The Bhagavata Purana

by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 780,972 words | ISBN-10: 8120838203 | ISBN-13: 9788120838208

This page describes The Four-Fold Pralaya which is chapter 4 of the English translation of the Bhagavata Purana, one of the eighteen major puranas containing roughly 18,000 metrical verses. Topics include ancient Indian history, religion, philosophy, geography, mythology, etc. The text has been interpreted by various schools of philosophy. This is the fourth chapter of the Twelfth Skandha of the Bhagavatapurana.

Chapter 4 - The Four-Fold Pralaya

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[Note: Bhāvāratha Dīpikā explains that pralaya (dissolution) is four-fold, naimittika (occasional) Prākṛtika (pertaining to the primordial matter), ātyantika (everlasting) and nitya (constant or eternal). And all these arc described in this Chapter.]

Śrī Śuka continued:

1. The divisions of Time commencing from its minutest unit (Paramāṇu) and ending with the period forming the lifespan of god Brahmā (consisting of two parārdhas) have been described to you, O King. The duration of four Yugas also has been narrated to you. Now listen to the periods of Kalpa (a span of time for the round of creation and subsistence of the world) and Laya (The period of the dissolution) of universe.)

2. The period consisting of a thousand revolutions of the Yugas (viz. Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali) is called one day (in the life) of god Brahmā. This period is known as a Kalpa, during which fourteen Manus successively reign over the world, O protector of men.

3. At the end of that period, there is an equally long period of dissolution of the universe, (Pralaya). It is called the night (in the life) of god Brahmā. At the end of the Kalpa, these three worlds become due for dissolution and get dissolved.

4. This dissolution (Pralaya) is called occasional[1] (as it is caused by the occasion of the sleep of god Brahmā). During this period, Lord Nārāyaṇa, the Creator of the universe, withdraws all the universe within, himself and goes to sleep on the bed of Ananta’s (the serpent Śeṣa’s) body. And so does god Brahmā.

5. When the period of two Parārdha[2] years forming the span of life of the highest god Brahmā, comes to a close, the seven Prakṛtis or causal principles of the universe (viz. mahat or cosmic intelligence, ahaṃkāra the cosmic I-ness or ego and the five tan-mātrās—subtle elements) become due to be dissolved (and are so withdrawn) into Prakṛti or Primordial Matter. (Hence, it is called Prākṛtika).

6. O King! this is called the dissolution pertaining to Prakṛti or primordial Matter. For in this Pralaya, the universe or Brahmāṇḍa which is the product of the causes enumerated as seven Prakṛtis above, gets finally dissolved as the occasion of the dissolution of these causes arrives.

7. (At that time) the god of rains does not send any shower of rain on the earth for one hundred years. Then the earth becomes bereft of food-grains and beings, tormented by hunger, prey upon and eat one another.

8. Thus harassed by the Time-Spirit, the creatures gradually perish. The fierce sun ending the world (known as Sāṃvartika) with its terribly scorching rays, drinks up (evaporates) all liquid (water) that is in the seas, the humiḍs in the body and all moisture and under-ground water on the earth and does not release a drop of it.

9. Then the cosmos-destructive fire emanating from the (thousand mouths of) Saṅkarṣaṇa (the serpent Śeṣa) raging ablaze, burns down all sub-terranean regions which have been already desolate.

10. The egg of the universe is ablaze from above, below and on all sides by the flames of fire (issuing from below from Saṅkarṣaṇa’s mouth) and the scorching rays of the sun burns and looks like a ball of burnt cow-dung.

11. Tempestuous winds characteristic of the end of the universe, blow violently for a hundred years and the sky is enveloped in dust and appears smoky.

12. Thereupon hosts of clouds of various shades of colours, roaring with violent peals of thunder, pour down heavy showers of rains for one hundred years.

13. Then the universe within the cosmic egg becomes transformed into one single sheet of water. When the cosmic waters have flooded the universe and everything is merged under water, the water absorbs scent—the quality of the earth.

14. When the earth has lost its essential distinguishing quality viz. fragrance, it disintegrates and ceases to exist. The fire then absorbs the property of fluidity from the waters and they being deprived of their fluidity, cease to exist.

15. The winds thereupon swallow up the form or colour which is the characteristic property of fire (Tejas). Then the ākāśa absorbs the property of the wind (viz. touch) and it ceases to exist (as it is dispersed in the sky).

16. The wind enters (and is absorbed) in the ether. Bhūtādi i.e. ego of the Tāmasic type absorbs sound which is the characteristic of the sky which gets dissolved in the Bhūtādi.

17. Dear Parīkṣit! The rājasa type of ahaṃkāra absorbs all the sense-organs and Vaikārika i.e. the Sāttvic type of ego does the same in the case of their Presiding deities. The Principle called Mahat (Cosmic intelligence) swallows up the Ahaṃkāra and the attributes known as Sattva and others absorb the Mahat.

18. The unmanifest Prakṛti, being impelled by the force of the Time-spirit, absorbs the attributes (Sattva, rajas, tamas) and establishes equilibrium in them.

19. Pradhāna i.e. unmanifest Primordial matter is not subject to the states of modifications (such as birth, growth, decay, death) produced by the divisions of time. It is beginning less; it has no end; it is unmanifest, eternal, the cause, of all, but not subject to decay.

20. In that stage of Prakṛti, there is no (existence of) speech, mind, modes or attributes of Prakṛti like Sattva, rajas and tamas or principles like mahat (Cosmic intelligence). There is no scope to vital air (Prāṇa) intelligence, sense or their presiding deities. There is no structure or form which can be called “the world.”

21. It is a state in which, there is no dream, wakefulness or sleep. There is no sky or ether, water, earth, air, fire, or the sun. It resembles to some extent the deep sleep or vacuity itself. But it is beyond the range of thinking or imagination. The Vedas declare that (this unmanifest) state is the original root of the universe.

22. When the potencies of both Puruṣa and the unmanifest (Prakṛti) are impelled by Time and get inevitably and thoroughly absorbed into their substratum, that is known as the Prākṛtika Pralaya (dissolution into Prakṛti or Primordial matter)[3]

23.[4] Knowledge[5] or consciousness is the substratum of buddhi (reason or intellect), indriyas (the senses-organs) and artha the objects of these senses). It is in the forms of these three that knowledge shines forth. But whatever has a beginning and an end is unreal because of its perceptibility and as such it is undifferentiated from its cause[6].

24. Light, the eye and colour or form are not different from the principle of Tejas (as they are the modifications of Tejas—light or fire). Similarly, the intellect, the senses and the sense-objects are not separate or distinct from Brahman. But Brahman is quite distinct from them (as Brahman exists even when the triad—the intellect, senses and objects—ceases to exist)[7].

25. It is said that the state or wakefulness, dream and sleep are the states of buddhi (intellect). The plurality (such as Viśva, Taijasa and Prājña) ascribed to the pure soul is purely Māyā (illusion).

26. Just as clouds sometimes appear and disappear from the sky, this universe which consists of parts and has a beginning and an end appears and disappears on the substratum of Brahman.[8]

27. Of all objects consisting of parts, only parts are said to be real (in the Upaniṣads[9]) as they form the cause, just as threads (of cloth) can be seen (to exist) even if the cloth (is unwoven and hence) not in existence.

28.[10] Whatever is perceived as a cause or an effect is an illusion as causal relation is (mutually) interdependent. Whatever has a beginning or an end is unreal.

29. The effect called Prapañca (or the Phenomenal universe) though apparent or visible to us, is unexplainable at all apart from (i.e. independently of) the pure Self Pratyagātman). If it were real even to the slightest degree, it would be the same as the intelligent or conscious Self and as such identical with ātman.

30. Satya[11] i.e. ātman (the Self) has no diversity. It is the real existence, one without a second or difference. One who believes in difference is ignorant. The apparent diversity is due to some condition (upādhi) as between the space enclosed in a pot and the unlimited expanse of the sky (both though one, appear different due to the enclosing condition of a pot), between the Sun (in the sky) and its reflections in water or between the vital air or breath inside the body and the air outside the body (in the world over.)

31. Just as gold is denoted by various names according; to the form into which it is shaped, so the supra-sensuous Lord is called by various names by egotistic persons in the language of the world and in the Vedic parlance.

32. Just as a cloud, created by the sun (by evaporating water with his rays) and exhibited (by the light of the sun), becomes darkness preventing the eye (which is also a part of the sun) from getting the view of the sun, Ego (ahaṃkāra) which is evolved out of Brahman and is lighted by Brahman works as an obstruction to Jīva or individual self (which is also a part of the Brahman) becomes a bondage preventing it from having a view of the Brahman.

33. When the cloud born of the sun (by the heat of the solar rays) is dispersed, the eye is able to have a view of the sun which is its own form. The same way, when ahaṃkāra (ego which works) as the limiting condition (and obscures the realization of Brahman) is destroyed by investigation (into the real nature of the ātman (soul), it realizes that it is Brahman itself.

34. When the bondage of the Soul (ātman) consisting of ahaṃkāra which is an evolute of Māyā and which comes in the way of the realization of the self (ātman) is severed with the sword of spiritual knowledge, such a state of ever-lasting final emancipation is known as the eternal ātyantika) Pralaya.

35.[12] Some persons, having (deeper) knowledge of the subtle state of things, assert that the creation and dissolution occurs continuously in the case of all beings from god Brahmā downwards, O chastiser of enemies.

36. The continuous sequence of modifications through which changing things such as bodies of beings (a stream of water or the flame of a lamp) which are rapidly being; worn away by the inexorable force of the stream of time-pass, are (known as) the eternal causes of the origination and. destruction of the bodies.

37. (What can be observed is only very broad stages such as childhood, youth, age). But the continuous successive states (of the body) effected by the Time-spirit which is another form of the Almighty God, and which has no beginning or end, are not distinctly perceptible every moment even as the motion (per minute) of the luminaries (the planets and stars) in their course through the sky, are beyond (our capacity of) observation.

38. Thus the four types of dissolution, viz. constant (nitya), occasional or depending on condition (naimittika), relating to Prakṛti (Prākṛtika) and everlasting or final (ātyantika) have been described to you. Such is the course of Time.

39. O most prominent of Kurus I In this way, these stories of the sportive activities of Lord Nārāyaṇa, the creator of the universe, the abode of all beings (or the centre of all power aṅd goodness) have been narrated to you briefly. It is beyond the capacity even of the birth-less god Brahmā to narrate them in details and in their entirety (even though he is endowed with the longest span of life of two parārdha years.)

40. If a man is distressed and scorched in the wild fire of various types of griefs and miseries and is desirous of crossing this ocean of saṃsāra which it is extremely difficult to cross, there is no other boat (lit. raft) other than (the act of) constantly listening to and thus drinking the nectar-like stories of the sportful activities of the glorious supreme person.

41. In ancient days, the immortal sage Nārāyaṇa taught this compilation of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (through god Brahmā[13]) to Nārada who in his turn taught it to (my father) Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.

42. It is that worshipful sage Bādarāyaṇa who was pleased to teach me this collection (Purāṇa) describing the glories of the Supreme Lord which has the same sacred status as the Vedas.

43. O best of Kurus! Sūta, when requested by sages like Śaunaka and others, will narrate this to sages during the course of a long sacrificial session in the Naimiṣāraṇya (in future).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

As this Pralaya of three worlds takes place due to the condition of Brahmā’s sleep, it is called ‘conditional’ or ‘occasional’—naimittikaBhāvāratha Dīpikā)

[2]:

One Parārdha = 100,000,000,000,000,000 years.

[3]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā points out that potencies (Śaktis) are the products or evolutes of Prakṛti. When Prakṛti remains as an undifferentiated and inseparable attribute of Paramātman, that is the dissolution of Prakṛti.

[4]:

From 23rd verse follows the description of the ātyantika pralaya (everlasting dissolution) which is Mokṣa—final emancipation from Saṃsāra.

[5]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā takes knowledge (Jñāna) as signifying the supreme soul (jñāna-śabdaḥ paramātma-vācī.)

[6]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā: Buddhi (reason), indrīyas (senses), etc. arc like a body and have no independent existence unless Paramātman abides in them. It is he who shines through them.

Padaratnāvalī’s explanation appears to me farfetched; “During this Pralaya the Brahman who alone supports all, shines along with Lakṣmī, liberated souls (Muktas) and he appears refulgent in the form of light and has the excellent beauty that gives delight to all senses.

Behind Padaratnāvalī, there is, however, a tradition of interpretation of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa from Madhva, The founder of Dvaitism.

[7]:

Just as it is on the principle—tejas that the three—light (as a product), the eye (the recipient of tejas) and colour the property of Tejas—depend, so the reason, senses and the objects arc created by the Lord and depend on him. Hence, they cannot exist apart from God. But he is distinct from these and is termed as jyotis.

[8]:

Padaratnāvalī: just as clouds appear and disappear from the sky, and the clouds and sky arc different, so is the Brahma which creates and dissolves. The world is different from it.

[9]:

Vācārambhaṇaṃ vikāro nāmadheyaṃ mṛttiketyeva satyam—Chāndogya Up.6.1,4.

[10]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā: The principle and its modifications are interdependent and denote the same thing in its subtle and gross state. So the distinctness of an effect or product from the general principle and its speciality in modification is nothing but misunderstanding. That which has a beginning and an end (e.g. our bodies) cannot be the Soul (anātmavastu).

Padaratnāvalī: A general principle is the aspect of a thing which remains constant throughout its existence. The aspect that is not so constant is the modification. These two are different, separable aspects. Hence that which has a beginning and an end is not an essential part of the thing.

[11]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā; Satya means the individual soul. He quotes Tait. Up. 2.6.1

(tat Sṛṣṭvā tadevā nuprāviśat tad anupraviśya sacca yyaccā'bhavat).

A person who thinks that there is difference in the Jīvātman of gods, men etc. is ignorant.

Padaratnāvalī: “Satya” means Brahman. It is not subject to differentiation or division

(satyasya brahmaṇo rūpāṇāṃ nānātvaṃ satyaṃ na bhavati /).

[12]:

Padaratnāvalī: God Brahmā and others experience birth and death every day. Bhāgavata Candrikā: Here Pralaya means modifications in the body.

[13]:

Vide Supra 2.9. 43-44.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: