Laya

लय

पुंल्लिङ्ग (masculino) · ली धातु (lī — dissolver-se) + अ प्रत्यय

laya

Metaphysics

AI translation

Dissolution; absorption

Laya is the re-absorbing. (1) Cosmically: at the end of each kalpa, the manifest universe is reabsorbed into its principle (pralaya). (2) Individually: in deep sleep, the mind is reabsorbed into causal ignorance (kāraṇa-śarīra). (3) In yoga: the absorption of prāṇa into suṣumnā. In Vedānta, laya is always temporary — only jñāna dissolves ignorance permanently, not laya. Whoever seeks mokṣa in laya is confusing deep sleep with liberation.

Occurrence in the corpus

मूलकारण एवैषां विलयो भवेत् ।। तत्कारणत्वात्कार्याणां न तु कार्यान्तरे लयः ।। ३७३ ।।

mūlakāraṇa evaiṣāṃ vilayo bhavet || tatkāraṇatvātkāryāṇāṃ na tu kāryāntare layaḥ || 373 ||

— Brihadaranyaka Bhashya Vartikam →

Using this in academic work? Get formal citation

APA

Vishva Vidya (2026). Laya (लय). Vishva Vidya — Vedanta. https://vedanta.com.br/en/glossary/laya

MLA

Vishva Vidya. "Laya (लय)." Vishva Vidya — Vedanta, January 1, 2026, https://vedanta.com.br/en/glossary/laya.

Chicago

Vishva Vidya. "Laya (लय)." Vishva Vidya — Vedanta, January 1, 2026. https://vedanta.com.br/en/glossary/laya.

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