Shloka 11

Brahmā’s Day, the Four Pralayas, and the Supreme Shelter Beyond Cause–Effect

Devanagari script

तत: प्रचण्डपवनो वर्षाणामधिकं शतम् । पर: सांवर्तको वाति धूम्रं खं रजसावृतम् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ pracaṇḍa-pavano varṣāṇām adhikaṁ śatam paraḥ sāṁvartako vāti dhūmraṁ khaṁ rajasāvṛtam

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം പ്രളയത്തിന്റെ അതിഭീകരമായ പ്രചണ്ഡ കാറ്റ് നൂറുവർഷത്തിലധികം വീശും; പൊടിയാൽ മൂടപ്പെട്ട ആകാശം ചാരനിറമായി മങ്ങും.

Synonyms

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (sequence adverb)

• प्रचण्ड-पवनः: a fierce wind
• प्रचण्ड-पवनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रचण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + पवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: 'प्रचण्डः पवनः'

• वर्षाणाम्: of years
• वर्षाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• अधिकम्: more than; exceeding
• अधिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; परिमाणविशेषण (quantitative adjective)

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• परः: further; subsequent
• परः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सांवर्तकः: the saṁvartaka (dissolution) wind
• सांवर्तकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांवर्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वाति: blows
• वाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धूम्रम्: smoky; darkened
• धूम्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूम्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• खम्: the sky/space
• खम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• रजसा-आवृतम्: covered with dust
• रजसा-आवृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (कृदन्त; √वृ/आ-√वृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त 'covered'; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः: 'रजसा आवृतम्' (covered with dust)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Mahārāja Parīkṣit

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Sāṁvartaka wind during pralaya?

In Canto 12, Chapter 4, this verse states that an extremely fierce, annihilating wind (Sāṁvartaka) blows for more than a hundred years, filling the sky with smoke and dust.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe pralaya to Mahārāja Parīkṣit?

Śukadeva explains cosmic dissolution to show the overwhelming power of time and the temporary nature of the world, guiding Parīkṣit toward detachment and exclusive shelter in devotion to the Supreme Lord.

How can this pralaya verse be applied in modern life?

It encourages sobriety and detachment: since even the cosmos is disrupted by time, one should prioritize lasting spiritual practice—bhakti, remembrance of God, and purposeful living over temporary anxieties.