The Great Dissolution
Pralaya ('dissolution,' 'merging,' from pra + lī = to melt/dissolve) is the periodic withdrawal of the manifest universe back into its subtle, unmanifest state within Brahman. At pralaya, the gross bodies of all beings dissolve, the material elements return to Prakṛti (primordial matter), and Prakṛti itself enters a subtle, compressed state within Brahman. The individual jīvas (ātmans) persist but in a dormant form, without active consciousness or karmic experience.
Karma Preserved
A crucial point in Vishishtadvaita: the jīva's accumulated karma is not destroyed at pralaya but is preserved in the subtle state. When the next cycle of creation (sṛṣṭi) begins, the jīvas receive forms appropriate to their preserved karma — the cycle continues with perfect justice. Pralaya is thus not a reset but a rest period within the ongoing cycle.
Types of Pralaya
Vishishtadvaita recognizes several types: (1) naimittika pralaya — the periodic dissolution at the end of Brahma's day (kalpa), after which creation resumes; (2) prākṛta pralaya — the total dissolution at the end of Brahma's life, when even Prakṛti dissolves; (3) ātyantika pralaya — the permanent dissolution for the individual jīva that attains liberation (mokṣa) — the jīva exits the cycle permanently.
The Lord's Freedom from Pralaya
Brahman Himself is not affected by pralaya: He remains unchanging, self-luminous, and fully conscious even as the universe withdraws into Him. At pralaya, all becomes part of the Lord's subtle body — the body 'sleeps' but the soul remains awake.