Shloka 6

Naimittika and Prākṛtika Pralaya

Periodic and Primordial Dissolution

Devanagari script

सुप्त्वा वर्षसहस्रं स जगद्भूयो ऽसृजद्धरिः / अथ प्राकृतिकं वक्ष्ये प्रलयं शृणु शौनक

Transliteration

suptvā varṣasahasraṃ sa jagadbhūyo 'sṛjaddhariḥ / atha prākṛtikaṃ vakṣye pralayaṃ śṛṇu śaunaka

Translation

بعد أن نام ألف سنة، أعاد ذلك هاري خلق العالم من جديد. والآن سأصف الانحلال البرَاكْرِتِيكي (Prākṛtika) القائم على الطبيعة الأولى—فاصغِ يا شاونَكا.

Word by Word

• suptvā: having slept
• suptvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svap (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः

• varṣasahasram: a thousand years
• varṣasahasram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa-sahasra (प्रातिपदिक; वर्ष + सहस्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वर्षाणां सहस्रम्)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• jagat: the world
• jagat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन

• bhūyaḥ: again
• bhūyaḥ: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūyas (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• asṛjat: created
• asṛjat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• hariḥ: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• hariḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), एकवचन

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक/अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (conjunctive adverb)

• prākṛtikam: natural, primordial
• prākṛtikam: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prākṛtika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रलयम्)

• vakṣye: I shall explain
• vakṣye: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• pralayam: dissolution
• pralayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pralaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• śaunaka: O Śaunaka
• śaunaka: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaunaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Case 8), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) addressing Śaunaka, describing Hari (Viṣṇu) and introducing Prākṛtika-pralaya

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cyclic creation: Hari withdraws and reprojects the world after yogic sleep; prākṛtika pralaya is a principled dissolution rooted in Prakṛti.

Vedantic Theme: Sṛṣṭi-laya as periodic manifestation of māyā/prakṛti under Īśvara; time-cycles (kalpa) as relative within the absolute.

Application: Study impermanence without despair: treat life phases as cycles; use śravaṇa-manana (listening/reflection) to reduce fear of endings and strengthen spiritual priorities.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic state-transition

Cross References

Related Themes: Immediate continuation: 1.224.7–1.224.9 elaborating withdrawal, Brahmā-laya, and cosmic waters

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Shaunaka

FAQs

What is the importance of Prākṛtika-pralaya in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces Prākṛtika-pralaya as a key cosmological teaching—dissolution rooted in Prakṛti—framing the universe as cyclical: creation follows divine rest and dissolution precedes renewal.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it sets the larger metaphysical backdrop: individual death and afterlife teachings occur within recurring cosmic cycles governed by Viṣṇu, where worlds arise and dissolve while the deeper reality persists.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reflect on impermanence: worldly conditions change and end, so prioritize dharma, disciplined living, and spiritual practice over attachment to transient status or possessions.