Shloka 141

Yoga-Sleep, Cosmic Dissolution, and the Lotus of Creation

with Mārkaṇḍeya’s Vision

Devanagari script

निराकाशे तोयमये सूक्ष्मे जगति संक्षये । ईशः संक्षोभयामास सोर्णवं सलिलं गतः

Transliteration

nirākāśe toyamaye sūkṣme jagati saṃkṣaye | īśaḥ saṃkṣobhayāmāsa sorṇavaṃ salilaṃ gataḥ

Translation

Khi đến lúc thế gian hoại diệt, muôn vật trở nên vi tế—không còn hư không và chỉ thuần là nước—bấy giờ Đấng Tối Thượng đi vào biển cả mênh mông ấy và làm cho khối nước dậy lên chấn động.

Word by Word

• निराकाशे: in the space-less (state)
• निराकाशे: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (आकाशं निरस्तं यस्मिन्) — locative qualifier

• तोयमये: in the water-made (state)
• तोयमये: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तोय + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (तोयमयः)

• सूक्ष्मे: in the subtle (state)
• सूक्ष्मे: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जगति: in the world
• जगति: Adhikarana (Location/context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• संक्षये: at dissolution; at destruction
• संक्षये: Adhikarana (Time/context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्-√क्षि (धातु) + अय (प्रातिपदिक: संक्षय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• संक्षोभयामास: agitated; churned
• संक्षोभयामास: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√क्षुभ् (धातु; causative)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘caused to be agitated’)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अर्णवम्: the ocean
• अर्णवम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सलिलम्: water
• सलिलम्: Karman (Object/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गतः: gone; having entered
• गतः: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration; specific dialogue speaker not explicit in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: निराकाशे (nir- + ākāśe); संक्षये (no sandhi); सोर्णवम् = सः + अर्णवम्; (often written sorṇavaṃ); गतः (agrees with ईशः/सः).

Characters & Entities

• Īśa (the Lord)

FAQs

What cosmological stage is described in this verse?

It depicts pralaya (cosmic dissolution), where the manifested world becomes subtle and is described as space-less and water-filled, a common Purāṇic image of the pre-creation state.

What does it mean that the Lord "agitated" the ocean?

The agitation signifies the initiating impulse of creation—disturbing the undifferentiated primordial waters so that differentiation and manifested order can arise.

Is this verse about a specific tīrtha, ethical rule, or bhakti practice?

No; this verse is primarily cosmological, emphasizing divine agency in the transition from dissolution to the conditions that allow creation.