Shloka 9

Naimittika and Prākṛtika Pralaya

Periodic and Primordial Dissolution

Devanagari script

अन्तर्गतेन तोयेन भिन्नमण्डं जगत्पतेः / पूर्णे ब्रह्मायुषि गते भिद्यते ऽम्भसि लीयते

Transliteration

antargatena toyena bhinnamaṇḍaṃ jagatpateḥ / pūrṇe brahmāyuṣi gate bhidyate 'mbhasi līyate

Translation

Wenn die inneren Wasser ansteigen, spaltet sich die kosmische Sphäre des Herrn des Weltalls. Und wenn Brahmās volle Lebensspanne vollendet ist, zerbricht sie und löst sich wieder in den uranfänglichen Wassern auf.

Word by Word

• antargatena: by the water that has entered inside
• antargatena: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: antar-gata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; अन्तर् + गत)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Case 3), एकवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुष-प्राय (अन्तर्गत); विशेषणम् (तोयेन)

• toyena: by water
• toyena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Case 3), एकवचन

• bhinnam: split, broken
• bhinnam: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhinna (कृदन्त; भिद् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Case 1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अण्डम्)

• aṇḍam: the cosmic egg
• aṇḍam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Case 1/2), एकवचन

• jagatpateḥ: of the Lord of the world
• jagatpateḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat-pati (प्रातिपदिक; जगत् + पति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Case 6), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (जगतः पतिः)

• pūrṇe: when completed
• pūrṇe: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Case 7), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी

• brahmāyuṣi: in Brahmā's lifespan
• brahmāyuṣi: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma-āyus (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्म + आयुस्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Case 7), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः आयुः)

• gate: when it has passed
• gate: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; गम् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Case 7), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी

• bhidyate: is split
• bhidyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• ambhasi: in water
• ambhasi: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Case 7), एकवचन

• līyate: dissolves, is absorbed
• līyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: lī (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All compounded structures—even the cosmic egg—are finite and dissolve; only the causal ground remains.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā of all saṃskṛta; laya into the causal (avyakta/ambhas) under Īśvara; disidentification from cosmic as well as personal forms.

Application: Use cosmic impermanence as a mirror for personal impermanence; reduce clinging, cultivate steady practice aimed at the unconditioned (mokṣa) rather than any worldly/celestial attainment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic enclosure breaking

Cross References

Related Themes: Culmination of the pralaya sequence in 1.224.5–1.224.9; Brahmā’s lifespan referenced in 1.224.7–1.224.8

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Jagatpati

FAQs

What is the importance of pralaya (cosmic dissolution) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames pralaya as a lawful cosmic process: when Brahmā’s allotted lifespan ends, the brahmāṇḍa breaks and all manifested worlds are reabsorbed into primordial waters, emphasizing impermanence and cyclical time.

How does this verse explain what happens to the universe at the end of Brahmā’s life?

It says the inner waters swell and the cosmic enclosure (brahmāṇḍa) splits; with the completion of Brahmā’s lifespan, creation dissolves and merges into the waters, indicating reabsorption of the manifested cosmos.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Meditate on impermanence: worldly status and possessions are temporary, so prioritize dharma, self-discipline, and spiritual practice over attachment to transient forms.