Shloka 51
तावत्प्रमाणा च निशा ततो भवति सत्तम ब्रह्मरूपधरः शेते शेषाहाव् अम्बुसंप्लवे
tāvatpramāṇā ca niśā tato bhavati sattama brahmarūpadharaḥ śete śeṣāhāv ambusaṃplave
Of that very measure is the Night that then ensues, O best of the good. There, bearing the form of Brahmā, the Supreme lies in yogic repose upon Śeṣa, while the deluge of waters overwhelms all.
Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Brahma’s night and the deluge at the end of the kalpa
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: revealing
Creation Stage: Kalpa
Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)
Concept: At the close of the day of Brahmā, an equal-length night ensues in which the Supreme rests in yogic sleep upon Śeṣa amid the all-engulfing waters.
Vedantic Theme: Maya
Application: Use the image of yoga-nidra to practice inner stillness and trust in cosmic rhythms during periods of ‘ending’ and uncertainty.
Vishishtadvaita: The Lord transcends dissolution yet remains the sustaining ground (adhiṣṭhāna) even when worlds are withdrawn.
Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)
Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)
Jagat Karana: Yes
FAQs
It marks the cosmic interval of dissolution (pralaya) corresponding in duration to Brahmā’s day, when manifested worlds subside and remain latent in the Supreme.
He describes a timed cosmic withdrawal: after the measured period, the universe is flooded (ambu-saṃplava) and the Supreme reposes on Śeṣa, holding the creative principle in latency.
It portrays Vishnu as the transcendent sovereign who remains unchanged through dissolution, sustaining all potentials and ensuring the continuity of cosmic order across cycles.