Shloka 46

Naimittika-pralaya and the Theology of Kāla: Seven Suns, Saṃvartaka Fire, Flood, and Varāha Kalpa

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्नेकार्णवे घोरे नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे / योगनिन्द्रां समास्थाय शेते देवः प्रजापतिः

Transliteration

tasminnekārṇave ghore naṣṭe sthāvarajaṅgame / yoganindrāṃ samāsthāya śete devaḥ prajāpatiḥ

Translation

In jenem schrecklichen einen Ozean, nachdem alles Unbewegliche und Bewegliche zugrunde gegangen war, begab sich der göttliche Herr, Prajāpati, in den yogischen Schlaf (Yoga-Nidrā) und lag in Ruhe.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (masc/neut), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular)

• एकार्णवे: in the single ocean (deluge)
• एकार्णवे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक-अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular); कर्मधारयः: एकः अर्णवः = ‘one ocean (single flood)’

• घोरे: terrible
• घोरे: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular); qualifying एकार्णवे

• नष्टे: when (it was) destroyed
• नष्टे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नश् (धातु) → नष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter); भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त) — locative absolute: ‘when (all) had perished’

• स्थावरजङ्गमे: (when) the stationary and moving (beings)
• स्थावरजङ्गमे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर-जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः: स्थावराणि च जङ्गमानि च = ‘immobile and mobile beings’

• योगनिन्द्राम्: yogic sleep
• योगनिन्द्राम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग-निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः: योगस्य निद्रा = ‘yogic sleep’

• समास्थाय: having assumed
• समास्थाय: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः — ‘having entered/assumed’

• शेते: lies (reclines)
• शेते: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपदम्

• देवः: the god
• देवः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati
• प्रजापतिः: समानााधिकरण (Samānādhikaraṇa/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular); देवस्य विशेषण/उपाधि (apposition)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (describing the cosmic state at pralaya)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Prajāpati
• Yoganidrā
• Ekārṇava (cosmic ocean)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It presents the Supreme as unaffected by dissolution: when all beings vanish, the Lord remains, abiding in yogic repose—suggesting the Self as the enduring ground beyond change.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The key idea is yoganidrā—an advanced yogic absorption where consciousness is inwardly established, not ordinary sleep; it implies mastery of samādhi-like stillness even amid cosmic dissolution.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

By using a universal title like Prajāpati and emphasizing yogic sovereignty, the verse supports the Purāṇa’s non-sectarian stance: the supreme Lord is one, described through shared yogic and cosmic functions honored in both Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions.