Kurma Purana

प्राकृतः प्रतिसर्गो ऽयं प्रोच्यते कालचिन्तकैः

This re-creation, arising from nature, is spoken of by those who contemplate time.

प्रलयः प्रतिसर्गो ऽयं कालचिन्तापरैर्द्विजैः

This dissolution and re-creation is called 'pralaya' by those twice-born who reflect upon time.

नैमित्तिकमिदानीं वः कथयिष्ये समासतः

Now I shall briefly tell you about the occasional dissolution.

स्वात्मसंस्थाः प्रजाः कर्तुं प्रतिपेदे प्रजापतिः

The Lord of creatures undertook to create beings established in his own self.

भूतक्षयकरी घोरा सर्वभूतक्षयङ्करी

The fierce force causing the destruction of beings brings about the end of all creatures.

तानि चाग्रे प्रलीयन्ते भूमित्वमुपयान्ति च

At first, they dissolve and attain the state of earth.

असह्यरश्मिर्भवति पिबन्नम्भो गभस्तिभिः

The sun becomes unbearable in its rays, drinking up water with its beams.

तेनाहारेण ता दीप्ताः सूर्याः सप्त भवन्त्युत

By that consumption, those radiant suns become seven in number.

चतुर्लोकमिदं सर्वं दहन्ति शिखिनस्तथा

Those blazing ones burn all four worlds.

दीप्यन्ते भास्कराः सप्त युगान्ताग्निप्रतापिनः

The seven suns shine forth, radiating the heat of the fire at the end of the age.

खं समावृत्य तिष्ठन्ति निर्दहन्तो वसुंधराम्

Covering the sky, they remain, scorching the earth.

साद्रिनद्यर्णवद्वीपा निस्नेहा समपद्यत

With mountains, rivers, oceans, and islands, the earth becomes devoid of moisture.

अधश्चोर्ध्वं च लग्नाभिस्तिर्यक् चैव समावृतम्

Below, above, and across, it is enveloped by those rays.

एकत्वमुपयातानामेकज्वालं भवत्युत

When they attain unity, they become a single flame indeed.

चतुर्लोकमिदं सर्वं निर्दहत्यात्मतेजसा

This entire fourfold world is consumed by its own inner radiance.

निर्वृक्षा निस्तृणा भूमिः कूर्मपृष्ठा प्रकाशते

The earth, bereft of trees and grass, appears as the back of a tortoise.

सर्वमेव तदर्चिर्भिः पूर्णं जाज्वल्यते पुनः

All of it, filled completely, blazes again with those flames.

ततस्तानि प्रलीयन्ते भूमित्वमुपयान्ति च

Then those things dissolve and return to the state of earth.

तान् सर्वान् भस्मसात् कृत्वा सप्तात्मा पावकः प्रभुः

Having reduced them all to ashes, the sevenfold Fire, the Lord, remains.

पिबन्नपः समिद्धो ऽग्निः पृथिवीमाश्रितो ज्वलन्

The blazing fire, resting upon the earth, drinks up the waters.

लोकान् दहति दीप्तात्मा रुद्रतेजोविजॄम्भितः

With a radiant self, manifesting the energy of Rudra, he burns the worlds.

अधस्तात् पृथिवीं दग्ध्वा दिवमूर्ध्वं दहिष्यति

Having burned the earth below, he will burn the heavens above.

उत्तिष्ठन्ति शिखास्तस्य वह्नेः संवर्तकस्य तु

Then the flames of that fire of dissolution rise up.

तदा दहत्यसौ दीप्तः कालरुद्रप्रचोदितः

At that time, urged on by Kāla-Rudra, that blazing one burns.

दहेदशेषं कालाग्निः कालो विश्वतनुः स्वयम्

The fire of time, Kāla, the universal form himself, burns everything without remainder.

अयोगुडनिभं सर्वं तदा चैकं प्रकाशते

Then all appears as a single mass, resembling a lump of iron.

उत्तिष्ठन्ति तदा व्योम्नि घोराः संवर्तका घनाः

Then, in the sky, arise the dreadful clouds of dissolution.

धूम्रवर्णास्तथा केचित् केचित् पीताः पयोधराः

Some are smoky in color, some are yellow, the cloud-bearers.

शङ्खकुन्दनिभाश्चान्ये जात्यञ्जननिभाः परे

Some are like conch or jasmine, others like pure collyrium.