Shloka 4

Yuga-Dharma, Kalpa Measure, Purāṇa Definitions, and the Kali-Yuga Power of Nāma-Kīrtana

Devanagari script

सूच उवाच / प्रलयं जगतो वक्ष्ये तत्सर्वं शृणु शौनक / चतुर्युगसहस्रन्तु कल्पैकाब्जदिनं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

sūca uvāca / pralayaṃ jagato vakṣye tatsarvaṃ śṛṇu śaunaka / caturyugasahasrantu kalpaikābjadinaṃ smṛtam

Translation

സൂതൻ പറഞ്ഞു: ലോകത്തിന്റെ പ്രളയം ഞാൻ വിവരിക്കും—ഹേ ശൗനക, എല്ലാം ശ്രവിക്കൂ. ചതുര്യുഗങ്ങളുടെ ആയിരം ചക്രങ്ങൾ ബ്രഹ്മാവിന്റെ ഒരു ദിവസം, അതായത് കല്പം, എന്നു സ്മൃതിയിൽ പറയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सूचः: Sūca (name)
• सूचः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (speaker)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd sg

• प्रलयम्: dissolution (pralaya)
• प्रलयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• वक्ष्ये: I will describe
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (परस्मैपद), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; Simple future, 1st sg

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (demonstrative)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular qualifying तत्

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (परस्मैपद), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; Imperative, 2nd sg

• शौनक: O Śaunaka
• शौनक: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• चतुर्युगसहस्रम्: a thousand (sets) of four yugas
• चतुर्युगसहस्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + युग + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः तत्पुरुषः (‘चतुर्युगानां सहस्रम्’); Nominative singular

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/contrast)

• कल्पैकाब्जदिनम्: (is) one day of a kalpa (Brahmā’s day)
• कल्पैकाब्जदिनम्: Pradhāna (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प + एक + अब्ज + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘कल्पस्य एक-अब्ज-दिनम्’ = one lotus-day of a kalpa, i.e., Brahmā’s day); Nominative singular

• स्मृतम्: is said/considered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रियासमाना)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Past passive participle used predicatively

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic dissolution (pralaya) and the scale of Brahmā’s day (kalpa) as 1000 caturyuga cycles.

Vedantic Theme: Impermanence of manifested worlds under time (kāla) and cyclic creation-dissolution; encourages dispassion and inquiry into the timeless Brahman/Īśvara.

Application: Contemplate vast time cycles to reduce egoic urgency, cultivate vairāgya, and prioritize enduring values (dharma, devotion, liberation-oriented practice).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: forest hermitage/sacrificial assembly

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: cosmology and pralaya descriptions in creation/dissolution narratives; Garuda Purana: yuga and time-measure discussions connected to dharma decline

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Śaunaka
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the importance of pralaya (cosmic dissolution) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces pralaya as a structured, time-bound event within Brahmā’s cosmic day, framing dissolution as part of an ordered cosmology rather than random destruction.

How does this verse explain cosmic time in the Garuda Purana?

It defines a key unit: one kalpa (Brahmā’s day) equals one thousand caturyugas, linking pralaya discussions to yuga-based time cycles.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reflecting on vast cosmic cycles encourages detachment, ethical living, and prioritizing dharma over short-term gains, since worldly conditions are inherently impermanent.