Agni Purana

आपो ग्रसन्ति वै पूर्ब्वं भूमेर्गन्धादिकं गुणं । आत्मगन्धात्ततो भूमिः प्रलयत्वाय कल्पते ।। ३६८.

The waters first absorb the qualities of earth, such as scent; then, from its own scent, the earth becomes fit for dissolution.

रसात्मिकाश्च तिष्ठन्ति ह्यापस्तासां रसो गुणः । पीयते ज्योतिषा तासु नष्टास्वग्निश्च दीप्य्ते ।। ३६८.

The waters, which are composed of essence, remain; their quality is taste. When their essence is consumed by fire, fire is kindled as they are destroyed.

ज्योतिषोऽपि गुणं रूपं वायुर्ग्रसति भास्करं । नष्टे ज्योतिषि वायुश्च बली दोधूयते महान् ।। ३६८.

Even the quality of light, which is form, is consumed by wind, O radiant one. When light is destroyed, wind, being powerful, stirs greatly.

वायोरपि गुणं स्पर्शमाकाशं ग्रसते ततः । वायौ नष्टे तु चाकाशन्नीरवं तिष्ठति द्विज ।। ३६८.

The quality of wind, which is touch, is then consumed by space. When wind is destroyed, O twice-born, only soundless space remains.

आकाशस्याथ वै शब्दं भूतादिर्ग्रसते च खं । अबिमानात्मकं खञ्च भूतादि ग्रसते महान् ।। ३६८.

Then, the quality of space, which is sound, is consumed by the primordial element, and the space characterized by ego is also consumed by the primordial element, the great principle.

भूमिर्याति लयञ्चाप्सु आपो ज्योतिषि तद्‌व्रजेत् । वायौ वायुश्च खे खञ्च अहङ्कारे लयं स च ।। ३६८.

Earth dissolves into water, water then passes into light, wind into space, space into ego, and ego into dissolution.

महत्तत्त्वे महान्तञ्च प्रकृतिर्ग्रसते द्विज । व्यक्ताऽव्यक्ता च प्रकृतिर्व्यक्तस्याव्यक्तके लयः ।। ३६८.

In the great principle, the great element is consumed by primordial nature, O twice-born. Both manifest and unmanifest nature dissolve, and the manifest dissolves into the unmanifest.

पुमानेकाक्षरः शुद्धः सोऽप्यंशः परमात्मनः । प्रकृतिः पुरुषशचैचौ लीयेते परमात्मनि ।। ३६८.

The pure, single-syllabled person also is a portion of the Supreme Self. Both nature and person dissolve into the Supreme Self.

न सन्ति यत्र सर्वेशे नामजात्यादिकल्पनाः । सत्तामात्रात्मके ज्ञेये ज्ञानात्मन्यात्मनः परे ।। ३६८.

Where all distinctions of name, class, and so on do not exist, in the knowable whose essence is mere existence, in the knowledge-essence of the highest Self.

अग्निरुवाच चतुर्विधस्तु प्रलयो नित्यो यः प्राणिनां लयः । सदा विनाशो जातानां ब्राह्मो नैमित्तिको लयः ।। ३६८.

Agni said: There are four kinds of dissolution; the constant dissolution which is the cessation of living beings, the perpetual destruction of those born, the Brahma dissolution, and the occasional dissolution.

चतुर्यगसहस्त्रान्ते प्राकृतः प्राकृतो लयः लय आत्यन्तिको ज्ञानादात्मनः परमात्मनि ।। ३६८.

At the end of four thousand yugas comes the natural dissolution; the ultimate dissolution is through knowledge, when the self merges in the Supreme Self.

नैमित्तिकस्य कल्पान्ते वक्ष्ये रूपं लयस्य ते । चतुर्युगसहस्नान्ते क्षीणप्राये महीतले ।। ३६८.

I will describe to you the form of occasional dissolution at the end of a kalpa, at the end of four thousand yugas, when the earth is nearly exhausted.

अनावृष्टिरतीवोग्रा जायते शतवार्षिकी । ततः सत्त्वक्षयः स्याच्च ततो विष्णुर्जगत्पतिः ।। ३६८.

A drought of extreme severity arises, lasting for a hundred years; then there is depletion of essence, and after that, Viṣṇu, Lord of the world, acts.

स्थितो जलानि पिवति भानोः सप्तसु रश्मिषु । भूपार्तालसमुद्रादितोयं नयति संक्षयं ।। ३६८.

He remains, drinking the waters through the seven rays of the sun; the water from earth, lakes, and oceans is brought to destruction.

ततस्तस्यानुभावेन तोयाहारोपबृंहिताः । त एव रश्मयः सप्त जायन्ते सप्त भास्कराः ।। ३६८.

Then, by his influence, the seven rays, strengthened by the absorption of water, themselves become seven suns.

दहन्त्यऽशेषं त्रैलोक्यं सपातालतलं द्विज। सूर्म्मपृष्ठसमा भूः स्यात्ततः कालाग्निरुद्रकः ।। ३६८.

They burn the entire three worlds, including the nether regions, O twice-born; the earth becomes like the surface of a wave, and then the fire of time, Rudra, arises.

शेषाहिश्वाससम्बातात् पातालानि दहत्यधः । पातालेभ्यो भुवं विष्णुर्भुवः स्वर्गं दहत्यतः ।। ३६८.

From the breath of the serpent Śeṣa, the nether regions below are burned; from the nether regions, Viṣṇu burns the earth, and from the earth, heaven is burned.

अम्बरी षमिवाभाति त्रैलोक्यामखिलं तथा । ततस्तापपरीतास्तु लोकद्वयनिवासिनः ।। ३६८.

The sky shines as if it were gold, and thus the entire three worlds; then, those dwelling in the two worlds, afflicted by heat, depart.

गच्छन्ति ते महर्लोकं महर्लोकाज्जनं ततः । रुद्ररूपी जगद्दग्ध्वा मुखनिश्वासतो हरेः ।। ३६८.

They go to the Maharloka, and from Maharloka to Janaloka; Rudra, having burned the world, through the breath from the mouth of Hari, brings dissolution.

उत्तिष्ठन्ति ततो मेघा नानारूपाः सविद्युतः । शतं वंर्षाणि वर्षन्तः शमयन्त्यग्निमुत्थितम् ।। ३६८.

Then, clouds of various forms, flashing with lightning, arise; pouring down a hundred showers, they quell the fire that has arisen.

सप्तर्षिस्थानमाक्रम्य स्थितेऽम्भसि शतं मरुत् । मुखनिश्वासतो विष्णोर्नाशं नयति तान् घनान् ।। ३६८.

Having reached the place of the Seven Sages, a hundred winds, standing in the waters, by the breath from Viṣṇu's mouth, disperse those clouds.

वायुं पीत्वा हरिः शेषे शेते चैकार्णवे प्रमुः । ब्रह्मरूपधऱः सिद्धैर्जलगैर्मुनिभिस्तुतः ।। ३६८.

Having inhaled the wind, Hari lies down, resting in the single ocean, assuming the form of Brahmā, praised by Siddhas, aquatic beings, and sages.

आत्ममायामयीं दिव्यां योगनिद्रां समास्थितः । आत्मानं वासुदेवाख्यां चिन्तयन्मधुसूदनः ।। ३६८.

Assuming the divine Yogic sleep, composed of his own māyā, Madhusūdana contemplates himself, known as Vāsudeva.

कल्पं शेते प्रबुद्धोऽथ ब्रह्मरूपी सृजत्यऽसौ । द्विपरार्धन्ततो व्यक्तं प्रकृतौ लीयते द्विज ।। ३६८.

He sleeps for a kalpa; then, awakened, he, in the form of Brahmā, creates. After two parārdhas, the manifest dissolves into Prakṛti, O twice-born.

स्थानात् स्थानं दशगुणमेकस्माद् गुण्यते स्थले । ततोऽष्टादशमे भागे परार्द्धमभिधीयते ।। ३६८.

From one place to another, each is ten times greater than the previous; thus, in the eighteenth part, a parārdha is reckoned.

परार्धं द्विगुणं यत्तु प्राकृतः प्रलयः स्मृतः । अनावृष्ट्याऽग्निसम्पर्कात् कृते संज्वलने द्विज ।। ३६८.

That which is twice a parārdha is called the Prākṛta dissolution, occurring, O twice-born, through drought and the contact of fire at the time of burning.

महदादेर्विकारस्य विशेषान्तस्य संक्षये । कृष्णेच्छाकारिते तस्मिन् सम्प्राप्ते प्रतिसञ्चरे ।। ३६८.

When the special transformation of Mahat and the rest is destroyed, at that time, by Kṛṣṇa's will, the return (pratisañcara) takes place.

आपो ग्रसन्ति वै पूर्ब्वं भूमेर्गन्धादिकं गुणं । आत्मगन्धात्ततो भूमिः प्रलयत्वाय कल्पते ।। ३६८.

The waters first absorb the qualities of earth, such as scent; then, from its own scent, the earth is prepared for dissolution.

रसात्मिकाश्च तिष्ठन्ति ह्यापस्तासां रसो गुणः । पीयते ज्योतिषा तासु नष्टास्वग्निश्च दीप्य्ते ।। ३६८.

The waters, consisting of taste, remain; their quality is taste. When these are drunk up by fire, and are destroyed, fire blazes forth.