Shloka 25

नग्न-परिभाषा तथा देव-स्तोत्रपूर्वक मायामोह-उत्पत्ति

Defining ‘Nagna’ and the Devas’ Hymn Leading to Māyāmoha

Devanagari script

भक्षयत्य् अथ कल्पान्ते भूतानि यद् अवारितम् त्वद्रूपं पुण्डरीकाक्ष तस्मै कालात्मने नमः

Transliteration

bhakṣayaty atha kalpānte bhūtāni yad avāritam tvadrūpaṃ puṇḍarīkākṣa tasmai kālātmane namaḥ

Translation

O Lotus-eyed Lord, at the end of a kalpa Your own unimpeded form consumes all beings; salutations to You as Time itself.

Word by Word

• भक्षयति: devours
• भक्षयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (Present, 3rd person singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Avyaya-sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तरार्थक/क्रमसूचक; indeclinable: then)

• कल्पान्ते: at the end of the aeon
• कल्पान्ते: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; (Masculine, Locative Singular)

• भूतानि: beings
• भूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (Neuter, Accusative Plural)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Visheshana (Relative/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (Neuter, Nom/Acc Singular)

• अवारितम्: unrestrained
• अवारितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + वारित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वृ/वार् ‘to restrain’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नञ्-निषेध; (Neuter, Nom/Acc Singular, PPP, ‘unrestrained’)

• त्वद्रूपम्: your form
• त्वद्रूपम्: Karma/Pratipadyam (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (Neuter, Nom/Acc Singular)

• पुण्डरीकाक्ष: O lotus-eyed one
• पुण्डरीकाक्ष: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीक (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि/अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; (Masculine, Vocative Singular)

• तस्मै: to that (form)
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; (Dative Singular)

• कालात्मने: to the time-natured one
• कालात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; (Masculine, Dative Singular)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojaka/Formula (Salutation formula)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात); दत्तिवाचक-प्रयोगः (used with dative)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; within a devotional-cosmological description of Vishnu)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The Lord as Time (kāla) who brings about kalpa-end dissolution

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: At kalpa’s end, the Lord as Time irresistibly withdraws all beings, revealing the impermanence of manifested existence.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Reflect daily on impermanence to loosen attachment and redirect effort toward lasting devotion and liberation.

Vishishtadvaita: Time and dissolution are not independent powers; they are modes of the Supreme who remains sovereign cause even in withdrawal.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

What is the significance of Kāla (Time) in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

Time is presented as a divine aspect of Vishnu—an irresistible power that brings the kalpa to its close by dissolving all beings back into the Supreme.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic dissolution (pralaya) here?

He frames pralaya as the Lord’s own form acting without obstruction: at the kalpa’s end, all created entities are consumed and reabsorbed under Vishnu’s sovereignty.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu being called 'kālātmā' (Time-souled)?

It asserts Vishnu’s supremacy not only as creator and sustainer but also as the ultimate dissolver—Time itself—so the cosmos is governed by Him in every phase of the cycle.