Shloka 22

प्रलय-त्रिविध-विभागः एवं प्राकृतप्रलय-वर्णनम्

Devanagari script

दह्यमानं तु तैर् दीप्तैस् त्रैलोक्यं द्विज भास्करैः साद्रिनद्यर्णवाभोगं निःस्नेहम् अभिजायते

Transliteration

dahyamānaṃ tu tair dīptais trailokyaṃ dvija bhāskaraiḥ sādrinadyarṇavābhogaṃ niḥsneham abhijāyate

Translation

Ngunit kapag ang tatlong daigdig ay tinutupok ng naglalagablab na mga araw na iyon, O dalawang-ulit na isinilang, ang buong lawak—mga bundok, ilog, at malalawak na dagat—ay nagiging lubos na tuyo, walang halumigmig.

Word by Word

• दह्यमानम्: being burnt
• दह्यमानम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दह्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दह् (धातु) + शानच्/मान)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (present passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (त्रैलोक्यं विशेषयति)

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय (but/indeed)

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• दीप्तैः: blazing
• दीप्तैः: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दीप् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; तैः सह विशेषणम्

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि-लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• द्विज: O twice-born
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• भास्करैः: by the suns
• भास्करैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• साद्रिनद्यर्णवाभोगम्: with its mountains, rivers, and oceanic expanse
• साद्रिनद्यर्णवाभोगम्: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स- अद्रि- नदी- अर्णव- आभोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः/समाहार-भावः (अद्रि-नदी-अर्णव-आभोगः = extent including mountains, rivers, oceans) उपसर्गसहितः ‘स-’ (with); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (त्रैलोक्यं विशेषयति)

• निःस्नेहम्: devoid of moisture/oiliness
• निःस्नेहम्: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः-स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (निः = without + स्नेह); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अभिजायते: comes to be, becomes
• अभिजायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि√जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• the three worlds (trailokya)
• the suns (bhāskara)

FAQs

What is the significance of multiple suns in the Vishnu Purana’s pralaya narrative?

They symbolize the intensification of cosmic heat at dissolution, by which the three worlds are systematically dried—rivers, oceans, and all moisture—signaling the ordered approach of pralaya.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the pralaya process to Maitreya here?

He presents a sequential, physical cosmology: the worlds are first burned by blazing suns, and as a direct result the entire terrestrial and oceanic expanse becomes moistureless, preparing the stage for further dissolution.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though not named in this verse, the Vishnu Purana frames pralaya as occurring under the Supreme Lord’s sovereignty—dissolution is not chaos but a law-governed transformation within Vishnu’s cosmic order.