Vishnupurana 6.4.p2.1

6.4.p2.1

When the universal spirit wakes, the world revives: when he clears his eyes, all things fall upon the bed of mystic sleep. In the same manner a thousand great eyes comprise a day of Brahmā so his night consists of the same period: during which the world is submerged by a vast ocean. Awaking at the end of his night the unborn Vishnu, in the character of Brahmā, creates the universe anew in the manner formerly described unto you. I have thus related to you the intermediate dissolution of the world taking place at the end of every Kalpa. I will now, O Maitreya, describe to you elemental dissolution. When by dearth and fire all the worlds and Patalas are dried up and the modification of Mahat and other products of nature are by the will of Krishna destroyed the progress of elemental dissolution is begun. At first the waters swallow up the property of earth which is the rudiment of smell; and earth, deprived of its property, proceeds to destruction. Devoid of the rudiment of odour the earth becomes identical with water. The water then being much increased roaring and rushing along fill up all space whether agitated or still. When the universe is thus pervaded by the waves of the watery element its rudimental flavour is licked up by the element of fire and on account of the destruction of these rudiments the waters themselves are destroyed.