Shloka 13

प्रलय-त्रिविध-विभागः एवं प्राकृतप्रलय-वर्णनम्

Devanagari script

तस्य स्वरूपम् अत्युग्रं मैत्रेय गदतो मम शृणुष्व प्राकृतं भूयस् तव वक्ष्याम्य् अहं लयम्

Transliteration

tasya svarūpam atyugraṃ maitreya gadato mama śṛṇuṣva prākṛtaṃ bhūyas tava vakṣyāmy ahaṃ layam

Translation

Listen, O Maitreya, as I speak: the form of that Supreme Reality is exceedingly awe-inspiring. Now I shall explain to you more fully the primordial dissolution, prākṛta-laya, by which the manifested order returns to its source.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Possessive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• स्वरूपम्: true form
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य रूपम्)

• अत्युग्रम्: exceedingly fierce
• अत्युग्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'स्वरूपम्'

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• गदतः: of (me) speaking
• गदतः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय/वर्तमानकृदन्त); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'of me who am speaking'

• मम: of me
• मम: Shashthi-Sambandha (Possessive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; Imperative: 'hear'

• प्राकृतम्: prākṛta (material)
• प्राकृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'लयम्'

• भूयः: further/again
• भूयः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय/तुलनार्थ-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक/अधिक्यार्थक adverb

• तव: to you/for you
• तव: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• वक्ष्यामि: I will explain
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 'I shall tell'

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• लयम्: dissolution
• लयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Transition from naimittika pralaya to the more primordial prākṛta (prakṛtika) dissolution and the awe-inspiring nature of the Supreme

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Reality is described as intensely awe-inspiring, and the teaching turns to prākṛta (primordial) dissolution where manifest principles return to their source.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Meditate on the impermanence of all compounded things and redirect identity toward the Lord as the abiding ground; let awe mature into surrender.

Vishishtadvaita: Pralaya is reabsorption into the Lord as the ultimate substrate; the ‘return to source’ supports Viśiṣṭādvaita’s dependence model—souls and matter persist as His modes, contracted in dissolution.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Pralaya (Laya)

FAQs

What is the significance of prākṛta-laya (primordial dissolution) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse signals a focused explanation of cosmic re-absorption, where the manifest world returns to primordial nature (Prakṛti), emphasizing cyclical time and the Supreme’s governance over dissolution.

How does Sage Parāśara explain dissolution (laya) to Maitreya in this dialogue?

Parāśara frames the teaching as a direct instruction—asking Maitreya to listen—then announces he will describe prākṛta-laya “more fully,” indicating a structured, sequential account of how dissolution unfolds.

What is the theological importance of the Supreme in this context?

By calling the Supreme’s nature “exceedingly awe-inspiring,” the text underscores transcendence and sovereignty: dissolution is not random collapse but an ordered return under the Supreme Reality that stands beyond the cosmos.