Shloka 9

Devanagari script

अन्धकारीकृते लोके वर्षद्भिर् अनिशं घनैः अधश् चोर्ध्वं च तिर्यक् च जगद् आप्यम् इवाभवत्

Transliteration

andhakārīkṛte loke varṣadbhir aniśaṃ ghanaiḥ adhaś cordhvaṃ ca tiryak ca jagad āpyam ivābhavat

Translation

As the world was veiled in darkness and dense clouds poured without cease, the universe—below, above, and in every direction—seemed to become one continuous expanse of water.

Word by Word

• अन्धकारीकृते: in the world made dark
• अन्धकारीकृते: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्धकार (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; विशेषण—लोके

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• वर्षद्भिः: by raining (ones)
• वर्षद्भिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्षत् (कृदन्त; √वृष् धातु, शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण—घनैः

• अनिशम्: unceasingly
• अनिशम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनिशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• घनैः: by clouds
• घनैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• अधः: below
• अधः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: दिशा/स्थान-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: दिशा/स्थान-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तिर्यक्: sideways, across
• तिर्यक्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तिर्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: दिशा/स्थान-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• आप्यम्: watery, flooded
• आप्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषण—जगत्

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To shelter Vraja’s beings when the world seems to dissolve into watery chaos, reaffirming divine guardianship over devotees.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Stability of the world for devotees; protection of life and dharmic pastoral livelihood.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When the world appears to collapse into darkness and flood, refuge in the Lord is the steadfast support beyond changing conditions.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In crises that feel all-encompassing, practice śaraṇāgati—steady remembrance and prayer rather than panic.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord remains the dependable protector within the same world that trembles—transcendent yet intimately present to devotees.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Cosmic waters (Āpas)

FAQs

What is the significance of the world becoming 'watery' in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals pralaya-like dissolution imagery: boundaries dissolve, directions lose distinction, and the cosmos appears re-absorbed into the elemental waters.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic dissolution in this passage?

Through sensory, narrative description—darkness, unceasing rain, and cloud-masses—he depicts the cosmos as if transformed into a single watery expanse, conveying the overwhelming scale of dissolution.

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

Even when the universe appears submerged and formless, the Purana’s framework implies an underlying supreme sovereignty—Vishnu as the sustaining reality through dissolution and renewal.