Shloka 11

नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्

Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman

Devanagari script

इत्य् एष कल्पसंहाराद् अन्तरप्रलयो द्विज नैमित्तिकस् ते कथितः प्राकृतं शृण्वतः परम्

Transliteration

ity eṣa kalpasaṃhārād antarapralayo dvija naimittikas te kathitaḥ prākṛtaṃ śṛṇvataḥ param

Translation

O twice-born one, the intermediate dissolution at the end of a kalpa—the naimittika pralaya—has been explained to you. Now hear the supreme account of the prākṛta (elemental) dissolution.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कल्पसंहारात्: from the dissolution of the kalpa
• कल्पसंहारात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + संहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: कल्पस्य संहारः)

• अन्तरप्रलयः: the intermediate dissolution
• अन्तरप्रलयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कर्मधारय-समासवत्: अन्तरः प्रलयः)

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• नैमित्तिकः: occasional (naimittika)
• नैमित्तिकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अन्तरप्रलयस्य)

• ते: to you/for you (your)
• ते: Sampradana/Adhikarana (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कथितः: has been described
• कथितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) → कथित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः ‘has been told’

• प्राकृतम्: the primal (prākṛta) [dissolution]
• प्राकृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘प्राकृतं (प्रलयम्)’ इति कर्म

• शृण्वतः: of (you) listening
• शृण्वतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → शृण्वत् (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘(तव) शृण्वतः’ = ‘while you are listening’

• परम्: supreme; further
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (प्राकृतम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Types of dissolution (pralaya), moving from naimittika to prākṛta

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dissolution is taught in graded forms, and after naimittika pralaya the text proceeds to the higher, elemental (prākṛta) dissolution.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Contemplate impermanence at progressively subtler levels to loosen attachment to merely temporal structures.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic processes are intelligible and orderly within the Lord’s governance, not random annihilation.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Naimittika Pralaya
• Prākṛta Pralaya

FAQs

What is the significance of naimittika pralaya in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks the completion of the explanation of naimittika pralaya—an “occasional” dissolution tied to the end of a kalpa—before the text transitions to the deeper, elemental prākṛta dissolution.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the progression from one pralaya to another?

He teaches in stages: first concluding the kalpa-ending (naimittika) dissolution, then inviting Maitreya to hear the “param” account—prākṛta pralaya—where the elements and material principles are reabsorbed.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse is classificatory, the frame is Vaishnava: dissolutions are intelligible as ordered phases within cosmic governance, ultimately grounded in the Supreme Reality who transcends and oversees creation and reabsorption.