Shloka 10

नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्

Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman

Devanagari script

ततः प्रबुद्धो रात्र्यन्ते पुनः सृष्टिं करोत्य् अजः ब्रह्मस्वरूपधृग् विष्णुर् यथा ते कथितं पुरा

Transliteration

tataḥ prabuddho rātryante punaḥ sṛṣṭiṃ karoty ajaḥ brahmasvarūpadhṛg viṣṇur yathā te kathitaṃ purā

Translation

Then, when the cosmic night comes to its end, the Unborn One awakens and creates again—Vishnu who assumes the form of Brahmā—just as I told you before.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम् (ablative adverb)

• प्रबुद्धः: awakened
• प्रबुद्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-बुध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘awakened’

• रात्र्यन्ते: at the end of the night
• रात्र्यन्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Discourse/Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (repetition)

• सृष्टिम्: creation
• सृष्टिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• करोति: does/makes
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अजः: the unborn one
• अजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘unborn’ (विष्णोः विशेषण/नाम)

• ब्रह्मस्वरूपधृक्: bearing the nature/form of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मस्वरूपधृक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म-स्वरूप-धृक् (प्रातिपदिक; धृ धातोः कर्तरि क्विप्/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णुम्)

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यथा: as
• यथा: Discourse/Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/just as)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; ‘to you’ (मैत्रेयाय)

• कथितम्: told/related
• कथितम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘(it) has been told’

• पुरा: formerly/before
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषणम् (formerly)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How creation resumes after Brahmā’s night and who performs it.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: At the end of Brahmā’s night, the Unborn Lord awakens and recreates the cosmos, Vishnu functioning through the Brahmā-office as previously explained.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Trust renewal after endings: adopt disciplined beginnings after ‘nights’ of inertia—recommit to sādhanā, service, and ethical living.

Vishishtadvaita: Vishnu’s lordship includes assuming cosmic roles (Brahmā-form) while remaining the single supreme agent; the universe is His dependent body returning to and emerging from Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

What is the significance of the ‘end of cosmic night’ (rātryanta) in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the turning point from dissolution/rest to renewed manifestation, when Vishnu awakens and initiates creation again, emphasizing cyclical time and divine governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of Brahmā in creation here?

Parāśara presents Brahmā’s creative function as a form assumed by Vishnu—Vishnu ‘bears the Brahmā-form’ to conduct sṛṣṭi, keeping ultimate causality with the Supreme.

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

Vishnu is portrayed as the unborn, supreme controller who both transcends cosmic cycles and actively re-manifests the universe, aligning cosmology with Vaishnava metaphysics of the Supreme Reality.