Shloka 8

नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्

Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman

Devanagari script

यदा जागर्ति सर्वात्मा स तदा चेष्टते जगत् निमीलत्य् एतद् अखिलं मायाशय्याशये ऽच्युते

Transliteration

yadā jāgarti sarvātmā sa tadā ceṣṭate jagat nimīlaty etad akhilaṃ māyāśayyāśaye 'cyute

Translation

When the All-Self awakens, the universe moves and acts; but when Acyuta, resting upon the couch of Māyā, closes His eyes, the entire cosmos grows still, as though withdrawn into Him.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक सम्बन्धसूचक (relative temporal adverb)

• जागर्ति: awakens/is awake
• जागर्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जागृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वात्मा: the all-self (universal soul)
• सर्वात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषणम्

• चेष्टते: moves/acts
• चेष्टते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निमीलति: closes (down)/is shut
• निमीलति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-मी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (अखिलं विशेष्य)

• अखिलम्: entire
• अखिलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (एतत्)

• मायाशय्याशये: in the abode of the māyā-bed
• मायाशय्याशये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया-शय्या-आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘आशय’ = आश्रय/निवास

• अच्युते: in/with Acyuta (the unfailing one)
• अच्युते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विष्णोः नाम; अधिकरणे (यत्र)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic activity depends on the All-Self’s ‘awakening’; when Achyuta ‘closes His eyes’ in māyā’s couch, the universe becomes motionless and latent.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Train attention to the inner witness: let the mind ‘close’ to distractions and ‘wake’ to dharmic action, mirroring cosmic rhythm in daily discipline.

Vishishtadvaita: Vishnu as Sarvātmā grounds all motion as indwelling controller; the world’s dependence is real (not illusory), yet wholly supported by Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Acyuta)
• Maya
• Jagat (the cosmos)

FAQs

What is the significance of Yoga-nidra (the Lord’s divine sleep) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse uses the Lord’s “waking” and “closing of the eyes” to describe cosmic cycles: manifestation proceeds when Vishnu wills, and the cosmos becomes quiescent when He withdraws it during pralaya.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the universe’s activity and rest?

In Parāśara’s teaching to Maitreya, the universe is not autonomous—its motion and cessation depend on the Sarvātmā, Vishnu, whose will governs creation and dissolution.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is presented as Acyuta, the unfailing Supreme Reality: the cosmos operates under His sovereignty, and even Māyā is depicted as His “couch,” indicating His transcendence and control over the manifested order.