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Shloka 34

Brahmā’s Day, the Four Pralayas, and the Supreme Shelter Beyond Cause–Effect

यदैवमेतेन विवेकहेतिना मायामयाहङ्करणात्मबन्धनम् । छित्त्वाच्युतात्मानुभवोऽवतिष्ठते तमाहुरात्यन्तिकमङ्ग सम्प्लवम् ॥ ३४ ॥

yadaivam etena viveka-hetinā māyā-mayāhaṅkaraṇātma-bandhanam chittvācyutātmānubhavo ’vatiṣṭhate tam āhur ātyantikam aṅga samplavam

Mon cher Parīkṣit, lorsque le lien qui enchaîne l’âme —le faux ego fait de māyā— est tranché par l’épée du discernement, et que s’établit la réalisation du Seigneur Acyuta, l’Âme Suprême, on appelle cela ātyantika, l’anéantissement ultime de l’existence matérielle.

yadāwhen
yadā:
Kāla (काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyadā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक (when)
evamthus
evam:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootevam (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this way)
etenaby this
etena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootetad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (pronoun; instrumental singular ‘by this’)
viveka-hetināby the cause/means of discrimination
viveka-hetinā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootviveka (प्रातिपदिक) + hetin (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine; instrumental singular); तत्पुरुषः (‘having discrimination as the cause/means’)
māyā-maya-ahaṅkaraṇa-ātma-bandhanamthe self-bondage of ego, made of māyā
māyā-maya-ahaṅkaraṇa-ātma-bandhanam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmāyā (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक) + ahaṅkaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + bandhana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (neuter; accusative singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (determinative chain: ‘bondage of the self consisting of ego-making, made of māyā’)
chittvāhaving cut (through)
chittvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√chid (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having cut’
acyuta-ātma-anubhavaḥrealization of the self as Acyuta
acyuta-ātma-anubhavaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootacyuta (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + anubhava (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine; nominative singular); तत्पुरुषः (‘experience/realization of the self (as) Acyuta’ / ‘Acyuta-self-realization’)
avatiṣṭhateremains/stands established
avatiṣṭhate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootava-√sthā (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन (present; 3rd sg; middle)
tamthat (state)
tam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (pronoun; accusative singular)
āhuḥthey say/call
āhuḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√ah (धातु)
Formलिट् (परोक्ष/परिपूर्णभूत); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन (perfect; 3rd pl; active)
ātyantikamultimate/absolute
ātyantikam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootātyantika (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (neuter; accusative singular); ‘सम्प्लवम्’ इति विशेषणम् (qualifies ‘samplavam’)
aṅgaO dear one
aṅga:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootaṅga (अव्यय/सम्बोधन)
Formअव्यय; सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle of address)
samplavamcomplete dissolution/overflooding (final destruction)
samplavam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsamplava (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine; accusative singular)
A
Acyuta (Śrī Hari/Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

This verse explains that the ultimate dissolution is not merely cosmic destruction, but the final ending of bondage when one cuts māyā-born ego and becomes firmly established in direct realization of Acyuta (the Supreme Lord).

Because from the liberated soul’s perspective, the ‘world’ created by false ego and māyā is dissolved when discrimination destroys misidentification, leaving steady God-realization.

Cultivate discernment—separating the temporary ego-identity from the true self—and anchor daily choices in remembrance of Acyuta; as ego loosens, inner freedom and steadiness in spiritual awareness grows.