Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.11.28
तमोमात्रामुपादाय प्रतिसंरुद्धविक्रम: ।
कालेनानुगताशेष आस्ते तूष्णीं दिनात्यये ॥ २८ ॥
tamo-mātrām upādāya
[tamo-maatraam upaadaaya]
pratisaṁruddha-vikramaḥ
[pratisamruddha-vikramah]
kālenānugatāśeṣa
[kaalenaanugataashesha]
āste tūṣṇīṁ dinātyaye
[aaste tooshneem dinaatyaye]
Word-for-word
tamaḥ
—
the mode of ignorance, or the darkness of night
mātrām
—
an insignificant portion only
upādāya
—
accepting
pratisaṁruddha-vikramaḥ
—
suspending all power of manifestation
kālena
—
by means of the eternal kāla
anugata
—
merged in
aśeṣaḥ
—
innumerable living entities
āste
—
remains
tūṣṇīm
—
silent
dina-atyaye
—
at the end of the day.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tamo-mātrām upādāya
tamaḥ
the mode of ignorance, or the darkness of night
mātrām
an insignificant portion only
upādāya
accepting
pratisaṁruddha-vikramaḥ
pratisaṁruddha-vikramaḥ
suspending all power of manifestation
kālenānugatāśeṣa
kālena
by means of the eternal kāla
anugata
merged in
aśeṣaḥ
innumerable living entities
āste tūṣṇīṁ dinātyaye
āste
remains
tūṣṇīm
silent
dina-atyaye
at the end of the day.
At the end of the day, under the insignificant portion of the mode of darkness, the powerful manifestation of the universe merges in the darkness of night. By the influence of eternal time, the innumerable living entities remain merged in that dissolution, and everything is silent.
Purport
This verse is an explanation of the night of Brahmā, which is the effect of the influence of time in touch with an insignificant portion of the modes of material nature in darkness. The dissolution of the three worlds is effected by the incarnation of darkness, Rudra, represented by the fire of eternal time which blazes over the three worlds. These three worlds are known as Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ and Svaḥ (Pātāla, Martya and Svarga). The innumerable living entities merge into that dissolution, which appears to be the dropping of the curtain of the scene of the Supreme Lord’s energy, and so everything becomes silent.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Accepting a small portion of darkness through a form of Śiva, Kālāgni-rūdra, who covers the three worlds with fire, and merging the jīvas of the three worlds in his body, the Lord remains silent at the end of the day.
This verse describes the situation during Brahmā’s night. Accepting a small portion of darkness for destroying the three worlds through the form of Kālāgni-rūdra, having destroyed (pratisaṁruḍdhaḥ) bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ and svaḥ (vikramaḥ), covering them with fire and other elements the Lord also makes the jīvas (aśeṣam) of the three worlds merge (anugataḥ) into him. He remains silent in the sense that he stops the pastime of displaying the material realm. It was previously mentioned that vikrama means bhuḥ, bhuvaḥ and svaḥ. (SB 2.6.7)
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Time is the Lord's instrument, quietly grinding every arrangement we trust. The verse asks us to befriend this fact now, before it forces itself on us at the wrong moment. Its centre of gravity is modes of material nature.
Reflection Questions
- What conversation have you been postponing as if time were unlimited?
- Where could a small daily remembrance of death make today more honest?
My note
Source: vedabase.io