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व्यास उवाच॥
Vyāsa said.
पृथिव्यां यानि भूतानि जङ्गमानि ध्रुवाणि च। तान्येवाग्रे प्रलीयन्ते भूमित्वमुपयान्ति च ॥१२-२२५-१॥
All beings, both moving and stationary, that exist on the earth, in the end, are dissolved and attain the state of earth.
ततः प्रलीने सर्वस्मिन्स्थावरे जङ्गमे तथा। अकाष्ठा निस्तृणा भूमिर्दृश्यते कूर्मपृष्ठवत् ॥१२-२२५-२॥
Then, after everything movable and immovable has dissolved, the earth, devoid of wood and grass, appears like the back of a tortoise.
भूमेरपि गुणं गन्धमाप आददते यदा। आत्तगन्धा तदा भूमिः प्रलयत्वाय कल्पते ॥१२-२२५-३॥
When the earth's essential quality, fragrance, is completely taken away, then the earth is ready for dissolution.
आपस्ततः प्रतिष्ठन्ति ऊर्मिमत्यो महास्वनाः। सर्वमेवेदमापूर्य तिष्ठन्ति च चरन्ति च ॥१२-२२५-४॥
The waters from there, full of waves and great sound, fill all this and both remain and move about.
अपामपि गुणांस्तात ज्योतिराददते यदा। आपस्तदा आत्तगुणा ज्योतिष्युपरमन्ति च ॥१२-२२५-५॥
O dear, when light takes on the qualities of water, then the waters, having acquired those qualities, cease in the light.
यदादित्यं स्थितं मध्ये गूहन्ति शिखिनोऽर्चिषः। सर्वमेवेदमर्चिर्भिः पूर्णं जाज्वल्यते नभः ॥१२-२२५-६॥
The sun, which is situated in the middle, is concealed by the flames of its rays; yet, all this is indeed filled, and the sky blazes with those rays.
ज्योतिषोऽपि गुणं रूपं वायुराददते यदा। प्रशाम्यति तदा ज्योतिर्वायुर्दोधूयते महान् ॥१२-२२५-७॥
Even the wind takes on the qualities and form of the light; when the wind subsides, then the great light is stirred by the wind.
ततस्तु मूलमासाद्य वायुः सम्भवमात्मनः। अधश्चोर्ध्वं च तिर्यक्च दोधवीति दिशो दश ॥१२-२२५-८॥
Then, having reached the root, the wind, which is the origin of itself, moves about in the ten directions—downward, upward, and across.
वायोरपि गुणं स्पर्शमाकाशं ग्रसते यदा। प्रशाम्यति तदा वायुः खं तु तिष्ठति नानदत् ॥१२-२२५-९॥
When space absorbs even the quality of wind, namely touch, and the wind subsides, then the wind remains in space but does not make any sound.
आकाशस्य गुणं शब्दमभिव्यक्तात्मकं मनः। मनसो व्यक्तमव्यक्तं ब्राह्मः स प्रतिसञ्चरः ॥१२-२२५-१०॥
The quality of space is sound; the mind is characterized by manifestation. For the mind, both the manifest and the unmanifest pertain to Brahman; this is the process of reabsorption.
तदात्मगुणमाविश्य मनो ग्रसति चन्द्रमाः। मनस्युपरतेऽध्यात्मा चन्द्रमस्यवतिष्ठते ॥१२-२२५-११॥
The self, having assumed the quality, the mind perceives the moon. When the mind ceases, the inner self remains as the essence of the moon.
तं तु कालेन महता सङ्कल्पः कुरुते वशे। चित्तं ग्रसति सङ्कल्पस्तच्च ज्ञानमनुत्तमम् ॥१२-२२५-१२॥
But over time, resolve brings him under control. Resolve devours the mind and even that unsurpassed knowledge.
कालो गिरति विज्ञानं कालो बलमिति श्रुतिः। बलं कालो ग्रसति तु तं विद्वान्कुरुते वशे ॥१२-२२५-१३॥
Scripture says: Time destroys knowledge and strength. Time devours strength, but a wise man brings time under his control.
आकाशस्य तदा घोषं तं विद्वान्कुरुतेऽऽत्मनि। तदव्यक्तं परं ब्रह्म तच्छाश्वतमनुत्तमम् ॥ एवं सर्वाणि भूतानि ब्रह्मैव प्रतिसञ्चरः ॥१२-२२५-१४॥
The wise perceive the sound of space within themselves; that is the unmanifest, supreme, eternal, unsurpassed Brahman. Thus, all beings ultimately merge back into Brahman.
यथावत्कीर्तितं सम्यगेवमेतदसंशयम्। बोध्यं विद्यामयं दृष्ट्वा योगिभिः परमात्मभिः ॥१२-२२५-१५॥
As it has been properly declared, this is undoubtedly so; having realized the essence of knowledge, it is to be understood by yogis who are supreme selves.
एवं विस्तारसङ्क्षेपौ ब्रह्माव्यक्ते पुनः पुनः। युगसाहस्रयोरादावह्नो रात्र्यास्तथैव च ॥१२-२२५-१६॥
Thus, expansion and contraction repeatedly occur in Brahman, the unmanifest, at the beginning of a thousand yugas, both at the start of the day and of the night, in the same manner.
