There are four
kinds of pralayams decribed in Srimadh Bagawatham. Nithya Pralayam
occurs everyday when a life form dies. Maimithika Pralayam
occurs during Brahma’s night when the first three worlds are destroyed even
though the Sun is still there. Prakrutha Pralayam
occurswhen all worlds are destroyed and all jeevatmas rest in a state of
inactivity by Perumal. Perumal lies down in Yoga nidra for a very long time and
starts creation again upon waking up. Akruthika Pralayam
occurs when a jeevatma attains Moksham.
Markandeya
Maharishi performed severe penance at Naimisharanyam in order to attain the
Lord’s feet. The sage is a Brahmachari blessed with everlasting youth. The
devas were worried by the sage’s penance. Devendran sent the apsaras to seduce
the sage. The apsaras arrived with the lord of Love Kama and created spring
season.
The sage noticed
the beautiful sweet scented flowers, pleasant weather and the beautiful women.
Even then he didn’t give in to their advances as he had complete control over
his senses. He pitied the apsaras and promised not to curse them for trying to
ruin his penance.
Lord Vishnu was
pleased that the sage had defeated kamam as well as krodham. He appeared before
the sage.
‘Only great
personality like you can win over anger and lust’, praised the Lord.
‘It is because of
your compassion for me. Your grace is the reason for the control over my
senses. It is definitely not because of my efforts.’
The Lord was very
pleased that the sage was not affected by pride either. ‘Ask me for a boon.’
‘I hear people
speak about maya but I don’t understand it. Could you please show me you maya?’
The Lord smiled and
then disappeared.
Sage Markandeyar
returned to his duties. It started to rain. Very quickly rain turned into a
great storm. The sage went outside when he heard a roaring noise. To his dismay
he saw a huge flood; water rushed everywhere destroying all life.
Soon there was
nothing but water. The sage waded through the deluge for days trying to find
survivors. After many lengthy days, the sage spotted a huge banyan tree.
‘Land at last!’
cried the sage and ran towards the tree. He stopped midway when he saw a
beautiful baby lying on top of a banyan leaf.
The child was dark
in colour with curly locks which framed its face. Its eyes looked mischievous as
we looking for butter to steal. It lay on the banyan leaf sucking its big toe. The sage recognized the Lord. It was
as if the Lord wondered why people sought his divine feet; to test if they were
sweet, He was sucking on His big toe. Mesmerized by their sweetness, He lay
they enjoying His toe.
The sage waded near
the Lord to pick the child up. The child looked at the sage with love and
opened its coral lips. As we pulled in by a vacuum, the sage entered the baby’s
mouth and went into His belly. With a jerk the sage got-up and saw that he was
back at his ashram and everything was back to normal!
This shows that the
Lord keeps us safe in His belly even during pralayam and lets us out once creation
begins.
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