Shloka 1

Naimittika and Prākṛtika Pralaya

Periodic and Primordial Dissolution

Devanagari script

नाम त्रयोविंशत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / चतुर्युगसहस्रान्ते ब्राह्मो नैमित्तिको लयः / अनावृष्टिश्च कल्पान्ते जायते शतवार्षिकी

Transliteration

nāma trayoviṃśatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / caturyugasahasrānte brāhmo naimittiko layaḥ / anāvṛṣṭiśca kalpānte jāyate śatavārṣikī

Translation

Sūta said: “This is the two-hundred-and-twenty-fourth chapter. At the completion of a thousand cycles of the four yugas, the Brahmā-related, periodic (naimittika) dissolution occurs; and at the end of the kalpa there arises a drought—no rainfall—for a hundred years.”

Word by Word

• नाम: (entitled)
• नाम: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle) अध्याय-शीर्षके; 'नाम' = 'entitled/called'

• त्रयोविंशति-अधिक-द्विशततमः: the 223rd (two-hundred-and-twenty-third)
• त्रयोविंशति-अधिक-द्विशततमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोविंशति (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक) + द्विशततम (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (ordinal)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता/विषय (heading)

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• चतुर्युग-सहस्र-अन्ते: at the end of a thousand four-yuga cycles
• चतुर्युग-सहस्र-अन्ते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्युग (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (time)

• ब्राह्मः: Brahmā-related (of Brahmā)
• ब्राह्मः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (लयस्य)

• नैमित्तिकः: occasional/periodic
• नैमित्तिकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (लयस्य)

• लयः: dissolution
• लयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• अनावृष्टिः: lack of rain/drought
• अनावृष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनावृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• कल्पान्ते: at the end of the kalpa
• कल्पान्ते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्पान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (time)

• जायते: arises/occurs
• जायते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• शतवार्षिकी: lasting a hundred years
• शतवार्षिकी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वार्षिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (अनावृष्टेः)

Speaker

Suta (Sūta Uvāca)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic dissolution is periodic (naimittika) and governed by vast yuga cycles; worldly stability is impermanent within kalpa-time.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatva of saṃsāra; kāla as a manifestation of īśvara’s order; dispassion (vairāgya) through contemplation of pralaya.

Application: Use pralaya contemplation to reduce attachment, prioritize dharma and devotion, and cultivate steadiness amid change.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: pralaya descriptions in cosmology sections (sarga/pratisarga narratives)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Yugas
• Kalpa

FAQs

What is the importance of naimittika pralaya in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces naimittika pralaya as a periodic cosmic dissolution associated with Brahmā’s cycle, placing human history within larger yuga–kalpa time scales.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by framing existence as cyclical and time-bound, it supports the Purāṇic view that embodied life and its outcomes unfold within recurring cosmic dissolutions and renewals.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages detachment and dharmic living by reminding readers that worldly conditions—even vast eras—are impermanent within larger cosmic cycles.