Shloka 16

प्रलय-त्रिविध-विभागः एवं प्राकृतप्रलय-वर्णनम्

Devanagari script

ततः स भगवान् कृष्णो रुद्ररूपधरो ऽव्ययः क्षयाय यतते कर्तुम् आत्मस्थाः सकलाः प्रजाः

Transliteration

tataḥ sa bhagavān kṛṣṇo rudrarūpadharo 'vyayaḥ kṣayāya yatate kartum ātmasthāḥ sakalāḥ prajāḥ

Translation

Then the Blessed Lord—Krishna, the imperishable—assuming the form of Rudra, strives to bring about dissolution, for all creatures abide within His own Self.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• कृष्णः: Krishna
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भगवतः विशेषण/नाम

• रुद्ररूपधरः: bearing the form of Rudra
• रुद्ररूपधरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त; from √धृ ‘to bear’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कृष्णः/भगवान्); समासः—रुद्रस्य रूपम् (षष्ठी) धरः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• अव्ययः: imperishable
• अव्ययः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भगवान्)

• क्षयाय: for destruction
• क्षयाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजनवाचक (dative of purpose)

• यतते: strives/endeavors
• यतते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यत् (धातु; to strive)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• कर्तुम्: to make/do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Infinitival complement/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive/तुमन्त), क्रियार्थक (to do/make)

• आत्मस्थाः: abiding in themselves
• आत्मस्थाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त; from √स्था)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रजाः); समासः—आत्मनि स्थाः इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः

• सकलाः: all
• सकलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रजाः)

• प्रजाः: creatures/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the Supreme Lord effects dissolution and re-absorbs all beings.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: The Lord assumes the Rudra-function to withdraw creation at the destined time, drawing all beings back into Himself.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Re-establishment of cosmic order by completing the cycle of manifestation and withdrawal.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The imperishable Lord contains all beings within Himself and, by assuming functional forms (like Rudra), withdraws the cosmos without Himself changing.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Meditate on the Lord as inner ruler (antaryāmin) and cultivate śānta-bhakti grounded in His sovereignty over creation and dissolution.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord is both transcendent and immanent: the world and jīvas abide in Him as His modes (prakāra), enabling real reabsorption without denying their reality.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Rudra
• All beings (prajā)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu taking the Rudra form in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches that dissolution is also governed by Vishnu: He assumes the Rudra-function to withdraw the cosmos, showing one Supreme sovereignty behind multiple divine roles.

How does Sage Parāśara explain dissolution (kṣaya) in this context?

Parāśara frames pralaya as reabsorption: all prajāḥ are described as ātmasthāḥ—resting within the Lord—so destruction is a return into the divine ground rather than mere annihilation.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu here for Vaishnava philosophy?

Vishnu is portrayed as avyaya (unchanging) while performing cosmic change, supporting the Vaishnava view that all functions—creation, preservation, and dissolution—ultimately depend on the Supreme Lord.