Shloka 4

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

महाप्रलयकाले च नष्टे स्थावरजंगमे । आसीत्तमोमयं सर्वमनर्कग्रहतारकम्

Transliteration

mahāpralayakāle ca naṣṭe sthāvarajaṃgame | āsīttamomayaṃ sarvamanarkagrahatārakam

Translation

At the time of the great dissolution (mahāpralaya), when all stationary and moving beings had perished, everything became a mass of darkness—without the sun, without planets, and without stars.

Word by Word

• mahā-pralaya-kāle: at the time of the great dissolution
• mahā-pralaya-kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + pralaya (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समास (nested): 'mahān pralayaḥ' + 'pralayasya kālaḥ'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• naṣṭe: when (it was) destroyed
• naṣṭe: Kāla (काल) / Locative absolute (सप्तमी-absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: naś (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त) used as locative absolute (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध/सप्तमी-absolute); Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter/Masculine depending on implied noun; sense: 'when (it was) destroyed'

• sthāvara-jaṅgame: in the immobile and mobile (beings)
• sthāvara-jaṅgame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) / Locative absolute complement
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāvara (प्रातिपदिक) + jaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) as dvandva, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); द्वन्द्व-समास: 'sthāvarāṇi ca jaṅgamāni ca'

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tamo-mayam: made of darkness
• tamo-mayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक) + mayaṭ (मयट्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd: प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष/उपपद: 'tamasā mayam' = consisting of darkness

• sarvam: everything; the whole (universe)
• sarvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd: प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• an-arka-graha-tārakam: without sun, planets, and stars
• an-arka-graha-tārakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an (नञ्) + arka (प्रातिपदिक) + graha (प्रातिपदिक) + tāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd: प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); नञ्-तत्पुरुष: 'arka-graha-tārakāṇām abhāvaḥ' = without sun, planets, and stars

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: mahāpralaya

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It depicts mahāpralaya as the withdrawal of names and forms into tamas, highlighting that the cosmos is not ultimate; the Shaiva view points beyond this darkness to Pati (Shiva) as the ever-present ground of consciousness who alone enables re-manifestation and liberation.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

When sun, planets, and stars are absent, no external support remains—symbolically directing the seeker to Shiva as the inner light. Linga worship centers on that timeless reality (Pati) who remains when all visible markers of the universe dissolve.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the light beyond darkness by steady japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and contemplate the impermanence of the world during pralaya to strengthen vairagya and devotion.