Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.4.34
यदैवमेतेन विवेकहेतिना
मायामयाहङ्करणात्मबन्धनम् ।
छित्त्वाच्युतात्मानुभवोऽवतिष्ठते
तमाहुरात्यन्तिकमङ्ग सम्प्लवम् ॥ ३४ ॥
yadaivam etena viveka-hetinā
[yadaivam etena viveka-hetinaa]
māyā-mayāhaṅkaraṇātma-bandhanam
[maayaa-mayaahankaranaatma-bandhanam]
chittvācyutātmānubhavo ’vatiṣṭhate
[chittvaachyutaatmaanubhavo ’vatishthate]
tam āhur ātyantikam aṅga samplavam
[tam aahur aatyantikam anga samplavam]
Word-for-word
yadā
—
when
evam
—
in this way
etena
—
by this
viveka
—
of discrimination
hetinā
—
sword
māyā-maya
—
illusory
ahaṅkaraṇa
—
false ego
ātma
—
of the soul
bandhanam
—
the cause of bondage
chittvā
—
cutting off
acyuta
—
of the infallible
ātma
—
Supreme Soul
anubhavaḥ
—
realization
avatiṣṭhate
—
develops firmly
tam
—
that
āhuḥ
—
they call
ātyantikam
—
ultimate
aṅga
—
my dear King
samplavam
—
annihilation.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yadaivam etena viveka-hetinā
yadā
when
evam
in this way
etena
by this
viveka
of discrimination
hetinā
sword
māyā-mayāhaṅkaraṇātma-bandhanam
māyā-maya
illusory
ahaṅkaraṇa
false ego
ātma
of the soul
bandhanam
the cause of bondage
chittvācyutātmānubhavo ’vatiṣṭhate
chittvā
cutting off
acyuta
of the infallible
ātma
Supreme Soul
anubhavaḥ
realization
tam āhur ātyantikam aṅga samplavam
avatiṣṭhate
develops firmly
tam
that
āhuḥ
they call
ātyantikam
ultimate
aṅga
my dear King
samplavam
annihilation.
My dear Parīkṣit, when the illusory false ego that binds the soul has been cut off with the sword of discriminating knowledge and one has developed realization of Lord Acyuta, the Supreme Soul, this is called the ātyantika, or ultimate, annihilation of material existence.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
O King! When the illusory false ego that binds the soul has been cut off with the sword of discriminating knowledge and one remains with firm meditation on Acyuta, the Supreme Soul, it is called the ātyantika-pralaya.
For the destruction of ahaṅkāra one practices bhakti-miśra-jñāna. That is described in this verse. After cutting the bondage of ahaṅkāra by jñāna-śāstra (viveka-hetinā), one remains with firm meditation of the mind upon Acyuta. Or, for the accomplished yogī, after destroying ahaṅkāra (acyutāmānaubhavaḥ) remains steady with complete realization of Brahman. Being fixed in that state is called ātyantika-pralaya (samplavam).
Personal Guidance
When discriminating knowledge cuts illusory false ego and one rests in realization of Acyuta, that is the ultimate annihilation — not of the world, but of bondage. The 'destruction' our heart most needs is the dissolution of the wrong identity.
Reflection Questions
- Which version of 'me' am I willing to let dissolve?
- What in that loss is actually liberation in disguise?
My note
Source: vedabase.io