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Shloka 45

Naimittika-pralaya and the Theology of Kāla: Seven Suns, Saṃvartaka Fire, Flood, and Varāha Kalpa

ततः समुद्राः स्वां वेलामतिक्रान्तास्तु कृत्स्नशः / पर्वताश्च विलीयन्ते मही चाप्सु निमज्जति

tataḥ samudrāḥ svāṃ velāmatikrāntāstu kṛtsnaśaḥ / parvatāśca vilīyante mahī cāpsu nimajjati

അപ്പോൾ എല്ലാ സമുദ്രങ്ങളും തങ്ങളുടെ തീരപരിധി മുഴുവനായി കടക്കുന്നു; പർവ്വതങ്ങൾ ലയിക്കുന്നു, ഭൂമിയും ജലത്തിൽ മുങ്ങിപ്പോകുന്നു॥

ततःthen
ततः:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअपादान/क्रमार्थक अव्यय (thereupon/from that time)
समुद्राःseas
समुद्राः:
कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसमुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (plural)
स्वाम्their own
स्वाम्:
विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular); आत्मीयार्थक (own) — qualifying वेलाम्
वेलाम्boundary/shoreline
वेलाम्:
कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवेला (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)
अतिक्रान्ताःhaving crossed
अतिक्रान्ताः:
विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअति-क्रम् (धातु) → अतिक्रान्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (past active participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (plural); उपसर्गः अति- — ‘having overstepped’ (agreeing with समुद्राः)
तुindeed
तु:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formविरोध/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (but/indeed)
कृत्स्नशःcompletely
कृत्स्नशः:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकृत्स्नशस् (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb) — ‘entirely, wholly’
पर्वताःmountains
पर्वताः:
कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (plural)
and
:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)
विलीयन्तेdissolve
विलीयन्ते:
क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवि-ली (धातु)
Formलट् (present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural), आत्मनेपदम्; उपसर्गः वि- — ‘dissolve/melt away’
महीthe earth
मही:
कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमही (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)
and
:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)
अप्सुin the waters
अप्सु:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअप् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (plural)
निमज्जतिsinks
निमज्जति:
क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootनि-मज्ज् (धातु)
Formलट् (present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः नि- — ‘sinks’

Suta (narrator) recounting the Kurma Purana’s pralaya description in the Purva-bhaga narrative stream

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

S
Samudra (Oceans)
M
Mahī (Earth)
P
Parvata (Mountains)

FAQs

By depicting the total dissolution of earth, mountains, and oceans, the verse implies that all manifested forms are impermanent; the Atman (and the Supreme Lord who presides over pralaya) stands apart from changing cosmic states.

No specific technique is named in this verse; its pralaya imagery supports vairāgya (dispassion) and contemplative detachment—foundational attitudes for Yoga and for later Kurma Purana teachings such as Pashupata-oriented discipline and Ishvara-bhakti.

Indirectly: pralaya is presented as a cosmic function under the Supreme Lord’s governance, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian stance where Shaiva and Vaishnava idioms converge in describing one supreme reality overseeing creation and dissolution.