Shloka 8

Naimittika and Prākṛtika Pralaya

Periodic and Primordial Dissolution

Devanagari script

ये गता ब्रह्मणः स्थानं ते ऽपि यान्ति परं पदम् / अनावृष्ट्यर्कसम्पन्ना आसन्मेघास्तथा द्विज / शतं वर्षाणि वर्षद्भिर्मेधैरण्डं प्रपूर्यते

Transliteration

ye gatā brahmaṇaḥ sthānaṃ te 'pi yānti paraṃ padam / anāvṛṣṭyarkasampannā āsanmeghāstathā dvija / śataṃ varṣāṇi varṣadbhirmedhairaṇḍaṃ prapūryate

Translation

الذين بلغوا مقام براهما يمضون أيضًا إلى الحالة العليا. وكذلك، أيها المولود مرتين، فإن السحب الممتلئة بحرارة الشمس دون أن تمطر—إذا أمطرت مئة عام—ملأت البيضة الكونية (الكون).

Word by Word

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• gatāḥ: gone
• gatāḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; गम् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक-विशेषणम् (ye)

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahmā
• brahmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Case 6), एकवचन

• sthānam: abode, place
• sthānam: Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), बहुवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Inclusion/निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; inclusion)

• yānti: go
• yānti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• param: supreme
• param: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पदम्)

• padam: state, abode
• padam: Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन

• anāvṛṣṭyarkasampannāḥ: endowed with no rain and with sun (heat)
• anāvṛṣṭyarkasampannāḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-āvṛṣṭi-arka-sampanna (प्रातिपदिक; अन् + आवृष्टि + अर्क + सम्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अनावृष्ट्या अर्केण च सम्पन्नाः); विशेषणम् (मेघाः)

• āsan: were
• āsan: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• meghāḥ: clouds
• meghāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: megha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), बहुवचन

• tathā: thus, likewise
• tathā: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• dvija: O twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• dvija: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Case 8), एकवचन

• śatam: a hundred
• śatam: Karma (Measure/परिमाणकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक

• varṣāṇi: years
• varṣāṇi: Karma (Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), बहुवचन

• varṣadbhiḥ: raining
• varṣadbhiḥ: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varṣat (कृदन्त; वृष् धातु-शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Case 3), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (मेधैः)

• medhaiḥ: by clouds/streams (medha)
• medhaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: medha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Case 3), बहुवचन

• aṇḍam: the cosmic egg (universe)
• aṇḍam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन

• prapūryate: is completely filled
• prapūryate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-pṝ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra; verse includes an address 'dvija' in the cited recension)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even attainment of Brahmā’s realm is not ultimate; beings can proceed to the supreme state beyond conditioned cosmology.

Vedantic Theme: Gradation of lokas within saṃsāra; paraṃ padam as transcendence of all created realms; mokṣa beyond even Brahmā’s station.

Application: Do not mistake high attainment/status for final freedom; orient practice toward the ‘supreme state’ (paraṃ padam) through devotion, knowledge, and detachment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial abode / cosmic enclosure

Cross References

Related Themes: Continuation of pralaya mechanics culminating in brahmāṇḍa-bheda in 1.224.9

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Garuda
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the importance of reaching Brahmā’s abode in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Brahmā’s realm as a high attainment but not the final goal; even those who reach Brahmaloka can progress further toward the supreme state (paraṃ padam).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By implying graded destinations, it suggests that post-death states are hierarchical—merit can lead to exalted realms like Brahmaloka, yet liberation is portrayed as a higher culmination beyond even that.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Aim not only for merit and heavenly rewards but for inner purification and liberation-oriented practice—treating spiritual life as progressive, not ending with temporary attainments.