Shloka 15
नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्
Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman
प्रणष्टे गन्धतन्मात्रे भवत्य् उर्वी जलात्मिका आपस् तदा प्रवृद्धास् तु वेगवत्यो महास्वनाः
praṇaṣṭe gandhatanmātre bhavaty urvī jalātmikā āpas tadā pravṛddhās tu vegavatyo mahāsvanāḥ
When the subtle principle of smell has perished, the earth becomes of the nature of water. Then the waters, swollen in their might, rush forth with irresistible force, resounding with a great roar.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Effect of tanmātra loss: earth becomes water; waters surge with tremendous roar
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: vivid
Creation Stage: Secondary
Concept: When the smell-tanmātra is extinguished, earth’s distinctness ceases and it becomes water; the waters then swell and surge with a vast, roaring power.
Vedantic Theme: Moksha
Application: When foundational supports vanish, transformations can be sudden and forceful—train steadiness through remembrance of the eternal Lord beyond elements.
Vishishtadvaita: Liberation is sought in the Lord who remains constant while elemental identities and their qualities are withdrawn in pralaya.
FAQs
This verse shows that dissolution proceeds by withdrawing a gross element into its subtler cause: when the smell-tanmātra disappears, earth loses its defining quality and merges into water.
Parāśara describes a stepwise collapse of elemental identity: earth is defined by smell; when that subtle basis is gone, earth transforms into water, and the waters surge and dominate the cosmos.
Even when elements dissolve and the cosmos roars into withdrawal, the Purana frames such cosmic order—creation and dissolution alike—as operating under the supreme sovereignty of Vishnu.