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 3: Gajendra’s Prayers of Surrender
8.3.198.3.22-24

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 8.3.20-21

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The King of the elephants, Gajendrasince 8.3.2inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

एकान्तिनो यस्य न कञ्चनार्थं

वाञ्छन्ति ये वै भगवत्प्रपन्ना: ।

अत्यद्भ‍ुतं तच्चरितं सुमङ्गलं

गायन्त आनन्दसमुद्रमग्ना: ॥ २० ॥

तमक्षरं ब्रह्म परं परेश-

मव्यक्तमाध्यात्मिकयोगगम्यम् ।

अतीन्द्रियं सूक्ष्ममिवातिदूर-

मनन्तमाद्यं परिपूर्णमीडे ॥ २१ ॥

ekāntino yasya na kañcanārthaṁ

vāñchanti ye vai bhagavat-prapannāḥ

aty-adbhutaṁ tac-caritaṁ sumaṅgalaṁ

gāyanta ānanda-samudra-magnāḥ

tam akṣaraṁ brahma paraṁ pareśam

avyaktam ādhyātmika-yoga-gamyam

atīndriyaṁ sūkṣmam ivātidūram

anantam ādyaṁ paripūrṇam īḍe

Translation

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 Brahmā, 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.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Pure Devotion Seeks Only to Serve

  1. 1

    Pure devotional service means serving the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably, without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation.

  2. 2

    Unalloyed devotees hear and chant about the Lord's activities and are immersed in transcendental bliss. They ask for no material benefit, though a helpless devotee may pray for rescue while fully depending on His mercy.

  3. 3

    Only through devotional service can one approach the Supreme Lord. By becoming attached to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and constantly thinking of His lotus feet, one can understand Him without doubt.

Key points from the purport
  • Unalloyed devotees have nothing to ask from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Gajendra, the King of the elephants, was circumstantially asking for an immediate benediction because he had no other way to be rescued.
  • Therefore the King of the elephants, Gajendra, said, ādhyātmika-yoga-gamyam, indicating that unless one is situated on this transcendental platform, one cannot approach the Supreme Lord.
  • Therefore the path of bhakti-yoga is the spotless process by which to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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 8.3.20-21 quotesBG 7.1

The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (7.1): “Now hear, O son of Pṛthā [Arjuna], how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt.”

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 3: Gajendra’s Prayers of Surrender

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The Lord can observe the activities of our senses, which can work and achieve material results because of His mercy. Although He is the original source of everything, He is untouched by any of His by-products.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ekāntinaḥunalloyed devotees (who have no desire other than Kṛṣṇa consciousness)
  2. yasyathe Lord, of whom
  3. nanot
  4. kañcanasome
  5. arthambenediction
  6. vāñchantidesire
  7. yethose devotees who
  8. vaiindeed
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 8.3

    In this verse: “devotees”, “bhakti-yoga”, “worship”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 8.3

    In this verse: “chant”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 8.3

    In this verse: “danger”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What would it mean for me to serve Kṛṣṇa without asking for something in return?

Practice

Read aloud a passage about the Lord's activities today, with the intention of serving Him rather than gaining a material benefit.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayPure Devotion Seeks Only to ServeThis 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 8.3.20-21? Get an answer from the verses themselves.