Shloka 30
नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्
Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman
एवं सप्त महाबुद्धेः क्रमात् प्रकृतयस् तु वै प्रत्याहारे तु ताः सर्वाः प्रविशन्ति परस्परम्
evaṃ sapta mahābuddheḥ kramāt prakṛtayas tu vai pratyāhāre tu tāḥ sarvāḥ praviśanti parasparam
Thus, O great-minded one, these seven fundamental natures proceed in due sequence; and at the time of re-absorption, all of them enter into one another—each merging back into its prior source—until the whole returns to its causal ground under the sovereign order of the Supreme.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Sequence of the seven prakṛtis and their mutual entry at pratyāhāra (reabsorption)
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: revealing
Creation Stage: Primary
Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)
Concept: The seven fundamental principles evolve in sequence and, in reabsorption, each enters back into its causal source until all rest in the ultimate ground governed by the Supreme.
Vedantic Theme: Moksha
Application: Use the model of ‘return to source’ for inward practice—withdraw attention from effects to causes (sense → mind → discernment → root).
Vishishtadvaita: Affirms an ordered, real cosmos that depends on the Supreme as final ground (niyantṛ), supporting Vishnu as jagat-kāraṇa and sovereign of dissolution.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
Jagat Karana: Yes
FAQs
Here it denotes cosmic dissolution: the constituent principles of nature withdraw in reverse order, each merging into its cause, showing an orderly pralaya rather than random destruction.
He states that the fundamental prakṛtis/tattvas proceed in sequence during evolution, and during re-absorption they 'enter into one another,' meaning each effect dissolves back into its prior source step by step.
Even when the verse describes impersonal cosmic processes, the Vishnu Purana frames them as governed by the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—whose sovereignty upholds both manifestation and withdrawal of the cosmos.