Shloka 25

कालनिर्णयः (युग-मन्वन्तर-कल्पप्रमाणम्) — Measures of Time and Cosmic Cycles

Devanagari script

जनस्थैर् योगिभिर् देवश् चिन्त्यमानो ऽब्जसंभवः तत्प्रमाणां हि तां रात्रिं तदन्ते सृजते पुनः

Transliteration

janasthair yogibhir devaś cintyamāno 'bjasaṃbhavaḥ tatpramāṇāṃ hi tāṃ rātriṃ tadante sṛjate punaḥ

Translation

The lotus-born Lord (Brahmā), contemplated by steadfast yogins, passes through that Night in measure befitting him; and when that Night comes to its end, he creates again.

Word by Word

• जनस्थैः: by steadfast (ones) among people
• जनस्थैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (steadfast among people / in assemblies), विशेषण (qualifying yogibhiḥ)

• योगिभिः: by yogis
• योगिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• देवः: the god (Lord)
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चिन्त्यमानः: being contemplated
• चिन्त्यमानः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √चिन्त् (धातु) + यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; शानच्)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (being meditated upon)

• अब्दसंभवः: the lotus-born (Brahmā)
• अब्दसंभवः: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द/अब्ज + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (born from the lotus/water-born)

• तत्प्रमाणाम्: of that measure; of equal duration
• तत्प्रमाणाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः; विशेषण (qualifying rātrim)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• रात्रिम्: night
• रात्रिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तदन्ते: at its end
• तदन्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-सम्बन्धः (at its end)

• सृजते: creates; emits
• सृजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Brahmā’s night duration and the resumption of creation; role of yogic contemplation

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: compassionate

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: During Brahmā’s night, the lotus-born creator is contemplated by steadfast yogins, and at the night’s end he creates again—linking cosmic renewal with contemplative steadiness.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Maintain regular meditation and remembrance of the Lord through personal ‘nights’ (periods of uncertainty); let practice be continuous even when outer activity pauses.

Vishishtadvaita: Creation is periodic and dependent: Brahmā acts as an instrument, while enduring contemplation of the Supreme indicates the Lord’s primacy over the creator and cycles of manifestation.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

What is the significance of Brahmā’s “Night” in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the cosmological interval of withdrawal and quiescence after which creation resumes—showing the Purana’s cyclical model of time rather than a single linear creation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the process of re-creation here?

Parāśara presents a recurring sequence: a cosmic night of a defined measure occurs, and at its conclusion the lotus-born Brahmā resumes the act of creation again.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Brahmā is described as the immediate creator, the Vishnu Purana frames such functions within a higher, ordered cosmic reality—creation and dissolution proceed by an overarching sovereignty that Vaishnava theology ultimately grounds in Vishnu.