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hna*KrishnaKrishnaHareHare*HareRamaHareRama*RamaRamaHareHare.

Gajendramoksana
TheLiberationofGajendra

GajendramoksanaTheLiberationofGajendra

GajendraMokshamisoneofthemostfamousexploitsofVishnuinSrimadBhagavatam.Arecitationofthis
episodeearlyinthemorninghasgreatimmortalpowersliketherecitationofthesacredhymnSriVishnu
Sahasranama.Thereisnodisasterfromwhich,themightyandthecompassionateLordwouldnotprotectthe
devotees,thatwithfaithanddevotionrememberHisfeetastheirrefuge.

TheElephantandtheCrocodile

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Oncealordlyelephant,leaderofaherd,inhabitingthatmountainousforest,
roamedwithhisretinueoffemaleones,breakingthroughtrees,bambooclusters
andclumpsofcane.Bythemereodourofanimal,evenlionsandtigersnotto
talkoftheelephants,hyenas,rhinos,pythons,sarabhas,yaks,wolves,boars,
bisons,bears,porcupines,baboons,jackals,monkeys,allranawayinfear,while
theweakeroneslikethedeerandtheharesmovedaboutjoyouslybythe
protectivepresenceofthatveryanimal.(2022).

Oppressedbytheheatofsummer,drippingichorandswarmedbybeessettled
onitforitssheertaste,tormentedbythirst,accompaniedbythewholeherdof
bullandfemaleelephantsandtheyoungones,almostcausingtremorsinthe
mountainbytheirweight,hesmeltfromafarthelotuspollenfilledbreezeonthe
lake,andwitheyestremulousinastateofrut,speedilyapproachedthevicinity
ofthelake.(2324).Plungingintoit,hedranktohisheart'scontentthe
immaculate,sweetambrosialwater,flavouredbythepollenofthegoldenlotuses,lilies,suckingitwithhis
trunkandfreelyshoweringonhimself,andwithhisfatiguegone,equallyofferingmouthfulsandaliberal
sprinkleofbathtohisretinueofcubsandfemaleelephantslikealovinghouseholder,unawareinhisself
importanceofimpendingperil(2526).

There,Ohking!asillluckwouldhaveit,apowerfulcrocodilefiercelycaughthis
leg,andtheelephant,accidentallysocaughtunaware,himselfofimmense
strength,accordinglytuggedhisbest.Thecowelephantandotherchicken
heartedonesseeingtheirleaderindistress,justpulledforcibly,trumpetedin
sorrow,unabletoextricatehimbypullinghimholdingfromtherear.(2728).

Asthenobleelephantandthecrocodilesofoughtonepullinginandtheotherout,
athousandyearselapsed,bothyetaliveandalerttotheamazementofeventhe
celestials(29).

Thenbythelongpassageoftimethestrengthoftheelephantbothmentaland
physicalaswellashisenergyslowlyebbedandasthestrengthoftheonepulled
intothewaterdiminished,thatoftheaquaticanimalincreased.Thuswhenthe
elephantwasinasadsituationanddespairedofhislife,unableeversolongto
freehimself,thoughtofanidea.Thoseofmyilkcannotsaveme,howcanthe
femaleoneshelp?CaughtbythenooseofProvidenceintheshapeofthecrocodileIshallseekHimtheultimate
refuge.IseekrefugeoftheLordthatprotectsthescaredseekingHisrefuge,forrefugefromthepowerful
serpentofDeaththatpursueseversoswiftly,butyetitselfrunsawayinutterfearoftheLord.(3033).

Hereendsthesecondchapter

TheLordFreestheTusker

SriSukaSpoke:Havingsoresolvedandwithhismindateasetheelephant
repeatedthemostnobleprayershehadlearnedinapreviousbirth.(1)

TheLordofelephantsuttered:

(Note:ThetextofSrimadBhagavatamheregivesoneofthemostmagnificent
hymnsaddressedtoVishnuastheSupremeone,theAlmightywhoisextolled
inmultiformintheUpanishads,IthihasasandinthevariousPuranas.Hence
therelevantSanskritslokasarealsogivenhere,withtheEnglishtranslation).

Gajendra'sPrayersofSurrendertoLordVishnu

shriganjendrauvacha
omnamobhagavatetasmai
yataetacchidatmakam
purushayadibijaya
pareshayabhidhimahi

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Gajendrasaid:IoffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntotheSupremePerson,Vasudeva[omnamobhagavate
vasudevaya].BecauseofHimthismaterialbodyactsduetothepresenceofspirit,andHeisthereforetheroot
causeofeveryone.HeisworshipableforsuchexaltedpersonsasBrahmaandShiva,andHehasenteredthe
heartofeverylivingbeing.LetmemeditateuponHim.(SrimadBhagavatam8.3.2)

yasminnidamyatashchedam
yenedamyaidamsvayam
yo'smatparasmachchaparas
tamprapadyesvayambhuvam

TheSupremeGodheadisthesupremeplatformonwhicheverythingrests,theingredientbywhicheverything
hasbeenproduced,andthepersonwhohascreatedandistheonlycauseofthiscosmicmanifestation.
Nonetheless,Heisdifferentfromthecauseandtheresult.IsurrenderuntoHim,theSupremePersonalityof
Godhead,whoisselfsufficientineverything.(8.3.3)

yahsvatmanidamnijamayayarpitam
kvachidvibhatamkvachatattirohitam
aviddhadriksakshyubhayamtadikshate
saatmamula'vatumamparatparaha

TheSupremePersonalityofGodhead,byexpandingHisownenergy,keepsthiscosmicmanifestationvisible
andagainsometimesrendersitinvisible.Heisboththesupremecauseandthesupremeresult,theobserverand
thewitness,inallcircumstances.ThusHeistranscendentaltoeverything.MaythatSupremePersonalityof
Godheadgivemeprotection.(8.3.4)

kalenapancatvamiteshukritsnasho
lokeshupaleshuchasarvahetushu
tamastadasidgahanamgabhiram
yastasyapare'bhivirajatevibhuhu

Induecourseoftime,whenallthecausativeandeffectivemanifestationsoftheuniverse,includingtheplanets
andtheirdirectorsandmaintainers,areannihilated,thereisasituationofdensedarkness.Abovethisdarkness,
however,istheSupremePersonalityofGodhead,ItakeshelterofHislotusfeet.(8.3.5)

nayasyadevarishayahpadamvidur
jantuhpunahko'rhatigantumiritum
yathanatasyakritibhirvicheshtato
duratyayanukramanahsamavatu

Anartistonstage,beingcoveredbyattractivedressesanddancingwithdifferentmovements,isnotunderstood
byhisaudiencesimilarly,theactivitiesandfeaturesoftheSupremeArtistcannotbeunderstoodevenbythe
demigodsorgreatsages,andcertainlynotbythosewhoareunintelligentlikeanimals.Neitherthedemigods
andsagesnortheunintelligentcanunderstandthefeaturesoftheLord,norcantheyexpressinwordsHisactual
position.MaythatSupremePersonalityofGodheadgivemeprotection.(8.3.6)

didrikshavoyasyapadamsumangalam
vimuktasangamunayahsusadhavaha
charantyalokavratamavranamvane
bhutatmabhutahsuhridahsamegatihi

Renunciantsandgreatsageswhoseealllivingbeingsequally,whoarefriendlytoeveryoneandwhoflawlessly
practiceintheforestthevowsofbrahmacarya[celibatestudent],vanaprastha[retired]andsannyasa
[renunciation]desiretoseetheallauspiciouslotusfeetoftheSupremePersonalityofGodhead.Maythatsame
SupremePersonalityofGodheadbemydestination.(8.3.7)

navidyateyasyachajanmakarmava
nanamarupegunadoshaevava
tathapilokapyayasambhavayayaha
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svamayayatanyanukalamricchati

tasmainamahpareshaya
brahmane'nantashaktaye
arupayorurupaya
namaashcaryakarmane

TheSupremePersonalityofGodheadhasnomaterialbirth,activities,name,form,qualitiesorfaults.Tofulfill
thepurposeforwhichthismaterialworldiscreatedanddestroyed,Hecomesintheformofahumanbeinglike
LordRamaorLordKrishnabyHisoriginalinternalpotency.Hehasimmensepotency,andinvariousforms,all
freefrommaterialcontamination,Heactswonderfully.HeisthereforetheSupremeBrahman.Ioffermy
respectstoHim.(8.3.89)

namaatmapradipaya
sakshineparamatmane
namogiramviduraya
manasashchetasamapi

IoffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntotheSupremePersonalityofGodhead,theselfeffulgentSupersoul,whois
thewitnessineveryone'sheart,whoenlightenstheindividualsoulandwhocannotbereachedbyexercisesof
themind,wordsorconsciousness.(8.3.10)

sattvenopratilabhyaya
naishkarmyenavipashcita
namahkaivalyanathaya
nirvanasukhasamvide

TheSupremePersonalityofGodheadisrealizedbypuredevoteeswhoactinthetranscendentalexistenceof
bhaktiyoga.Heisthebestowerofuncontaminatedhappinessandisthemasterofthetranscendentalworld.
ThereforeIoffermyrespectsuntoHim.(8.3.11)

namahshantayaghoraya
mudhayagunadharmine
nirvisheshayasamyaya
namojnanaghanayacha

IoffermyrespectfulobeisancestoLordVasudev,whoisallpervading,totheLord'sfierceformasLord
Nrisimhadeva,totheLord'sformasananimal[LordVarahadeva],toLordDattatreya,whopreached
impersonalism,toLordBuddha,andtoalltheotherincarnations.Ioffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntothe
Lord,whohasnomaterialqualitiesbutwhoacceptsthethreequalitiesofgoodness,passionandignorance
withinthismaterialworld.IalsooffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntotheimpersonalBrahmaneffulgence.
(8.3.12)

ksetrajnayanamastubhyam
sarvadhyakshayasakshine
purushayatmamulaya
mulaprakritayenamaha

IbegtooffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntoYou,whoaretheSupersoul,thesuperintendentofeverything,and
thewitnessofallthatoccurs.YouaretheSupremePerson,theoriginofmaterialnatureandofthetotalmaterial
energy.Youarealsotheownerofthematerialbody.Therefore,Youarethesupremecomplete.Ioffermy
respectfulobeisancesuntoYou.(8.3.13)

sarvendriyagunadrashtre
sarvapratyayahetave
asatacchayayoktaya
sadabhasayatenamaha

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MyLord,Youaretheobserverofalltheobjectivesofthesenses.WithoutYourmercy,thereisnopossibilityof
solvingtheproblemofdoubts.ThematerialworldisjustlikeashadowresemblingYou.Indeed,oneaccepts
thismaterialworldasrealbecauseitgivesaglimpseofYourexistence.(8.3.14)

namonamaste'khilakaranaya
nishkaranayadbhutakaranaya
sarvagamamnayamaharnavaya
namo'pavargayaparayanaya

MyLord,Youarethecauseofallcauses,butYouYourselfhavenocauses.ThereforeYouarethewonderful
causeofeverything.IoffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntoYou,whoaretheshelteroftheVedicknowledge
containedintheshastraslikethePancharatrasandVedantasutra,whichareYourrepresentations,andwhoare
thesourceoftheparamparasystem.BecauseitisYouwhocangiveliberation,Youaretheonlyshelterforall
transcendentalists.LetmeoffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntoYou.(8.3.15)

gunaranicchannachidushmapaya
tatkshobhavisphurjitamanasaya
naishkarmyabhavenavivarjitagama
svayamprakashayanamaskaromi

MyLord,asthefireinaraniwoodiscovered,YouandYourunlimitedknowledgearecoveredbythematerial
modesofnature.Yourmind,however,isnotattentivetotheactivitiesofthemodesofnature.Thosewhoare
advancedinspiritualknowledgearenotsubjecttotheregulativeprinciplesdirectedintheVedicliterature.
Becausesuchadvancedsoulsaretranscendental,Youpersonallyappearintheirpureminds.ThereforeIoffer
myrespectfulobeisancesuntoYou.(8.3.16)

madrikprapannapashupashuvimokshanaya
muktayabhurikarunayanamo'layaya
svamshenasarvatanubhrinmanasipratita
pratyagdrishebhagavatebrihatenamaste

SinceananimalsuchasIhassurrendereduntoYou,whoaresupremelyliberated,certainlyYouwillreleaseme
fromthisdangerousposition.Indeed,beingextremelymerciful,Youincessantlytrytodeliverme.ByYour
partialfeatureasParamatma,Youaresituatedintheheartsofallembodiedbeings.Youarecelebratedasdirect
transcendentalknowledge,andYouareunlimited.IoffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntoYou,theSupreme
PersonalityofGodhead.(8.3.17)

atmatmajaptigrihavittajaneshusaktair
dushprapanayagunasangavivarjitaya
muktatmabhihsvahridayaparibhavitaya
jnanatmanebhagavatenamaishvaraya

MyLord,thosewhoarecompletelyfreedfrommaterialcontaminationalwaysmeditateuponYouwithinthe
coresoftheirhearts.Youareextremelydifficulttoattainforthoselikemewhoaretooattachedtomental
concoction,home,relatives,friends,money,servantsandassistants.YouaretheSupremePersonalityof
Godhead,uncontaminatedbythemodesofnature.Youarethereservoirofallenlightenment,thesupreme
controller.IthereforeoffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntoYou.(8.3.18)

yamdharmakamarthavimuktikama
bhajantaishtamgatimapnuvanti
kimchashishoratyapidehamavyayam
karotume'dabhradayovimokshanam

AfterworshipingtheSupremePersonalityofGodhead,thosewhoareinterestedinthefourprinciplesof
religion,economicdevelopment,sensegratificationandliberationobtainfromHimwhattheydesire.Whatthen
istobesaidofotherbenedictions?Indeed,sometimestheLordgivesaspiritualbodytosuchambitious
worshipers.MaythatSupremePersonalityofGodhead,whoisunlimitedlymerciful,bestowuponmethe
benedictionofliberationfromthispresentdangerandfromthematerialisticwayoflife.(8.3.19)

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ekantinoyasyanakanchanartham
vanchantiyevaibhagavatprapannaha
atyadbhutamtachcharitamsumangalam
gayantaanandasamudramagnaha

tamaksharambrahmaparamparesham
avyaktamadhyatmikayogagamyam
atindriyamsukshmamivatiduram
anantamadyamparipurnamide

Unalloyeddevotees,whohavenodesireotherthantoservetheLord,worshipHiminfullsurrenderandalways
hearandchantaboutHisactivities,whicharemostwonderfulandauspicious.Thustheyalwaysmergeinan
oceanoftranscendentalbliss.SuchdevoteesneverasktheLordforanybenediction.I,however,amindanger.
ThusIpraytotheSupremePersonalityofGodhead,whoiseternallyexisting,whoisinvisible,whoistheLord
ofallgreatpersonalities,suchasBrahma,andwhoisavailableonlybytranscendentalbhaktiyoga.Being
extremelysubtle,Heisbeyondthereachofmysensesandtranscendentaltoallexternalrealization.Heis
unlimited,Heistheoriginalcause,andHeiscompletelyfullineverything.IoffermyobeisancesuntoHim.
(8.3.2021)

yasyabramadayodeva
vedalokashcharacharaha
namarupavibhedena
phalgvyachakalayakritaha

yatharchisho'gnehsaviturgabhastayo
niryantisamyantyasakritsvarochishaha
tathayato'yamgunasampravaho
buddhirmanahkhanisharirasargaha

savainadevasuramartyatiryan
nastrinasandhonapumannajantuhu
nayamgunahkarmanasannacasan
nishedhasheshojayatadashesaha

TheSupremePersonalityofGodheadcreatesHisminorpartsandparcels,thejivatattva,beginningwithLord
Brahma,thedemigodsandtheexpansionsofVedicknowledge[Sama,Rig,YajurandAtharvaVedas]and
includingallotherlivingentities,movingandnonmoving,withtheirdifferentnamesandcharacteristics.Asthe
sparksofafireortheshiningraysofthesunemanatefromtheirsourceandmergeintoitagainandagain,the
mind,theintelligence,thesenses,thegrossandsubtlematerialbodies,andthecontinuoustransformationsof
thedifferentmodesofnatureallemanatefromtheLordandagainmergeintoHim.Heisneitherdemigodnor
demon,neitherhumannorbirdnorbeast.Heisnotwoman,manorneuter,norisHeananimal.Heisnota
materialquality,afruitiveactivity,amanifestationornonmanifestation.Heisthelastwordinthediscrimination
of"notthis,ornotthat,"andHeisunlimited.AllgloriestotheSupremePersonalityofGodhead.(8.3.2224)

jijivishenahamihamuyakim
antarbahishchavritayebhayonya
icchamikalenanayasyaviplavas
tasyatmalokavaranasyamoksham

IdonotwishtoliveanymoreafterIamreleasedfromtheattackofthecrocodile.Whatistheuseofan
elephant'sbodycoveredexternallyandinternallybyignorance?Isimplydesireeternalliberationfromthe
coveringofignorance.Thatcoveringisnotdestroyedbytheinfluenceoftime.(8.3.25)

so'hamvishvasrijamvishvam
avishvanvishvavedasam
vishvatmanamajambrahma
pranato'smiparampadam

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Now,fullydesiringreleasefrommateriallife,IoffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntothatSupremePersonwhois
thecreatoroftheuniverse,whoisHimselftheformoftheuniverseandwhoisnonethelesstranscendentalto
thiscosmicmanifestation.Heisthesupremeknowerofeverythinginthisworld,theSupersouloftheuniverse.
Heistheunborn,supremelysituatedLord.IoffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntoHim.(8.3.26)

yogarandhitakarmano
hridiyogavibhavite
yoginoyamprapashyanti
yogeshamtamnato'smyaham

IoffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntotheSupreme,theSupersoul,themasterofallmysticyoga,whoisseenin
thecoreoftheheartbyperfectmysticswhentheyarecompletelypurifiedandfreedfromthereactionsof
fruitiveactivitybypracticingbhaktiyoga.(8.3.27)

namonamastubhyamasahyavega
shaktitrayayakhiladhigunaya
prapannapalayadurantashaktaye
kadindriyanamanavapyavartmane

MyLord,Youarethecontrollerofformidablestrengthinthreekindsofenergy.Youappearasthereservoirof
allsensepleasureandtheprotectorofthesurrenderedsouls.Youpossessunlimitedenergy,butYouare
unapproachablebythosewhoareunabletocontroltheirsenses.IoffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntoYouagain
andagain.(8.3.28)

nayamvedasvamatmanam
yachchaktyahamdhiyahatam
tamduratyayamahatmyam
bhagavantamito'smyaham

IoffermyrespectfulobeisancesuntotheSupremePersonalityofGodhead,bywhoseillusoryenergythejiva
[individualspiritsoul],whoispartandparcelofGod,forgetshisrealidentitybecauseofthebodilyconceptof
life.ItakeshelteroftheSupremePersonalityofGodhead,whosegloriesaredifficulttounderstand.(8.3.29)

[TheLordnowrepliestoGajendra]
yemamstuvantyanenanga
pratibudhyanishatyaye
teshampranatyayechaham
dadamivipulamgatim

"Mydeardevotee,untothosewhorisefrombedattheendofnightandofferMetheprayersofferedbyyou,I
giveaneternalresidenceinthespiritualworldattheendoftheirlives."(8.4.25)

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