Pralaya (Sanskrit: प्रलय, romanized: Pralaya, lit. 'Destruction') is a concept in Hindu eschatology. Generally referring to four different phenomena,[1][2][3] it is most commonly used to indicate the event of the dissolution of the entire universe that follows a kalpa (a period of 4.32 billion years) called the Brahmapralaya.[4][5]
Pralaya also refers to Nityapralaya, the continuous destruction of all animate and inanimate beings that occurs on a daily basis, Prakritapralaya, the great flood produced by Prakriti (Nature) that ends all of creation after the completion of 1,000 Chaturyuga (four-age) cycles, and Atyantikapralaya, the dissolution of one's Atman (Self) due to its union with Brahman (Ultimate Reality).[6] A concept that has been referenced in literature since the Upanishads,[7] the concept of pralaya has been widely discussed in Hindu cosmology as well as philosophy.
- ^ Soifer, Deborah A. (8 November 1991). Myths of Narasimha and Vamana, The: Two Avatars in Cosmological Perspective. State University of New York Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-1-4384-2063-9.
- ^ Williams, George M. (2008-03-27). Handbook of Hindu Mythology. OUP USA. p. 236. ISBN 978-0-19-533261-2.
- ^ Bäumer, Bettina (1996). Kalatattvakosa. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. p. 31. ISBN 978-81-208-1402-8.
- ^ Dalal, Roshen (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books India. p. 312. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6.
- ^ Johnson, W.J. (2009). A Dictionary of Hinduism. Oxford University Press. pp. 165, 241. ISBN 978-0-19-861025-0.
- ^ Barz, Richard Keith; Theil-Horstmann, Monika (1989). Living Texts from India. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 146. ISBN 978-3-447-02967-4.
- ^ Basu, Baman Das (2007). The Sacred Books of the Hindus. Cosmo Publications. p. 207. ISBN 978-81-307-0553-8.