यसौ ।
यज्ञेश्वरो यज्ञपुमान्पुरुषैः पुरुषोत्तमः ॥

Summary AI The Supreme Person (Puruṣottama), who is the Lord of sacrifice and the sacrifice itself, is worshipped by men through the paths of active worldly duty prescribed by the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas.

६.४.४३

ज्ञानात्मा ज्ञानयोगेन ज्ञानमूर्तिः स चेज्यते ।
निवृत्ते योगिभिर्मार्गे विष्णुर्मुक्तिफलप्रदः ॥

Summary AI Being the essence and form of knowledge, Viṣṇu, who bestows liberation, is worshipped by yogis through the path of renunciation using the discipline of knowledge.

६.४.४४

ह्रस्वदीर्घप्लुतैर्यत्तु किञ्चिद्वस्त्वभिधीयते ।
यच्च वाचामविषयं तत्सर्वं विष्णुरव्ययः ॥

Summary AI Whatever object is expressed by short, long, or protracted vowels, and whatever exists beyond the reach of speech, all that is the immutable Viṣṇu.

६.४.४५

व्यक्तःस एव चाव्यक्तःस एव पुरुषोत्तमः ।
परमात्मा च विश्वात्मा विश्वरूपधरोहरिः ॥

Summary AI He alone is the manifest and the unmanifest; He is the Supreme Person (Puruṣottama), the Supreme Soul (Paramātman), the Soul of all, and Hari, who bears the form of the entire universe.

६.४.४६

व्यक्ताव्यक्तात्मिका तस्मिन्प्रकृतिःसंप्रलीयते ।
पुरुषश्चापि मैत्रेय व्यापिन्यव्याहतात्मनि ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, both primordial nature (prakṛti), in its manifest and unmanifest forms, and the individual soul (puruṣa) dissolve into Him, the all-pervading and unimpeded Self.

६.४.४७

द्विपरार्धात्मकः कालः कथितो यो मया तव ।
तदहस्तस्य मैत्रेय विष्णोरीशस्य कथ्यते ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, the span of time consisting of two parārdhas that I have described to you is called a single day of the Lord Viṣṇu.

६.४.४८

व्यक्ते च प्रकृतौ लीने प्रकृत्यां पुरुषे तथा ।
तत्र स्थिते निशा चास्य तत्प्रमाणा महामुने ॥

Summary AI O great sage, when the manifest is merged into nature and nature into the Supreme Spirit, the period of that same duration is known as His night.

६.४.४९

नैवाहस्तस्य न निशा नित्यस्य परमात्मनः ।
उपचारस्तथाप्येष तस्येशस्य द्विजोच्यते ॥

Summary AI O twice-born one, for that eternal Supreme Soul, there is neither day nor night; nevertheless, such terms are used figuratively for the Lord.

६.४.५०

इत्येष तव मैत्रेय कथितः प्राकृतो लयः ।
आत्यन्तिकमथो ब्रह्मन्निबोध प्रतिसंचरम् ॥

Summary AI Thus, O Maitreya, the elemental dissolution (prākṛta laya) has been described to you. Now, O Brāhmaṇa, hear about the final dissolution (ātyantika pratisañcara).

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