1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 8 · Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations · 24 chapters

123456789101112131415161718192021222324

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 8 · Chapter 2: The Elephant Gajendra’s Crisis
8.2.318.2.33

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.2.32

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 8.2.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

न मामिमे ज्ञातय आतुरं गजा:

कुत: करिण्य: प्रभवन्ति मोचितुम् ।

ग्राहेण पाशेन विधातुरावृतो-

ऽप्यहं च तं यामि परं परायणम् ॥ ३२ ॥

na mām ime jñātaya āturaṁ gajāḥ

kutaḥ kariṇyaḥ prabhavanti mocitum

grāheṇa pāśena vidhātur āvṛto

’py ahaṁ ca taṁ yāmi paraṁ parāyaṇam

Translation

The other elephants, who are my friends and relatives, could not rescue me from this danger. What then to speak of my wives? They cannot do anything. It is by the will of providence that I have been attacked by this crocodile, and therefore I shall seek shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always the shelter of everyone, even of great personalities.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Seek Kṛṣṇa’s Shelter Amid Danger

  1. 1

    The material world has danger at every step. A nice home or car cannot make life perfectly safe or truly happy.

  2. 2

    We may use our intelligence to care for ourselves, but our efforts depend on the sanction of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We cannot protect ourselves independently of His care.

  3. 3

    When his friends and relatives could not rescue him, Gajendra rightly chose to seek the Lord’s shelter. The Lord is the shelter of everyone, even great personalities.

Key points from the purport
  • We may struggle for existence as far as our intelligence allows and may try to take care of ourselves, but unless the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, ultimately saves us from danger, our attempts will be useless.
  • We may invent so many ways to be happy or to counteract the dangers of this material world, but unless our attempts are sanctioned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they will never make us happy.
  • Those who try to be happy without taking shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are mūḍhas, rascals.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 8.2.32 quotesSB 7.9.19

tāvad vibho tanu-bhṛtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām. We may invent so many ways to be happy or to counteract the dangers of this material world, but unless our attempts are sanctioned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they will never make us happy.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Helplessness → Surrender and rescue. A mighty animal finally realizes the limits of strength.

Chapters 1–4 of Canto 8: Gajendra's struggle and prayers. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 2: The Elephant Gajendra’s Crisis

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Thus the crocodile became more and more encouraged. Then the elephant, being helpless and seeing that there was no other way for his protection, sought shelter at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.2
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nanot
  2. māmme
  3. imeall these
  4. jñātayaḥfriends and relatives (the other elephants)
  5. āturamin my distress
  6. gajāḥthe elephants
  7. kutaḥhow
  8. kariṇyaḥmy wives
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 8.2

    In this verse: “rescue”, “protect”, “safe”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 8.2

    In this verse: “danger”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 8.2

    In this verse: “shelter”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Where am I relying on my own arrangements while forgetting my dependence on Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Today, pause before one act of self-care and offer a short prayer asking for Kṛṣṇa’s shelter, remembering that your efforts depend on His care.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 7.9.19

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 8.2's connections

Live this todaySeek Kṛṣṇa’s Shelter Amid DangerThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 8.2.32? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories