Shloka 11

Naimittika and Prākṛtika Pralaya

Periodic and Primordial Dissolution

Devanagari script

वायुः खे खञ्च भूतादौ विशते च तदा महान् / महान्प्रपद्यते ऽव्यक्तं प्रकृतिः पुरुषे परे

Transliteration

vāyuḥ khe khañca bhūtādau viśate ca tadā mahān / mahānprapadyate 'vyaktaṃ prakṛtiḥ puruṣe pare

Translation

ครั้นนั้นวายุเข้าสู่อากาศธาตุ (อากาศ/คะ); มหัตตัตตวะย่อมลายสู่ภาวะแรกแห่งภูตะ แล้วมหัตย่อมเข้าสู่อว்யกตะ และปรกฤติย่อมรวมเป็นหนึ่งในปุรุษะผู้สูงสุด ผู้เหนือโลก

Word by Word

• वायुः: air/wind
• वायुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• खे: in space/ether
• खे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• भूतादौ: in the primordial element (beginning of beings)
• भूतादौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (bhūtānām ādiḥ → “the first of beings/elements”)

• विशते: enters/merges
• विशते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb: “then”)

• महान्: Mahān (cosmic intellect)
• महान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सांख्य-तत्त्वविशेषः (Mahān)

• महान्: Mahān
• महान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रपद्यते: attains/merges into
• प्रपद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; उपसर्गः प्र-; गत्यर्थे/प्राप्त्यर्थे (attains/merges into)

• अव्यक्तम्: the unmanifest
• अव्यक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रकृतिः: Prakṛti (primordial nature)
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पुरुषे: in the Puruṣa
• पुरुषे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• परे: supreme
• परे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying “puruṣe”)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tattva-laya: the great principle (mahat) resolves into the unmanifest; prakṛti ultimately merges into the transcendent Puruṣa.

Vedantic Theme: Distinction and final sublation of prakṛti before the Supreme; points to the primacy of Puruṣa/Paramātman as the ultimate refuge (āśraya).

Application: Use tattva-viveka (discrimination of the real from the transient) in meditation: trace experience back from gross to subtle to the witnessing Self.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.224.10 (preceding elemental dissolution); Garuda Purana 1.224.12 (Hari’s repose and re-creation); Garuda Purana 1.225.1 (knowledge+dispassion leading to atyantika laya)

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Akasha (Kha)
• Mahat
• Avyakta
• Prakriti
• Purusha

FAQs

What is the importance of the dissolution sequence (tattva-laya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse summarizes how principles withdraw back into subtler causes—vāyu into ākāśa, mahat into avyakta—culminating in Prakṛti resting in the Supreme Puruṣa, clarifying the Purana’s metaphysical map of return.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or subtle principles at dissolution?

Rather than a physical journey, it describes ontological re-absorption: functions like prāṇa (vāyu) and cosmic intellect (mahat) cease as they merge into their subtler bases, pointing to the final dependence of all nature (Prakṛti) on the Supreme Puruṣa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages dis-identification from changing layers (breath, mind, intellect, nature) and steadiness in the transcendent Self—supporting disciplined practice (dharma, meditation, remembrance of Vishnu) as a way to orient life toward what does not dissolve.