Shloka 21

प्रलय-त्रिविध-विभागः एवं प्राकृतप्रलय-वर्णनम्

Devanagari script

अधश् चोर्ध्वं च ते दीप्तास् ततः सप्त दिवाकराः दहन्त्य् अशेषं त्रैलोक्यं सपातालतलं द्विज

Transliteration

adhaś cordhvaṃ ca te dīptās tataḥ sapta divākarāḥ dahanty aśeṣaṃ trailokyaṃ sapātālatalaṃ dvija

Translation

Blazing both below and above, they then become seven suns; and, O twice-born one, they burn up the entire threefold world together with the nether Pātālas.

Word by Word

• अधः: below
• अधः: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—दिशा/स्थानवाचक (below)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above, upwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः; दिशावाचक (upwards/above)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• दीप्ताः: blazing, radiant
• दीप्ताः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दीप् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

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

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-शब्द)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण; प्रथमा, बहुवचनार्थे

• दिवाकराः: sun(s), day-makers
• दिवाकराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवा-कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दिवां करोति इति/दिवा+करः = day-maker); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• दहन्ति: burn
• दहन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• अशेषम्: entire, without remainder
• अशेषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि-लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—द्विगु (त्रयः लोकाः = three worlds); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सपातालतलम्: together with the netherworlds
• सपातालतलम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स- पाताल-तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पातालस्य तलम् = nether-region surface) उपसर्गसहितः ‘स-’ (with); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the worlds are consumed in pralaya and what regions are affected

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The seven suns blaze upward and downward, consuming the entire three worlds together with the subterranean realms, showing dissolution as all-pervasive.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use the image of all-encompassing change to loosen attachment to status, place, and possession, and to prioritize enduring spiritual aims.

Vishishtadvaita: Even destructive phases are expressions of the Lord’s sovereign order (niyati), not a second principle independent of Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Seven suns (sapta divākarāḥ)
• Trailokya (three worlds)
• Pātāla (netherworlds)
• Dvija (addressed Brahmin/Maitreya)

FAQs

What is the significance of the seven suns in the Vishnu Purana?

They symbolize the intensification of cosmic heat at dissolution (pralaya), when the world-system is consumed completely, indicating that even the ordered cosmos is withdrawn in a timed cycle.

How does Sage Parāśara explain pralaya in this context?

He describes an escalating, total dissolution: the appearance of multiple suns and the burning of all realms, including the netherworlds, presenting pralaya as comprehensive and inevitable within cosmic law.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Even when the verse foregrounds cosmological mechanics (the seven suns), the Purana’s framework treats dissolution as occurring under Vishnu’s supreme governance—creation and destruction both resting in the Supreme Reality.