Last Updated on August 12, 2024 by Tejaswini
Pralay प्रलय is a Sanskrit word which has been variously translated into English as dissolution, termination, destruction, annihilation, end, reabsorption, death, sleep, unconsciousness, etc. But English is a very limited language and incapable of conveying the appropriate meanings of Sanskrit words. In this post let’s understand what tantra and vedant have to say regarding pralay. (The technical words in this post have been discussed in my previous posts, so do refer to the index page.)
There are four types of Pralay.
- Nitya – constant
- Naimittik – occasional
- Maha – mega
- Atyantik – extreme annihilation
Nitya pralay – This type of pralay is at the level of the ‘pindaand’, ie the individual soul, the jivatma. This is the subtle and continuous destruction occurring at all times, constantly.
- Eg sleep is a form of pralay which occurs regularly. This is easy to understand, we all periodically go through this.As we sleep, the link with the gross body is temporarily dissolved and the individual soul moves about in its subtle and causal bodies. It can go into swapna/ dream or go into deep sleep/ sushupti in this time, but its connection with the physical body is dimmed. When we wake up the jivatma again strongly links up with the gross body.
- Another example of constant destruction is as we undergo physical death, the jivatma exits with its bundle of subtle and causal bodies, severs the connection with the old gross body completely, permanently detaches from it. A new gross body is later and later animated.
As is obvious, this nitya pralay is a cyclical process, continuing indefinitely.
Naimittik pralay – This type of pralay is at the level of the brahmaand, ie the universe.
Our universe is created by a deity named Brahmadev, the maintainer deity Shri Vishnu maintains it and later it is dissolved by the action of Shri Rudra. And there are infinite such universes with their own separate creator, maintainer and destroyer deity triad. One celestial ‘day’ of these deities is called a Kalpa which is equivalent to is 8.64 billion human years. And the end of this one divine day the created universe is destroyed and later recreated. This dissolution at the end of one Kalpa is called Naimittik pralay.
Naimitik pralay is of two types, partial and complete.
- Partial Naimittik pralay –
One kalpa, ie celestial ‘day’ is divided into 14 time units called Manvantar. Each Manvantar is presided over by a being named Manu. So one divine day has 14 different Manu, presiding over the 14 Manvantar time units.
And you know that there are 14 dimensions, in sequence, highest energy is Satya, Tapa, Jana, Mahar, Svah, Bhuvar, Bhu (our earth), Atal, Vital, Sutal, Talatal, Mahatal, Rasatal, Patal which is the lowest energy dimension.
At the end of every Manvantar, there is a partial dissolution of the manifested universe. This means that the dimensions from Svah to Patal are dissolved and only the dimensions from Mahar to Satya remain functional in the intervening period. These higher dimensions are the realm of the Rishis who help maintain all the dimensions and help the next Manu to recreate the lower ones. This is the partial naimittik pralay which is also a cyclical process, never ending.
- Complete Naimittik pralay
This occurs at the end of one celestial ‘day’, ie at the end of one Kalpa. Now the dimensions Svah and below are destroyed. And the Rishis in the realms from the Mahar to Satya lok go into Samadhi. The three deities, Bhagwans – Brahmadev, Vishnu and Rudra also go into Dhyan or Yognidra, in simple words you can say that they rest. In technical words they temporarily go into the Parmeshwar for recharging themselves, just like we, the jivatma rest in the Parameshwar during Sushupti avastha. Complete Naimittik pralay is also an endless cyclical process.
Mahapralay – This level of pralay is at the level of the brahmaand, ie the universe.
The lifespan of the three deities – Bhagwans – Brahmadev, Vishnu and Rudra is 100 divine years which is equivalent to 311.04 trillion human years. After this time these three and their created universe all are devoured by Kaal /Time. After this a new triad of the creator, maintainer and destroyer is appointed and they start creating, maintaining and destroying a new universe.
In my this post I have written about the nature of the deities. When a individual soul in its human lives does the necessary intense spiritual activity with the intention of becoming a deity, he is granted his intention and this individual soul is appointed as a deity in charge of a universe. But this individual soul too ultimately desires Moksh. So when these three deities are dissolved at Mahapralay, they gain Mukti and are absorbed permanently in the Parameshwar, the indescribable Self. This is not cyclical, it happens only once for a specific universe and its three controlling deities.
Modern science estimates the age of our universe to be about 13.8 billion human years. Compare this with the lifespan of Brahmadev, ie 311.04 trillion human years.
Atyantik pralay –This level of annihilation is at the level of the pindaand, the jivatma. This is not cyclical. It happens only once for one jivatma. It is the final annihilation of ignorance, Avidya. The annihilation of the karmic baggage of the individual soul. In this form of pralay, at the instant of Atma jnyan, ie self realisation, the Linga sharir is annihilated and the Karan sharir ‘merges’ completely into the Eternal. The limited individual soul now knows itself, claims itself, asserts itself as the unlimited indescribable Paramatma. It has transcended into the indescribable.
For this level of annihilation to occur, you have to destroy Time /kaal. You have to burn the concept of duality completely. In tantric terms, you have to first access the Chitrini in the Sushumna and the energy of self-identification kundalini has ‘rise’ up through the twists of this Chitrini nadi. Or in vedantic terms, the vijnyanmaykosh has to be first accessed and the self-identification, the limited ahamkaar has to overcome the dullness of ignorance/ Avidya and burn through it. For this to happen you have to follow the entire step wise syllabus of the Ved. Your consciousness has has to expand itself, make itself more and more subtle, and make that leap from object to subject and beyond.
Once you overcome Kaal, you move into the realm of the Bhagwan Mahakaal or Devi Mahakali or Paradevta or Paradevi. You know that there is no duality, no change, no two, no movement, no time, no space. You perceive yourself as a non-dual entity, you know yourself to be non-different. All the ties of karma, all the distortions of the Gun, all dissolve here, burnt in the fires of your Atma jnyan, self-knowledge. As you move even strongly into the Mahashmashan under the guidance of the Bhagwan Mahakaal you go beyond all this too. Here you know yourself as the non-differentiated unlimited existence, that Parashivah. This is the indescribable, no words can explain this. But it can be known, and with such splendour!
In this annihilation, the linga sharir and karan sharir are burnt completely, turned to Vibhuti. But for some reason (prarabdha karma), if the body/ sthool sharir is required to continue it will be recognised as the Swami, the Atmajnyani Mahapurush. This is now the perfect reflection of that indescribable, Satguru, and will guide others who are still caught in the illusion of creation to the Self.
(For more reading you can pick up the various Tantra books or the 10 main upanishads, if you can understand.)
17 responses to “Pralay in Tantra and Vedant”
Wonderful
Amazing Post Tejaswini mam! This makes a lot of sense, thank you! A few questions though:
If someone attains moksh, after the mahapralay happens if the kaal chakra starts again, do those souls also come back for another cycle?
Where do the souls go during the partial and complete naimittik pralay? Do they also go to the parmeshwar?
Thank you!
Hi there
moksh is the annihilation of the linga sharir and the merger of the karan sharir with the Eternal. For individual souls this happens in atyantik pralay.
mahapralay is the annihilation of the individuality of only the three deities in charge of that universe.
the jivatmas who were in that universe at the time of its mahapralay take birth in some other one.
so if a jivatma wants to achieve moksh there are two options
Krama mukti – you do so much sadhana that you get appointed as one of the trinity in charge of a universe. function for a 100 celestial years and the end of which you are granted the final realise of the Eternal.
Sadyo mukti – you do so much sadhana that you pierce the chitrini or the vijnyanmaykosh and here itself realise the eternal as your own self.
i have written about this somewhere.
yes, they remain in suspension, just like in the deep sleep state.
Thank you! I will read and re-read the previous articles relating to this.
Hello ma’am,
I stumbled upon your website a few months back and i have read quite a few posts (maybe a lot of them 🙂 ) and i would like to thank you for writing them and providing much comfort with the knowledge that i was seeking for a long time. I wish you and your family all the best in life and may God help you in all your morally good endevaours. i thank you again for sharing the knowledge of the elders.
Highly Obliged,
A Lost Man.
Hi Tejaswini Ji (I’m looking for alternative suffixes 🙂
This post was very deep but easy for me digest, which I’m usually good at since I almost immediately can visualise myself discussing interconnected topics I learn about. Not so with the Trikon and Shatkon post from the other day which I’m just letting sink in of its own accord, that was next level.
Even so, whilst I got this, one bit was a bit mine-blowing – ‘you get appointed’ as one of the Trinity…! Whoa. I’m just gonna leave it there. But who is Krishna then?
* And speaking of such ‘Appointments’
I did actually read your post on the nature of deities and that had me really pondering a question from a recent post where someone was concerned with uh…the Daityaguru proclivities! 🙂
Your answer was “How can I explain what Daityaguru feels or is motivated by? Ask him. Light a deepak with this intention.”
Lol, good answer – you gotta ask directly, why you asking me for lol!?
Then again SURELY….the ‘Tax’ for such an immensely high level Officer isn’t going to be as easy as lighting a Deepak. Millions of people do that sort of stuff every day.
Is there something, deep, but still quite achievable, something like a “Shukra Sadhana” than can allow a bond, enhancement or maybe even lessons to be learnt a bit more clearly and better?
Don’t worry I’m not attempting Necromancy! Just a revival of my own life and circumstances.
Many many thanks
Hi there
The karmaphaldata ‘appoints’ ie the karma phal fructifies as per time and they get ‘posted’
Shri Krishna is a historical figure in the Mahabharat.
We consider him as one of the avtars of Shri Vishnu.
‘Proclivity’ is not a suitable word fr the seriousness that Daityaguru is. He is a Guru.
I wrote on asking questions to Agni.
Shukra sadhana is practiced. And he does guide if u r eligible.
Pranaam Madam,
I take this opportunity to convey my sincere namaskars for every word written in this knowledge portal. Thanks is too small a word. Brilliantly Illuminating post.
Sincere regards, best wishes, heartfelt prayers as always,
Namaste mam,
I have a request, can you please provide the Sanskrit version of Teekshna Danshtra Bhairavastakam. I looked into few websites, but felt certain words don’t match to the post that you have written. In the English version, I find it difficult to understand ‘ त’ and ‘ ट’. I did try to change the language settings of this website, but was not successful to get the precise text.
Thank You.
Hi there
i dont have a sanskrit text. i have typed the english text.
and i have put in the audio. listen to it.
I found a small variation in audio and the text, too. However, Thank you for the guidance in the Teekshna Danshtra Bhairavastakam post. It is helpful.
Dear Tejaswini Ma’m,
Sincere gratitude for posting this ! The vastness of this whole brahmanda that you have described just underlines how microscopic we are…not even a speck of dust. However some things are still beyond understanding , hence the following questions:
1. You mentioned “infinite” Universes here, even multiverses and parallel universes in the earlier posts. Do all these universes have boundaries ? Also when the soul is attached to one planet, is it bound to only that planet (earth) and life form (ie human body, animal kingdom etc.)? Which essentially means that in our one universe, which millions of galaxies and billions of stars, we will be taking birth on only earth.
2. You have mentioned 14 dimensions. But Dasha Mahavidyas, who rule dimensions are only 10. So who rules the remaining 4 ? Also which Vidya rules which dimension?
3. In many mantras like Mahamrutyunjaya and Gayatri, we mention only Bhu, Bhuvah, Swaha. Why are other lokas not mentioned in our mantras?
4. Does life rotate on planets? A few years ago, there was a unusual boy born in Russia who claimed that he belonged to Mars civilisation which was destroyed. He showed unusual knowledge of mars and galaxy since the age of two.
5. As much as we know through observatories, our universe is ever expanding…i.e dark energy is expanding and dark matter is pushing the universe to contraction. In some writings, dark energy is presumed as the goddess form i.e Kaali trying to destroy , can our other deities such as varuna, Rudra, Nirriti, be presumed as other such energies in the universe ?
Many thanks and warm regards !
Hi there
1. No. the jivatma can take rebirth anywhere in any form.
2. These are the 14 Lok from Satyam to Patal
The 10 Mahavidyas are the directions. Dig
English creates confusion
3. I use the complete form of Gayatri with all the Vhyrhutis till Satyam for specific purposes.
Generally humans cannot use the energies beyond Svah. So we use this short form with 3 Vhyrhutis.
Mahar to Satyam are the lok of the rishis.
4. infinite planets in infinite several solar systems have supported different life forms in the past, present and also will in the future.
Jivtamas can be born anywhere.
5. Do not mix quantum physics with Ved. They are still very very limited.
I wrote several posts on the nature of the deities, Consciousness, Ved etc. Ref the index.
Namaste mam,
Please suggest a tantra book for beginners
Hi there
no.
Namaste Tejaswiniji,
Thank you for this post 🙏
A clarification on the transit of grahas..please clear this doubt if it’s worthy of it..🙏
If for a native, the transit of Saturn along with ketu in 4th house countered by guru chandal yoga in 10th (transit), would it be a phase of difficulties/death of the mother? Does the same transit in the mother’s chart in 5th & 11th houses indicate similar situations for the child?
Thank you 🙏
Hi there
Do consult your regular astrologer.