Shloka 39

नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्

Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman

Devanagari script

प्रकृतिर् या मया ख्याता व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपिणी पुरुषश् चाप्य् उभाव् एतौ लीयेते परमात्मनि

Transliteration

prakṛtir yā mayā khyātā vyaktāvyaktasvarūpiṇī puruṣaś cāpy ubhāv etau līyete paramātmani

Translation

That Prakṛti which I have described—whose nature is both the manifest and the unmanifest—and the Puruṣa as well: these two, together, ultimately dissolve into the Paramātman, the Supreme Self.

Word by Word

• प्रकृतिः: Prakriti, nature
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• या: which
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• ख्याता: declared, made known
• ख्याता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle: ‘declared/known’)

• व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपिणी: having manifest-and-unmanifest nature
• व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपिणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यक्त + अव्यक्त + स्वरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—व्यक्तं च अव्यक्तं च स्वरूपं यस्याः (having manifest and unmanifest as nature)

• पुरुषः: Purusha, spirit
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (Dual); विशेषण

• एतौ: these two
• एतौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• लीयेते: dissolve, merge
• लीयेते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ली (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद

• परमात्मनि: in the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—परमः आत्मा

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Relation of Prakṛti (manifest/unmanifest) and Puruṣa, and their final dissolution into Paramātman

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Both Prakṛti (as manifest and unmanifest) and Puruṣa ultimately resolve into Paramātman, the supreme ground.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Use dissolution (laya) contemplation: trace experiences and the sense of self back to their source in the Supreme, reducing attachment to changing manifestations.

Vishishtadvaita: Treats prakṛti and puruṣa as dependent realities that culminate in the Supreme, aligning with Viśiṣṭādvaita’s dependence (śeṣatva) of cit and acit on Brahman.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Paramatman

FAQs

What is the significance of Prakriti and Purusha dissolving into Paramatman in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames both matter (Prakriti—manifest and unmanifest) and spirit (Purusha) as dependent principles that finally return to the Supreme Self, establishing the Paramatman (Vishnu) as the ultimate ground and end of existence.

How does Sage Parasara explain the relationship between the manifest and unmanifest in Prakriti?

He defines Prakriti as having a dual mode—vyakta (seen, evolved forms) and avyakta (unevolved, subtle root)—and then states that even this comprehensive Prakriti is not final, because it resolves into Paramatman.

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

By identifying the Paramatman as the final locus into which both Prakriti and Purusha merge, the passage supports a Vaishnava Vedantic view where Vishnu is the Supreme Reality beyond and within creation, presiding over both emanation and dissolution.