The Flooding of the Worlds and the Elemental Dissolution

Verse 1 (vishnu.6.4.1)

पराशर उवाच । सप्तर्षिस्थानमाक्रम्य स्थितेऽम्भसि महामुने । एकार्णवं भवत्येतत् त्रैलोक्यमखिलं ततः

parāśara uvāca saptarṣisthānam ākramya sthite 'mbhasi mahāmune ekārṇavaṁ bhavaty etat trailokyam akhilaṁ tataḥ

Parashara said: "Great sage, when the waters have risen to reach the abode of the Seven Sages, this entire threefold world then becomes a single ocean."

Verse 2 (vishnu.6.4.2)

मुखनिश्वासजो विष्णोर् वायुस् ताञ् जलदांस् ततः । नाशयन् वाति मैत्रेय वर्षाणामपरं शतम्

mukhaniśvāsajo viṣṇor vāyus tāñ jaladāṁs tataḥ nāśayan vāti maitreya varṣāṇām aparaṁ śatam

Then, Maitreya, the wind born from Vishnu's breath blows for another hundred years, destroying those rain-clouds.

Verse 3 (vishnu.6.4.3)

सर्वभूतमयोऽचिन्त्यो भगवान् भूतभावनः । अनादिरादिर् विश्वस्य पीत्वा वायुमशेषतः

sarvabhūtamayo 'cintyo bhagavān bhūtabhāvanaḥ anādir ādir viśvasya pītvā vāyum aśeṣataḥ

The Lord — who consists of all beings, who is inconceivable, the source of all creatures, himself without beginning yet the origin of the universe — having entirely swallowed up that wind as well,

Verse 4 (vishnu.6.4.4)

एकार्णवे ततस् तस्मिञ् शेषशय्यास्थितः प्रभुः । ब्रह्मरूपधरः शेते भगवानादिकृद् धरिः

ekārṇave tatas tasmiñ śeṣaśayyāsthitaḥ prabhuḥ brahmarūpadharaḥ śete bhagavān ādikṛd dhariḥ

then, upon that single ocean, resting on the couch of the serpent Shesha, taking on the form of Brahma, the Lord Hari, maker of all beginnings, lies down to sleep.

Verse 5 (vishnu.6.4.5)

जनलोकगतैः सिद्धैः सनकाद्यैरभिष्टुतः । ब्रह्मलोकगतैश् चैव चिन्त्यमानो मुमुक्षुभिः

janalokagataiḥ siddhaiḥ sanakādyair abhiṣṭutaḥ brahmalokagataiś caiva cintyamāno mumukṣubhiḥ

praised by the perfected sages dwelling in Janaloka, beginning with Sanaka, and meditated upon by seekers of liberation dwelling in Brahmaloka,

Verse 6 (vishnu.6.4.6)

आत्ममायामयीं दिव्यां योगनिद्रां समास्थितः । आत्मानं वासुदेवाख्यं चिन्तयन् परमेश्वरः

ātmamāyāmayīṁ divyāṁ yoganidrāṁ samāsthitaḥ ātmānaṁ vāsudevākhyaṁ cintayan parameśvaraḥ

resting in that divine yoga-sleep woven of his own maya, the Supreme Lord contemplates his own self, known by the name Vasudeva.

Verse 7 (vishnu.6.4.7)

एष नैमित्तिको नाम मैत्रेय प्रतिसंचरः । निमित्तं तत्र यच् छेते ब्रह्मरूपधरो हरिः

eṣa naimittiko nāma maitreya pratisaṁcaraḥ nimittaṁ tatra yac chete brahmarūpadharo hariḥ

This, Maitreya, is what is called the incidental dissolution — "incidental" because in it Hari, wearing the form of Brahma, lies asleep as its very occasion.

Verse 8 (vishnu.6.4.8)

यदा जागर्ति सर्वात्मा स तदा चेष्टते जगत् । निमीलत्येतदखिलं मायाशय्याशयेऽच्युते

yadā jāgarti sarvātmā sa tadā ceṣṭate jagat nimīlaty etad akhilaṁ māyāśayyāśaye 'cyute

When that Self of all beings wakes, the universe stirs into activity; and when the imperishable one lies down on his bed of maya, this whole universe closes its eyes and sleeps.

Verse 9 (vishnu.6.4.9)

पद्मयोनेर् दिनं यत् तु चतुर्युगसहस्रवत् । एकार्णवे कृते लोके तावती रात्रिरिष्यते

padmayoner dinaṁ yat tu caturyugasahasravat ekārṇave kṛte loke tāvatī rātrir iṣyate

The day of the lotus-born Brahma, equal to a thousand caturyugas, and once the world has become a single ocean, an equal span is reckoned as his night.

Verse 10 (vishnu.6.4.10)

ततः प्रबुद्धो रात्र्यन्ते पुनः सृष्टिं करोत्यजः । ब्रह्मस्वरूपधृग् विष्णुर् यथा ते कथितं पुरा

tataḥ prabuddho rātryante punaḥ sṛṣṭiṁ karoty ajaḥ brahmasvarūpadhṛg viṣṇur yathā te kathitaṁ purā

Then, waking at the end of that night, the Unborn Vishnu, in the form of Brahma, again brings about creation, just as I have already told you.

Verse 11 (vishnu.6.4.11)

इत्येष कल्पसंहारादन्तरप्रलयो द्विज । नैमित्तिकस् ते कथितः प्राकृतं शृण्वतः परम्

ity eṣa kalpasaṁhārād antarapralayo dvija naimittikas te kathitaḥ prākṛtaṁ śṛṇvataḥ param

Thus, O twice-born, has this intervening dissolution — the incidental dissolution, distinct from the destruction of the kalpa itself — been described to you. Now hear, next, of the elemental dissolution.

Verse 12 (vishnu.6.4.12)

अनावृष्ट्यग्निसंपर्कात् कृते संक्षालने मुने । समस्तेष्वेव लोकेषु पातालेष्वखिलेषु च

anāvṛṣṭyagnisaṁparkāt kṛte saṁkṣālane mune samasteṣv eva lokeṣu pātāleṣv akhileṣu ca

O sage, when, through the working of drought and fire, this thorough cleansing has taken place throughout all the worlds and all the netherworlds,

Verse 13 (vishnu.6.4.13)

महदादेर् विकारस्य विशेषान्तस्य संक्षये । कृष्णेच्छाकारिते तस्मिन् प्रवृत्ते प्रतिसंचरे

mahadāder vikārasya viśeṣāntasya saṁkṣaye kṛṣṇecchākārite tasmin pravṛtte pratisaṁcare

when, at the destruction of the evolutes ranging from Mahat down to the grossest particulars, that dissolution, willed into motion by Krishna, has begun,

Verse 14 (vishnu.6.4.14)

आपो ग्रसन्ति वै पूर्वं भूमेर् गन्धात्मकं गुणम् । आत्तगन्धा ततो भूमिः प्रलयत्वाय कल्पते

āpo grasanti vai pūrvaṁ bhūmer gandhātmakaṁ guṇam āttagandhā tato bhūmiḥ pralayatvāya kalpate

The waters first absorb the earth's quality of smell; and the earth, its odor thus taken from it, becomes fit for dissolution.

Verse 15 (vishnu.6.4.15)

प्रणष्टे गन्धतन्मात्रे भवत्युर्वी जलात्मिका । आपस् तदा प्रवृद्धास् तु वेगवत्यो महास्वनाः

praṇaṣṭe gandhatanmātre bhavaty urvī jalātmikā āpas tadā pravṛddhās tu vegavatyo mahāsvanāḥ

When the subtle element of smell has been destroyed, the earth becomes water in its very nature; and then the waters, swollen, swift, and roaring loudly,

Verse 16 (vishnu.6.4.16)

सर्वमापूरयन्तीदं तिष्ठन्ति विचरन्ति च । सलिलेनैवोर्मिमता लोकांस् तांस् तान् समन्ततः

sarvam āpūrayantīdaṁ tiṣṭhanti vicaranti ca salilenaivormimatā lokāṁs tāṁs tān samantataḥ

fill this entire universe, remaining and coursing everywhere, submerging all those worlds on every side with their wave-tossed waters.

Verse 17 (vishnu.6.4.17)

अपामपि गुणो यस् तु ज्योतिषा पीयते तु सः । नश्यन्त्यापस् ततस् ताश् च रसतन्मात्रसंक्षयात्

apām api guṇo yas tu jyotiṣā pīyate tu saḥ naśyanty āpas tatas tāś ca rasatanmātrasaṁkṣayāt

Then the quality belonging to water is drunk up by fire; and thereupon, through the destruction of the subtle element of taste, those waters perish.

Verse 18 (vishnu.6.4.18)

ततश् चापो हृतरसा ज्योतिषं प्राप्नुवन्ति वै । अग्न्यवस्थे तु सलिले तेजसा सर्वतो वृते

tataś cāpo hṛtarasā jyotiṣaṁ prāpnuvanti vai agnyavasthe tu salile tejasā sarvato vṛte

Then the waters, drained of their essence of taste, pass into the state of fire; and when the water has thus become fire, wholly pervaded on every side by that radiance,

Verse 19 (vishnu.6.4.19)

स चाग्निः सर्वतो व्याप्य आदत्ते तज् जलं तथा । सर्वमापूर्यतेऽर्चिभिस् तदा जगदिदं शनैः

sa cāgniḥ sarvato vyāpya ādatte taj jalaṁ tathā sarvam āpūryate 'rcibhis tadā jagad idaṁ śanaiḥ

that fire, spreading everywhere, absorbs the water entirely; and then this whole universe is gradually filled with its flames.

Verse 20 (vishnu.6.4.20)

अर्चिर्भिः संवृते तस्मिंस् तिर्यगूर्ध्वमधस् तथा । ज्योतिषोऽपि परं रूपं वायुरत्ति प्रभाकरम्

arcirbhiḥ saṁvṛte tasmiṁs tiryag ūrdhvam adhas tathā jyotiṣo 'pi paraṁ rūpaṁ vāyur atti prabhākaram

When that universe has thus become wrapped in flame in every direction — across, above, and below — the wind then swallows up the very radiance that is fire's highest form.

Verse 21 (vishnu.6.4.21)

प्रलीने च ततस् तस्मिन् वायुभूतेऽखिलात्मनि । प्रणष्टे रूपतन्मात्रे हृतरूपो विभावसुः

pralīne ca tatas tasmin vāyubhūte 'khilātmani praṇaṣṭe rūpatanmātre hṛtarūpo vibhāvasuḥ

Then, when all that has thus dissolved and taken on the nature of wind, and the subtle element of form has been destroyed, fire, stripped of its very form,

Verse 22 (vishnu.6.4.22)

प्रशाम्यति तदा ज्योतिर् वायुर् दोधूयते महान् । निरालोके तदा लोके वाय्ववस्थे च तेजसि

praśāmyati tadā jyotir vāyur dodhūyate mahān nirāloke tadā loke vāyvavasthe ca tejasi

— that light is then quenched, and the mighty wind blows violently; with fire itself passed into the state of wind, the world is then left without light.

Verse 23 (vishnu.6.4.23)

ततस् तु मूलमासाद्य वायुः संभवमात्मनः । ऊर्ध्वं चाधश् च तिर्यक् च दोधवीति दिशो दश

tatas tu mūlam āsādya vāyuḥ saṁbhavam ātmanaḥ ūrdhvaṁ cādhaś ca tiryak ca dodhavīti diśo daśa

Then the wind, having returned to its own point of origin, blows furiously above, below, and across, through all ten directions.

Verse 24 (vishnu.6.4.24)

वायोरपि गुणं स्पर्शमाकाशं ग्रसते ततः । प्रशाम्यति ततो वायुः खं तु तिष्ठत्यनावृतम्

vāyor api guṇaṁ sparśam ākāśaṁ grasate tataḥ praśāmyati tato vāyuḥ khaṁ tu tiṣṭhaty anāvṛtam

Then ether absorbs the quality of touch that belongs to wind; the wind is thereby stilled, and ether alone remains, uncovered.

Verse 25 (vishnu.6.4.25)

अरूपमरसस्पर्शमगन्धं न च मूर्तिमत् । सर्वमापूरयच् चैव सुमहत् तत् प्रकाशते

arūpam arasasparśam agandhaṁ na ca mūrtimat sarvam āpūrayac caiva sumahat tat prakāśate

That ether — formless, without taste or touch, without smell, without any fixed shape, yet filling all things — shines forth, vast beyond all measure.

Verse 26 (vishnu.6.4.26)

परिमण्डलं तत् सुषिरमाकाशं शब्दलक्षणम् । शब्दमात्रं तदाकाशं सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति

parimaṇḍalaṁ tat suṣiram ākāśaṁ śabdalakṣaṇam śabdamātraṁ tadākāśaṁ sarvam āvṛtya tiṣṭhati

That ether — vast, hollow, and all-encompassing — is marked by sound alone; consisting of nothing but sound, it remains, enveloping all things.

Verse 27 (vishnu.6.4.27)

ततः शब्दगुणं तस्य भूतादिर् ग्रसते पुनः । भूतेन्द्रियेषु युगपद् भूतादौ संस्थितेषु वै । अभिमानात्मको ह्येष भूतादिस् तामसः स्मृतः

tataḥ śabdaguṇaṁ tasya bhūtādir grasate punaḥ bhūtendriyeṣu yugapad bhūtādau saṁsthiteṣu vai abhimānātmako hy eṣa bhūtādis tāmasaḥ smṛtaḥ

Then Bhutadi — the principle of self-identity from which the elements spring — swallows up ether's quality of sound; and once the elements and the senses have together resolved back into Bhutadi, it should be understood that this Bhutadi, whose very essence is self-conceit, is traditionally described as tamasic in nature.

Verse 28 (vishnu.6.4.28)

भूतादिं ग्रसते चापि महान् वै बुद्धिलक्षणः

bhūtādiṁ grasate cāpi mahān vai buddhilakṣaṇaḥ

And Mahat, the principle characterized by intellect, in its turn swallows up Bhutadi.

Verse 29 (vishnu.6.4.29)

उर्वी महांश् च जगतः प्रान्तेऽन्तर् बाह्यतस् तथा

urvī mahāṁś ca jagataḥ prānte 'ntar bāhyatas tathā

Thus the earth, and Mahat itself, both within and without, at the very bounds of the universe, are drawn into this same order of dissolution.

Verse 30 (vishnu.6.4.30)

एवं सप्त महाबुद्धेः क्रमात् प्रकृतयस् तु वै । प्रत्याहारे तु ताः सर्वाः प्रविशन्ति परस्परम्

evaṁ sapta mahābuddheḥ kramāt prakṛtayas tu vai pratyāhāre tu tāḥ sarvāḥ praviśanti parasparam

Thus, in this order beginning with Mahat, there are seven causal Prakritis; and in the great withdrawal, each of these, in turn, enters into the one before it.

Verse 31 (vishnu.6.4.31)

येनेदमावृतं सर्वमण्डमप्सु प्रलीयते । सप्तद्वीपसमुद्रान्तं सप्तलोकं सपर्वतम्

yenedam āvṛtaṁ sarvam aṇḍam apsu pralīyate saptadvīpasamudrāntaṁ saptalokaṁ saparvatam

By that principle this entire cosmic egg is enveloped; and this world, with its seven continents, its oceans, its seven worlds and its mountains, dissolves into the waters.

Verse 32 (vishnu.6.4.32)

उदकावरणं यत् तु ज्योतिषा पीयते तु तत् । ज्योतिर् वायौ लयं याति यात्याकाशे समीरणः

udakāvaraṇaṁ yat tu jyotiṣā pīyate tu tat jyotir vāyau layaṁ yāti yāty ākāśe samīraṇaḥ

And that envelope of water is then drunk up by fire; fire dissolves into wind, and wind dissolves into ether.

Verse 33 (vishnu.6.4.33)

आकाशं चैव भूतादिर् ग्रसते तं तथा महान् । महान्तमेभिः सहितं प्रकृतिर् ग्रसते द्विज

ākāśaṁ caiva bhūtādir grasate taṁ tathā mahān mahāntam ebhiḥ sahitaṁ prakṛtir grasate dvija

And Bhutadi swallows up ether; and Mahat, in turn, swallows up Bhutadi; and Prakriti, O twice-born, swallows up Mahat together with all these others.

Verse 34 (vishnu.6.4.34)

गुणसाम्यमनुद्रिक्तमन्यूनं च महामुने । प्रोच्यते प्रकृतिर् हेतुः प्रधानं कारणं परम्

guṇasāmyam anudriktam anyūnaṁ ca mahāmune procyate prakṛtir hetuḥ pradhānaṁ kāraṇaṁ param

Great sage, that equilibrium of the gunas, neither increased nor diminished, is what is called Prakriti — the cause, the Pradhana, the ultimate ground of all things.

Verse 35 (vishnu.6.4.35)

इत्येषा प्रकृतिः सर्वा व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपिणी । व्यक्तस्वरूपमव्यक्ते तस्मिन् मैत्रेय लीयते

ity eṣā prakṛtiḥ sarvā vyaktāvyaktasvarūpiṇī vyaktasvarūpam avyakte tasmin maitreya līyate

Thus this entire Prakriti has both a manifest and an unmanifest nature; and, Maitreya, its manifest form dissolves back into that unmanifest state.

Verse 36 (vishnu.6.4.36)

एकः शुद्धोऽक्षरो नित्यः सर्वव्यापी तथा पुमान् । सोऽप्यंशः सर्वभूतस्य मैत्रेय परमात्मनः

ekaḥ śuddho 'kṣaro nityaḥ sarvavyāpī tathā pumān so 'py aṁśaḥ sarvabhūtasya maitreya paramātmanaḥ

And Purusha — one, pure, imperishable, eternal, and all-pervading — he too, Maitreya, is but a portion of that Supreme Self who is the very being of all things.

Verse 37 (vishnu.6.4.37)

न सन्ति यत्र सर्वेशे नामजात्यादिकल्पनाः । सत्तामात्रात्मके ज्ञेये ज्ञानात्मन्यात्मनः परे

na santi yatra sarveśe nāmajātyādikalpanāḥ sattāmātrātmake jñeye jñānātmany ātmanaḥ pare

In that Lord of all, in whom there exist no constructs such as name or class — the object of knowledge whose very nature is pure being, whose essence is knowledge itself, who is beyond even the self —

Verse 38 (vishnu.6.4.38)

तद् ब्रह्म तत् परं धाम परमात्मा स चेश्वरः । स विष्णुः सर्वमेवेदं यतो नावर्तते यतिः

tad brahma tat paraṁ dhāma paramātmā sa ceśvaraḥ sa viṣṇuḥ sarvam evedaṁ yato nāvartate yatiḥ

— that is Brahman, that is the supreme abode, that is the Supreme Self and Lord; that is Vishnu, who is this entire universe, from whom the ascetic who reaches it does not return.

Verse 39 (vishnu.6.4.39)

प्रकृतिर् या मया ख्याता व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपिणी । पुरुषश् चाप्युभावेतौ लीयेते परमात्मनि

prakṛtir yā mayā khyātā vyaktāvyaktasvarūpiṇī puruṣaś cāpy ubhāv etau līyete paramātmani

That Prakriti I have described to you — of manifest and unmanifest nature — and Purusha too: both of these dissolve into the Supreme Self.

Verse 40 (vishnu.6.4.40)

परमात्मा च सर्वेषामाधारः परमेश्वरः । विष्णुर् नाम्ना स वेदेषु वेदान्तेषु च गीयते

paramātmā ca sarveṣām ādhāraḥ parameśvaraḥ viṣṇur nāmnā sa vedeṣu vedānteṣu ca gīyate

And that Supreme Self, the foundation of all things, the Supreme Lord, is celebrated under the name Vishnu in the Vedas and in the Vedanta.

Verse 41 (vishnu.6.4.41)

प्रवृत्तं च निवृत्तं च द्विविधं कर्म वैदिकम् । ताभ्यामुभाभ्यां पुरुषैः सर्वमूर्तिः स इज्यते

pravṛttaṁ ca nivṛttaṁ ca dvividhaṁ karma vaidikam tābhyām ubhābhyāṁ puruṣaiḥ sarvamūrtiḥ sa ijyate

Vedic action is of two kinds — the path of engagement and the path of renunciation — and by both of these, men worship that One whose very form is all things.

Verse 42 (vishnu.6.4.42)

ऋग्यजुःसामभिर् मार्गैः प्रवृत्तैरिज्यते ह्यसौ । यज्ञेश्वरो यज्ञपुमान् पुरुषैः पुरुषोत्तमः

ṛgyajuḥsāmabhir mārgaiḥ pravṛttair ijyate hy asau yajñeśvaro yajñapumān puruṣaiḥ puruṣottamaḥ

Through the engaged paths of the Rig, Yajur, and Sama Vedas, men worship him — the Lord of sacrifice, sacrifice's own person, the Supreme Person.

Verse 43 (vishnu.6.4.43)

ज्ञानात्मा ज्ञानयोगेन ज्ञानमूर्तिः स चेज्यते । निवृत्ते योगिभिर् मार्गे विष्णुर् मुक्तिफलप्रदः

jñānātmā jñānayogena jñānamūrtiḥ sa cejyate nivṛtte yogibhir mārge viṣṇur muktiphalapradaḥ

And he, whose very self is knowledge, whose form is knowledge itself, is worshipped through the yoga of knowledge by yogis on the path of renunciation — Vishnu, the giver of the fruit of liberation.

Verse 44 (vishnu.6.4.44)

ह्रस्वदीर्घप्लुतैर् यत् तु किंचिद् वस्त्वभिधीयते । यच् च वाचामविषये तत् सर्वं विष्णुरव्ययः

hrasvadīrghaplutair yat tu kiṁcid vastv abhidhīyate yac ca vācām aviṣaye tat sarvaṁ viṣṇur avyayaḥ

Whatever thing is expressed by short, long, or prolonged sounds, and whatever lies beyond the reach of speech altogether — all of that is the imperishable Vishnu.

Verse 45 (vishnu.6.4.45)

व्यक्तं स एव चाव्यक्तं स एव पुरुषोऽव्ययः । परमात्मा च विश्वात्मा विश्वरूपधरो हरिः

vyaktaṁ sa eva cāvyaktaṁ sa eva puruṣo 'vyayaḥ paramātmā ca viśvātmā viśvarūpadharo hariḥ

He alone is the manifest, and he alone the unmanifest; he is the imperishable Purusha, the Supreme Self, the Self of the universe, Hari who bears the very form of the cosmos.

Verse 46 (vishnu.6.4.46)

व्यक्ताव्यक्तात्मिका तस्मिन् प्रकृतिः संप्रलीयते । पुरुषश् चापि मैत्रेय व्यापिन्यव्याहतात्मनि

vyaktāvyaktātmikā tasmin prakṛtiḥ saṁpralīyate puruṣaś cāpi maitreya vyāpiny avyāhatātmani

In him, Maitreya, Prakriti — of manifest and unmanifest nature — dissolves completely, and Purusha too, into that all-pervading, unobstructed being.

Verse 47 (vishnu.6.4.47)

द्विपरार्धात्मकः कालः कथितो यो मया तव । तदहस् तस्य मैत्रेय विष्णोरीशस्य कथ्यते

dviparārdhātmakaḥ kālaḥ kathito yo mayā tava tad ahas tasya maitreya viṣṇor īśasya kathyate

The span of time made up of two parardhas that I have described to you, Maitreya — that is called a single day of the Lord Vishnu.

Verse 48 (vishnu.6.4.48)

व्यक्ते च प्रकृतौ लीने प्रकृत्यां पुरुषे तथा । तत्र स्थिते निशा चान्या तत्प्रमाणा महामुने

vyakte ca prakṛtau līne prakṛtyāṁ puruṣe tathā tatra sthite niśā cānyā tatpramāṇā mahāmune

And, great sage, when the manifest has dissolved into Prakriti, and Purusha too rests there within Prakriti, that state which then prevails is called his night, equal in measure to his day.

Verse 49 (vishnu.6.4.49)

नैवाहस् तस्य न निशा नित्यस्य परमात्मनः । उपचारस् तथाप्येष तस्येशस्य द्विजोच्यते

naivāhas tasya na niśā nityasya paramātmanaḥ upacāras tathāpy eṣa tasyeśasya dvijocyate

For that eternal Supreme Self, there is in truth neither day nor night; yet, O twice-born, this manner of speaking is used of that Lord only as a figure, for our own understanding.

Verse 50 (vishnu.6.4.50)

इत्येष तव मैत्रेय कथितः प्राकृतो लयः । आत्यन्तिकमथो ब्रह्मन् निबोध प्रतिसंचरम्

ity eṣa tava maitreya kathitaḥ prākṛto layaḥ ātyantikam atho brahman nibodha pratisaṁcaram

Thus, Maitreya, has the elemental dissolution been told to you. Now, O brahmin, learn also of the absolute dissolution."