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Canto 8 · Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations · 24 chapters

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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
8.3.328.4.1

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.3.33

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 8.3.30inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit
A turning point forGajendra· The Lord intervenes

तं वीक्ष्य पीडितमज: सहसावतीर्य

सग्राहमाशु सरस: कृपयोज्जहार ।

ग्राहाद् विपाटितमुखादरिणा गजेन्द्रं

संपश्यतां हरिरमूमुचदुच्छ्रियाणाम् ॥ ३३ ॥

taṁ vīkṣya pīḍitam ajaḥ sahasāvatīrya

sa-grāham āśu sarasaḥ kṛpayojjahāra

grāhād vipāṭita-mukhād ariṇā gajendraṁ

saṁpaśyatāṁ harir amūmucad ucchriyāṇām

Translation

Thereafter, seeing Gajendra in such an aggrieved position, the unborn Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, immediately got down from the back of Garuḍa 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.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Hari Saves Gajendra Through Causeless Mercy

  1. 1

    Seeing Gajendra’s suffering, the unborn Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, immediately descended from Garuḍa. He acted out of His causeless mercy.

  2. 2

    The Lord pulled Gajendra, along with the crocodile, out of the water. He personally came to Gajendra’s rescue.

  3. 3

    Before the watching demigods, the Lord severed the crocodile’s mouth from its body with His disc. In this way, He saved Gajendra.

Key points from the purport
  • Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Third Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Gajendra’s Prayers of Surrender.”

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

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:

Gajendra, by lifting his trunk, offered obeisances to the Lord, and the Lord immediately pulled him from the water along with the crocodile who had captured his leg. Then the Lord killed the crocodile and thus rescued Gajendra.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tamhim (Gajendra)
  2. vīkṣyaafter seeing (in that condition)
  3. pīḍitamwho was very aggrieved
  4. ajaḥthe unborn, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  5. sahasāall of a sudden
  6. avatīryagetting down (from the back of Garuḍa)
  7. sa-grāhamwith the crocodile
  8. āśuimmediately
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 8.3

    In this verse: “mercy”, “causeless”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 8.3

    In this verse: “saved”, “rescue”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 8.3

    In this verse: “king”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What stands out to me about the Lord’s personal care for Gajendra?

Practice

Read the translation once more, then offer a short prayer of gratitude for Hari’s causeless mercy.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayHari Saves Gajendra Through Causeless MercyThis 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.

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