Shloka 30

नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्

Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman

Devanagari script

एवं सप्त महाबुद्धेः क्रमात् प्रकृतयस् तु वै प्रत्याहारे तु ताः सर्वाः प्रविशन्ति परस्परम्

Transliteration

evaṃ sapta mahābuddheḥ kramāt prakṛtayas tu vai pratyāhāre tu tāḥ sarvāḥ praviśanti parasparam

Translation

如是，噫大慧者，此七种根本自性依次而行；至回摄之时（pratyāhāra），彼等皆互入互融，各各归还其先因。

Word by Word

एवम्thus

सप्तseven

महाबुद्धेःof the great intellect (Mahābuddhi)

क्रमात्in sequence; step by step

प्रकृतयःthe principles; constituents (prakṛtis)

तुbut; indeed

वैindeed

प्रत्याहारेin the reabsorption; withdrawal

तुthen; indeed

ताःthose (they)

सर्वाःall

प्रविशन्तिenter; merge

परस्परम्into one another; mutually

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

Parāśara

Maitreya

Mahad/Buddhi

FAQs

What is the significance of 'pratyāhāra' (re-absorption) in the Vishnu Purana?

Here it denotes cosmic dissolution: the constituent principles of nature withdraw in reverse order, each merging into its cause, showing an orderly pralaya rather than random destruction.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the merging of principles during dissolution?

He states that the fundamental prakṛtis/tattvas proceed in sequence during evolution, and during re-absorption they 'enter into one another,' meaning each effect dissolves back into its prior source step by step.

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

Even when the verse describes impersonal cosmic processes, the Vishnu Purana frames them as governed by the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—whose sovereignty upholds both manifestation and withdrawal of the cosmos.