Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 8 · Chapter 3
श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच एवं व्यवसितो बुद्ध्या समाधाय मनो हृदि । जजाप परमं जाप्यं प्राग्जन्मन्यनुशिक्षितम् ॥ १ ॥
sri-badarayanir uvaca evam vyavasito buddhya samadhaya mano hrdi jajapa paramam japyam prag-janmany anusiksitam
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Thereafter, the King of the elephants, Gajendra, fixed his mind in his heart with perfect intelligence and chanted a mantra which he had learned in his previous birth as Indradyumna and which he remembered by the grace of Krsna.
श्रीगजेन्द्र उवाच ॐ नमो भगवते तस्मै यत एतच्चिदात्मकम् । पुरुषायादिबीजाय परेशायाभिधीमहि ॥ २ ॥
sri-gajendra uvaca om namo bhagavate tasmai yata etac cid-atmakam purusayadi-bijaya paresayabhidhimahi
The King of the elephants, Gajendra, said: I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Person, Vasudeva (om namo bhagavate vasudevaya). Because of Him this material body acts due to the presence of spirit, and He is therefore the root cause of everyone. He is worshipable for such exalted persons as Brahma and Siva, and He has entered the heart of every living being. Let me meditate upon Him.
यस्मिन्निदं यतश्चेदं येनेदं य इदं स्वयम् । योऽस्मात् परस्माच्च परस्तं प्रपद्ये स्वयम्भुवम् ॥ ३ ॥
yasminn idam yatas cedam yenedam ya idam svayam yo ’smat parasmac ca paras tam prapadye svayambhuvam
The Supreme Godhead is the supreme platform on which everything rests, the ingredient by which everything has been produced, and the person who has created and is the only cause of this cosmic manifestation. Nonetheless, He is different from the cause and the result. I surrender unto Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is self-sufficient in everything.
य: स्वात्मनीदं निजमाययार्पितं क्वचिद् विभातं क्व च तत् तिरोहितम् । अविद्धदृक् साक्ष्युभयं तदीक्षते स आत्ममूलोऽवतु मां परात्पर: ॥ ४ ॥
yah svatmanidam nija-mayayarpitam kvacid vibhatam kva ca tat tirohitam aviddha-drk saksy ubhayam tad iksate sa atma-mulo ’vatu mam parat-parah
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, by expanding His own energy, keeps this cosmic manifestation visible and again sometimes renders it invisible. He is both the supreme cause and the supreme result, the observer and the witness, in all circumstances. Thus He is transcendental to everything. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead give me protection.
कालेन पञ्चत्वमितेषु कृत्स्नशो लोकेषु पालेषु च सर्वहेतुषु । तमस्तदासीद् गहनं गभीरं यस्तस्य पारेऽभिविराजते विभु: ॥ ५ ॥
kalena pancatvam itesu krtsnaso lokesu palesu ca sarva-hetusu tamas tadasid gahanam gabhiram yas tasya pare ’bhivirajate vibhuh
In due course of time, when all the causative and effective manifestations of the universe, including the planes and their directors and maintainers, are annihilated, there is a situation of dense darkness. Above this darkness, however, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I take shelter of His lotus feet.
न यस्य देवा ऋषय: पदं विदु- र्जन्तु: पुन: कोऽर्हति गन्तुमीरितुम् । यथा नटस्याकृतिभिर्विचेष्टतो दुरत्ययानुक्रमण: स मावतु ॥ ६ ॥
na yasya deva rsayah padam vidur jantuh punah ko ’rhati gantum iritum yatha natasyakrtibhir vicestato duratyayanukramanah sa mavatu
An artist onstage, being covered by attractive dresses and dancing with different movements, is not understood by his audience; similarly, the activities and features of the supreme artist cannot be understood even by the demigods or great sages, and certainly not by those who are unintelligent like animals. Neither the demigods and sages nor the unintelligent can understand the features of the Lord, nor can they express in words His actual position. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead give me protection.
दिदृक्षवो यस्य पदं सुमङ्गलं विमुक्तसङ्गा मुनय: सुसाधव: । चरन्त्यलोकव्रतमव्रणं वने भूतात्मभूता: सुहृद: स मे गति: ॥ ७ ॥
didrksavo yasya padam sumangalam vimukta-sanga munayah susadhavah caranty aloka-vratam avranam vane bhutatma-bhutah suhrdah sa me gatih
Renunciants and great sages who see all living beings equally, who are friendly to everyone and who flawlessly practice in the forest the vows of brahmacarya, vanaprastha and sannyasa desire to see the all-auspicious lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. May that same Supreme Personality of Godhead be my destination.
न विद्यते यस्य च जन्म कर्म वा न नामरूपे गुणदोष एव वा । तथापि लोकाप्ययसम्भवाय य: स्वमायया तान्यनुकालमृच्छति ॥ ८ ॥ तस्मै नम: परेशाय ब्रह्मणेऽनन्तशक्तये । अरूपायोरुरूपाय नम आश्चर्यकर्मणे ॥ ९ ॥
na vidyate yasya ca janma karma va na nama-rupe guna-dosa eva va tathapi lokapyaya-sambhavaya yah sva-mayaya tany anukalam rcchati tasmai namah paresaya brahmane ’nanta-saktaye arupayoru-rupaya nama ascarya-karmane
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no material birth, activities, name, form, qualities or faults. To fulfill the purpose for which this material world is created and destroyed, He comes in the form of a human being like Lord Rama or Lord Krsna by His original internal potency. He has immense potency, and in various forms, all free from material contamination, He acts wonderfully. He is therefore the Supreme Brahman. I offer my respects to Him.
नम आत्मप्रदीपाय साक्षिणे परमात्मने । नमो गिरां विदूराय मनसश्चेतसामपि ॥ १० ॥
nama atma-pradipaya saksine paramatmane namo giram viduraya manasas cetasam api
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the self-effulgent Supersoul, who is the witness in everyone’s heart, who enlightens the individual soul and who cannot be reached by exercises of the mind, words or consciousness.
सत्त्वेन प्रतिलभ्याय नैष्कर्म्येण विपश्चिता । नम: कैवल्यनाथाय निर्वाणसुखसंविदे ॥ ११ ॥
sattvena pratilabhyaya naiskarmyena vipascita namah kaivalya-nathaya nirvana-sukha-samvide
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is realized by pure devotees who act in the transcendental existence of bhakti-yoga. He is the bestower of uncontaminated happiness and is the master of the transcendental world. Therefore I offer my respect unto Him.
नम: शान्ताय घोराय मूढाय गुणधर्मिणे । निर्विशेषाय साम्याय नमो ज्ञानघनाय च ॥ १२ ॥
namah santaya ghoraya mudhaya guna-dharmine nirvisesaya samyaya namo jnana-ghanaya ca
I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Vasudeva, who is all-pervading, to the Lord’s fierce form as Lord Nrsimhadeva, to the Lord’s form as an animal (Lord Varahadeva), to Lord Dattatreya, who preached impersonalism, to Lord Buddha, and to all the other incarnations. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who has no material qualities but who accepts the three qualities goodness, passion and ignorance within this material world. I also offer my respectful obeisances unto the impersonal Brahman effulgence.
क्षेत्रज्ञाय नमस्तुभ्यं सर्वाध्यक्षाय साक्षिणे । पुरुषायात्ममूलाय मूलप्रकृतये नम: ॥ १३ ॥
ksetra-jnaya namas tubhyam sarvadhyaksaya saksine purusayatma-mulaya mula-prakrtaye namah
I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are the Supersoul, the superintendent of everything, and the witness of all that occurs. You are the Supreme Person, the origin of material nature and of the total material energy. You are also the owner of the material body. Therefore, You are the supreme complete. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
सर्वेन्द्रियगुणद्रष्ट्रे सर्वप्रत्ययहेतवे । असताच्छाययोक्ताय सदाभासाय ते नम: ॥ १४ ॥
sarvendriya-guna-drastre sarva-pratyaya-hetave asata cchayayoktaya sad-abhasaya te namah
My Lord, You are the observer of all the objectives of the senses. Without Your mercy, there is no possibility of solving the problem of doubts. The material world is just like a shadow resembling You. Indeed, one accepts this material world as real because it gives a glimpse of Your existence.
नमो नमस्तेऽखिलकारणाय निष्कारणायाद्भुतकारणाय । सर्वागमाम्नायमहार्णवाय नमोऽपवर्गाय परायणाय ॥ १५ ॥
namo namas te ’khila-karanaya niskaranayadbhuta-karanaya sarvagamamnaya-maharnavaya namo ’pavargaya parayanaya
My Lord, You are the cause of all causes, but You Yourself have no cause. Therefore You are the wonderful cause of everything. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are the shelter of the Vedic knowledge contained in the sastras like the Pancaratras and Vedanta-sutra, which are Your representations, and who are the source of the parampara system. Because it is You who can give liberation, You are the only shelter for all transcendentalists. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
गुणारणिच्छन्नचिदुष्मपाय तत्क्षोभविस्फूर्जितमानसाय । नैष्कर्म्यभावेन विवर्जितागम- स्वयंप्रकाशाय नमस्करोमि ॥ १६ ॥
gunarani-cchanna-cid-usmapaya tat-ksobha-visphurjita-manasaya naiskarmya-bhavena vivarjitagama- svayam-prakasaya namas karomi
My Lord, as the fire in arani wood is covered, You and Your unlimited knowledge are covered by the material modes of nature. Your mind, however, is not attentive to the activities of the modes of nature. Those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge are not subject to the regulative principles directed in the Vedic literatures. Because such advanced souls are transcendental, You personally appear in their pure minds. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
मादृक्प्रपन्नपशुपाशविमोक्षणाय मुक्ताय भूरिकरुणाय नमोऽलयाय । स्वांशेन सर्वतनुभृन्मनसि प्रतीत- प्रत्यग्दृशे भगवते बृहते नमस्ते ॥ १७ ॥
madrk prapanna-pasu-pasa-vimoksanaya muktaya bhuri-karunaya namo ’layaya svamsena sarva-tanu-bhrn-manasi pratita- pratyag-drse bhagavate brhate namas te
Since an animal such as I has surrendered unto You, who are supremely liberated, certainly You will release me from this dangerous position. Indeed, being extremely merciful, You incessantly try to deliver me. By your partial feature as Paramatma, You are situated in the hearts of all embodied beings. You are celebrated as direct transcendental knowledge, and You are unlimited. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
आत्मात्मजाप्तगृहवित्तजनेषु सक्तै- र्दुष्प्रापणाय गुणसङ्गविवर्जिताय । मुक्तात्मभि: स्वहृदये परिभाविताय ज्ञानात्मने भगवते नम ईश्वराय ॥ १८ ॥
atmatma-japta-grha-vitta-janesu saktair dusprapanaya guna-sanga-vivarjitaya muktatmabhih sva-hrdaye paribhavitaya jnanatmane bhagavate nama isvaraya
My Lord, those who are completely freed from material contamination always meditate upon You within the cores of their hearts. You are extremely difficult to attain for those like me who are too attached to mental concoction, home, relatives, friends, money, servants and assistants. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, uncontaminated by the modes of nature. You are the reservoir of all enlightenment, the supreme controller. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
यं धर्मकामार्थविमुक्तिकामा भजन्त इष्टां गतिमाप्नुवन्ति । किं चाशिषो रात्यपि देहमव्ययं करोतु मेऽदभ्रदयो विमोक्षणम् ॥ १९ ॥
yam dharma-kamartha-vimukti-kama bhajanta istam gatim apnuvanti kim casiso raty api deham avyayam karotu me ’dabhra-dayo vimoksanam
After worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, those who are interested in the four principles of religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation obtain from Him what they desire. What then is to be said of other benedictions? Indeed, sometimes the Lord gives a spiritual body to such ambitious worshipers. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is unlimitedly merciful, bestow upon me the benediction of liberation from this present danger and from the materialistic way of life.
एकान्तिनो यस्य न कञ्चनार्थं वाञ्छन्ति ये वै भगवत्प्रपन्ना: । अत्यद्भुतं तच्चरितं सुमङ्गलं गायन्त आनन्दसमुद्रमग्ना: ॥ २० ॥ तमक्षरं ब्रह्म परं परेश- मव्यक्तमाध्यात्मिकयोगगम्यम् । अतीन्द्रियं सूक्ष्ममिवातिदूर- मनन्तमाद्यं परिपूर्णमीडे ॥ २१ ॥
ekantino yasya na kancanartham vanchanti ye vai bhagavat-prapannah aty-adbhutam tac-caritam sumangalam gayanta ananda-samudra-magnah tam aksaram brahma param paresam avyaktam adhyatmika-yoga-gamyam atindriyam suksmam ivatiduram anantam adyam paripurnam ide
Unalloyed devotees, who have no desire other than to serve the Lord, worship Him in full surrender and always hear and chant about His activities, which are most wonderful and auspicious. Thus they always merge in an ocean of transcendental bliss. Such devotees never ask the Lord for any benediction. I, however, am in danger. Thus I pray to that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternally existing, who is invisible, who is the Lord of all great personalities, such as Brahma, and who is available only by transcendental bhakti-yoga. Being extremely subtle, He is beyond the reach of my senses and transcendental to all external realization. He is unlimited, He is the original cause, and He is completely full in everything. I offer my obeisances unto Him.
यस्य ब्रह्मादयो देवा वेदा लोकाश्चराचरा: । नामरूपविभेदेन फल्ग्व्या च कलया कृता: ॥ २२ ॥ यथार्चिषोऽग्ने: सवितुर्गभस्तयो निर्यान्ति संयान्त्यसकृत् स्वरोचिष: । तथा यतोऽयं गुणसम्प्रवाहो बुद्धिर्मन: खानि शरीरसर्गा: ॥ २३ ॥ स वै न देवासुरमर्त्यतिर्यङ् न स्त्री न षण्ढो न पुमान् न जन्तु: । नायं गुण: कर्म न सन्न चासन् निषेधशेषो जयतादशेष: ॥ २४ ॥
yasya brahmadayo deva veda lokas caracarah nama-rupa-vibhedena phalgvya ca kalaya krtah yatharciso ’gneh savitur gabhastayo niryanti samyanty asakrt sva-rocisah tatha yato ’yam guna-sampravaho buddhir manah khani sarira-sargah sa vai na devasura-martya-tiryan na stri na sandho na puman na jantuh nayam gunah karma na san na casan nisedha-seso jayatad asesah
The Supreme Personality of Godhead creates His minor parts and parcels, the jiva-tattva, beginning with Lord Brahma, the demigods and the expansions of Vedic knowledge [Sama, Rg, Yajur and Atharva] and including all other living entities, moving and nonmoving, with their different names and characteristics. As the sparks of a fire or the shining rays of the sun emanate from their source and merge into it again and again, the mind, the intelligence, the senses, the gross and subtle material bodies, and the continuous transformations of the different modes of nature all emanate from the Lord and again merge into Him. He is neither demigod nor demon, neither human nor bird or beast. He is not woman, man, or neuter, nor is He an animal. He is not a material quality, a fruitive activity, a manifestation or nonmanifestation. He is the last word in the discrimination of “not this, not this,” and He is unlimited. All glories to the Supreme Personality of Godhead!
जिजीविषे नाहमिहामुया कि- मन्तर्बहिश्चावृतयेभयोन्या । इच्छामि कालेन न यस्य विप्लव- स्तस्यात्मलोकावरणस्य मोक्षम् ॥ २५ ॥
jijivise naham ihamuya kim antar bahis cavrtayebha-yonya icchami kalena na yasya viplavas tasyatma-lokavaranasya moksam
I do not wish to live anymore after I am released from the attack of the crocodile. What is the use of an elephant’s body covered externally and internally by ignorance? I simply desire eternal liberation from the covering of ignorance. That covering is not destroyed by the influence of time.
सोऽहं विश्वसृजं विश्वमविश्वं विश्ववेदसम् । विश्वात्मानमजं ब्रह्म प्रणतोऽस्मि परं पदम् ॥ २६ ॥
so ’ham visva-srjam visvam avisvam visva-vedasam visvatmanam ajam brahma pranato ’smi param padam
Now, fully desiring release from material life, I offer my respectful obeisances unto that Supreme Person who is the creator of the universe, who is Himself the form of the universe and who is nonetheless transcendental to this cosmic manifestation. He is the supreme knower of everything in this world, the Supersoul of the universe. He is the unborn, supremely situated Lord. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.
योगरन्धितकर्माणो हृदि योगविभाविते । योगिनो यं प्रपश्यन्ति योगेशं तं नतोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ २७ ॥
yoga-randhita-karmano hrdi yoga-vibhavite yogino yam prapasyanti yogesam tam nato ’smy aham
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme, the Supersoul, the master of all mystic yoga, who is seen in the core of the heart by perfect mystics when they are completely purified and freed from the reactions of fruitive activity by practicing bhakti-yoga.
नमो नमस्तुभ्यमसह्यवेग- शक्तित्रयायाखिलधीगुणाय । प्रपन्नपालाय दुरन्तशक्तये कदिन्द्रियाणामनवाप्यवर्त्मने ॥ २८ ॥
namo namas tubhyam asahya-vega- sakti-trayayakhila-dhi-gunaya prapanna-palaya duranta-saktaye kad-indriyanam anavapya-vartmane
My Lord, You are the controller of formidable strength in three kinds of energy. You appear as the reservoir of all sense pleasure and the protector of the surrendered souls. You possess unlimited energy, but You are unapproachable by those who are unable to control their senses. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You again and again.
नायं वेद स्वमात्मानं यच्छक्त्याहंधिया हतम् । तं दुरत्ययमाहात्म्यं भगवन्तमितोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ २९ ॥
nayam veda svam atmanam yac-chaktyaham-dhiya hatam tam duratyaya-mahatmyam bhagavantam ito ’smy aham
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by whose illusory energy the jiva, who is part and parcel of God, forgets his real identity because of the bodily concept of life. I take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose glories are difficult to understand.
श्रीशुक उवाच एवं गजेन्द्रमुपवर्णितनिर्विशेषं ब्रह्मादयो विविधलिङ्गभिदाभिमाना: । नैते यदोपससृपुर्निखिलात्मकत्वात् तत्राखिलामरमयो हरिराविरासीत् ॥ ३० ॥
sri-suka uvaca evam gajendram upavarnita-nirvisesam brahmadayo vividha-linga-bhidabhimanah naite yadopasasrpur nikhilatmakatvat tatrakhilamara-mayo harir avirasit
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: When the King of the elephants was describing the supreme authority, without mentioning any particular person, he did not invoke the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Indra and Candra. Thus none of them approached him. However, because Lord Hari is the Supersoul, Purusottama, the Personality of Godhead, He appeared before Gajendra.
तं तद्वदार्तमुपलभ्य जगन्निवास: स्तोत्रं निशम्य दिविजै: सह संस्तुवद्भि: । छन्दोमयेन गरुडेन समुह्यमान- श्चक्रायुधोऽभ्यगमदाशु यतो गजेन्द्र: ॥ ३१ ॥
tam tadvad artam upalabhya jagan-nivasah stotram nisamya divijaih saha samstuvadbhih chandomayena garudena samuhyamanas cakrayudho ’bhyagamad asu yato gajendrah
After understanding the awkward condition of Gajendra, who had offered his prayers, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who lives everywhere, appeared with the demigods, who were offering prayers to Him. Carrying His disc and other weapons, He appeared there on the back of His carrier, Garuda, with great speed, according to His desire. Thus He appeared before Gajendra.
सोऽन्त:सरस्युरुबलेन गृहीत आर्तो दृष्ट्वा गरुत्मति हरिं ख उपात्तचक्रम् । उत्क्षिप्य साम्बुजकरं गिरमाह कृच्छ्रा- न्नारायणाखिलगुरो भगवन् नमस्ते ॥ ३२ ॥
so ’ntah-sarasy urubalena grhita arto drstva garutmati harim kha upatta-cakram utksipya sambuja-karam giram aha krcchran narayanakhila-guro bhagavan namas te
Gajendra had been forcefully captured by the crocodile in the water and was feeling acute pain, but when he saw that Narayana, wielding His disc, was coming in the sky on the back of Garuda, he immediately took a lotus flower in his trunk, and with great difficulty due to his painful condition, he uttered the following words: O my Lord, Narayana, master of the universe, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You
तं वीक्ष्य पीडितमज: सहसावतीर्य सग्राहमाशु सरस: कृपयोज्जहार । ग्राहाद् विपाटितमुखादरिणा गजेन्द्रं संपश्यतां हरिरमूमुचदुच्छ्रियाणाम् ॥ ३३ ॥
tam viksya piditam ajah sahasavatirya sa-graham asu sarasah krpayojjahara grahad vipatita-mukhad arina gajendram sampasyatam harir amumucad ucchriyanam
Thereafter, seeing Gajendra in such an aggrieved position, the unborn Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, immediately got down from the back of Garuda by His causeless mercy and pulled the King of the elephants, along with the crocodile, out of the water. Then, in the presence of all the demigods, who were looking on, the Lord severed the crocodile’s mouth from its body with His disc. In this way He saved Gajendra, the King of the elephants.
