Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 13
Mārkaṇḍeya’s Request to See Māyā and the Vision of the Cosmic Deluge
अन्तर्बहिश्चाद्भिरतिद्युभि: खरै: शतह्रदाभिरुपतापितं जगत् । चतुर्विधं वीक्ष्य सहात्मना मुनि- र्जलाप्लुतां क्ष्मां विमना: समत्रसत् ॥ १३ ॥
antar bahiś cādbhir ati-dyubhiḥ kharaiḥ śatahradābhir upatāpitaṁ jagat catur-vidhaṁ vīkṣya sahātmanā munir jalāplutāṁ kṣmāṁ vimanāḥ samatrasat
Le sage vit tous les êtres de l’univers, lui-même compris, tourmentés au dedans comme au dehors par des vents âpres, des éclairs et des vagues immenses s’élevant au-delà du ciel. Quand la terre entière fut submergée, il devint perplexe et saisi de crainte.
Here the word catur-vidham refers to the four sources of birth for conditioned souls: embryos, eggs, seeds and perspiration.
FAQs
This verse describes the world being afflicted by extreme heat and violent rains, culminating in the earth becoming flooded—an explicit Bhagavatam portrayal of pralaya meant to reveal the temporary nature of the material world.
In the narrative of Canto 12, Chapter 9, Śukadeva explains Mārkaṇḍeya’s vision of dissolution to show how even a great sage, witnessing the overwhelming power of time and nature, feels distress—highlighting the need for shelter in the Supreme.
Reflecting on impermanence reduces anxiety-driven attachment and strengthens spiritual priorities—encouraging steadiness, humility, and devotion rather than dependence on unstable material conditions.