Shloka 12

Naimittika and Prākṛtika Pralaya

Periodic and Primordial Dissolution

Devanagari script

शतवर्षं हरिः शेते सृजत्यथ दिनगमे / अव्यक्तादिक्रमेणैव व्यक्तीभूतं चराचरम्

Transliteration

śatavarṣaṃ hariḥ śete sṛjatyatha dinagame / avyaktādikrameṇaiva vyaktībhūtaṃ carācaram

Translation

ہری سو برس تک شَین میں رہتا ہے؛ پھر دن کے اختتام پر دوبارہ سَرْجَن کرتا ہے۔ اَوْیَکت سے ترتیب وار سارا چر اَچر جگت ظاہر ہو جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• शतवर्षम्: for a hundred years
• शतवर्षम्: Kāla-adhikarana (Time extent/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासार्थः (śataṃ varṣāṇi → “a hundred years”); कालपरिमाणे द्वितीया (accusative of duration)

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शेते: lies/sleeps
• शेते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सृजति: creates
• सृजति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक/प्रकरणान्तरसूचक (then/thereupon)

• दिनगमे: at day’s end
• दिनगमे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन + गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (dinasya gamaḥ → “end of the day”)

• अव्यक्तात्: from the unmanifest
• अव्यक्तात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• क्रमेण: step by step
• क्रमेण: Karana (Means/Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (instrumental of manner: “in order/gradually”)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: “indeed/only”)

• व्यक्तीभूतम्: having become manifest
• व्यक्तीभूतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यक्ती + भू (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त, past passive participle) ‘भूत’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; “व्यक्तीभूत” = प्रकटतां गत (become manifest)

• चराचरम्: the moving and the unmoving (all beings)
• चराचरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (moving and non-moving beings)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari as the sovereign of pralaya and sṛṣṭi: after repose, He manifests the universe again from avyakta in proper sequence.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as nimitta (efficient) and, in Purāṇic idiom, the ultimate support of upādāna (material) through prakṛti; cyclic time (kalpa) under divine governance.

Application: Cultivate steadiness amid change by remembering cyclical impermanence and taking refuge in Hari; align daily routines with ‘creation after rest’ (sleep, renewal, sādhana).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic ocean

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.224.10-11 (dissolution sequence that precedes repose/creation); Garuda Purana 1.225.2 (from death onward: saṃsāra-cakra explanation)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'avyakta' (Unmanifest) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents creation as an ordered unfolding that begins from the Unmanifest (avyakta), indicating that the visible world (charāchara) emerges step-by-step from a subtler, prior state.

How does this verse explain the cycle of creation and dissolution?

It depicts Hari as resting for a defined period and then recreating at the close of the cosmic day, emphasizing periodic dissolution and re-manifestation rather than a one-time creation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Seeing life as cyclical and ordered encourages steadiness during change—cultivating detachment, ethical conduct, and trust that upheavals are phases within a larger cosmic rhythm.