Kurma Purana

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.

इन्द्रचापनिभाः केचिदुत्तिष्ठन्ति घना दिवि

Some clouds appear in the sky, resembling the bow of Indra.

बहूरूपा घोरूपा घोरस्वरनिनादिनः

Of many forms, of terrible forms, resounding with dreadful voices.

सप्तधा संवृतात्मानस्तमग्निं शमयन्त्युत

With their selves enveloped sevenfold, they indeed extinguish the darkness-fire.

सुघोरमशिवं सर्वं नाशयन्ति च पावकम्

They destroy the fierce, inauspicious, and all-consuming fire.

अद्भिस्तेजोभिभूतत्वात् तदाग्निः प्रविशत्यपः

Because water overcomes fire, at that time the fire enters into the waters.

प्लावयन्तो ऽथ भुवनं महाजलपरिस्त्रवैः

Then, with great streams of water, they flood the worlds.

अत्यन्तसलिलौघैश्च वेला इव महोदधिः

And with torrents of water, like the shore of the great ocean.

पुनः पतति तद् भूमौ पूर्यन्ते तेन चार्णवाः

Again it falls upon the earth, and by it the oceans are filled.

पर्वताश्च विलीयन्ते मही चाप्सु निमज्जति

The mountains dissolve, and the earth sinks into the waters.

योगनिन्द्रां समास्थाय शेते देवः प्रजापतिः

Assuming the yogic sleep, the Lord, Prajapati, lies down.