Shloka 46

नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्

Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman

Devanagari script

व्यक्ताव्यक्तात्मिका तस्मिन् प्रकृतिः संप्रलीयते पुरुषश् चापि मैत्रेय व्यापिन्य् अव्याहतात्मनि

Transliteration

vyaktāvyaktātmikā tasmin prakṛtiḥ saṃpralīyate puruṣaś cāpi maitreya vyāpiny avyāhatātmani

Translation

In Him—whose nature embraces both the manifest and the unmanifest—Prakṛti is wholly reabsorbed; and the Puruṣa too, O Maitreya, merges into that all-pervading Reality whose Self is never obstructed or diminished.

Word by Word

• व्यक्त-अव्यक्त-आत्मिका: having the nature of the manifest and the unmanifest
• व्यक्त-अव्यक्त-आत्मिका: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + -इक (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—प्रकृतिः इति विशेष्यस्य

• तस्मिन्: in that (one/state)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रकृतिः: Prakṛti (primordial nature)
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• संप्रलीयते: dissolves/merges completely
• संप्रलीयते: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+प्र+ली (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• पुरुषः: Puruṣa (spirit)
• पुरुषः: Karta (Co-subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• व्यापिनि: in the all-pervading (one)
• व्यापिनि: Adhikarana (Locative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—अव्याहतात्मनि इत्यस्य सह समानाधिकरणम्

• अव्याहत-आत्मनि: in the unimpeded Self
• अव्याहत-आत्मनि: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्याहत (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—अव्याहतः आत्मा यस्य/यः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nature of dissolution: reabsorption of prakṛti and puruṣa into the all-pervading, unobstructed Supreme

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Both the manifest and unmanifest principles are finally resolved into the Supreme Reality, whose being is all-pervading and unobstructed.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate the impermanence of all states (vyakta/avyakta) and cultivate inner detachment anchored in remembrance of the Supreme.

Vishishtadvaita: The Supreme is the ground into which prakṛti and puruṣa are reabsorbed, affirming Viṣṇu as both transcendent and immanent support (antaryāmin) of all categories.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Purusha

FAQs

What is the significance of Pralaya (dissolution) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames pralaya as a total re-absorption: both Prakriti (nature) and Purusha (spirit-principle) resolve into the all-pervading, unobstructed Supreme, preparing the ground for a new cycle of creation.

How does Sage Parashara explain the relationship between the manifest and unmanifest?

He presents the Supreme as encompassing both vyakta (manifest) and avyakta (unmanifest), indicating that all states of existence depend on Him and finally return to Him at dissolution.

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

Even without naming Him directly in this line, the teaching is Vaishnava in force: the Supreme (identified elsewhere as Vishnu/Narayana) is the all-pervading, undiminished Reality into whom cosmos and principles of existence ultimately subside.