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Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.24.22-27

Nirodha· Winding up

Everything Returns to the Supreme Lord

“At the time of annihilation, the mortal body of the living being becomes merged into food. Food merges into the grains, and the grains merge back into the earth. The earth merges into its subtle sensation, fragrance. Fragrance merges into water, and water further merges into its own quality, taste. That taste merges into fire, which merges into form. Form merges into touch, and touch merges into ether. Ether finally merges into the sensation of sound. The senses all merge into their own origins, the presiding demigods, and they, O gentle Uddhava, merge into the controlling mind, which itself merges into false ego in the mode of goodness. Sound becomes one with false ego in the mode of ignorance, and all-powerful false ego, the first of all the physical elements, merges into the total nature. The total material nature, the primary repository of the three basic modes, dissolves into the modes. These modes of nature then merge into the unmanifest form of nature, and that unmanifest form merges into time. Time merges into the Supreme Lord, present in the form of the omniscient Mahā-puruṣa, the original activator of all living beings. That origin of all life merges into Me, the unborn Supreme Soul, who remains alone, established within Himself. It is from Him that all creation and annihilation are manifested.”

Śrīla Prabhupāda · Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.24.22-27, translation

What the purport teaches

  • The annihilation of the material world reverses the process of creation. The mortal body, material elements and senses merge back into their origins.
  • Material nature dissolves into the modes, which merge into unmanifest nature, and unmanifest nature merges into time. Time merges into the Supreme Lord.
  • Ultimately everything rests within the unborn Supreme Soul, from whom creation and annihilation are manifested. He remains alone, full in His absolute position.

Try this today

Read the final sentences of the translation slowly, and spend a moment reflecting that everything ultimately rests within the Supreme Lord.

Ask yourself

What does this account of annihilation teach you about the difference between material things and the Supreme Lord?

Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.

From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

One of the 108 chosen lessons, close to this verseAccept Guidance Across Material ExistenceSB 11.20.17Next · LeadTeach what you are livingTurn this chapter into a timed class plan or a short reel script.Open Lecture Studio