Canto
8
Chapter 3: Gajendra's Prayers of Surrender
(1) The son of Vyâsa [S'uka] said: 'With that decision he [Gajendra], led by his intelligence, focussed his mind on his heart by reciting a supreme prayer he had practiced in a previous birth [see also B.G. 6: 43-44]. (2) S'rî Gajendra said: 'My obeisances unto the Supreme Godhead who moves this materially controlled existence to consciousness, let me meditate on Him, the original person, the transcendental Lord who is the root cause. (3) The universe rests in Him, exists because of Him and originates from Him, I surrender to Him, that independent Godhead who is our cause and who is transcendental to us. (4) He who from His own energy expanded this cosmic manifestation that sometimes is manifest and sometimes is not visible, in both cases oversees all and everything as the witness. I beg that root Soul, the Supreme Transcendence of the beyond, to protect me! (5) When in due course of time everything in this world has come to naught, when all the worlds and all their maintainers and directors and everything that was active, has ended, there is a dense and deep darkness, above and beyond which He, the Almighty One, is radiating. (6) When a dancer dances it is difficult to understand the different forms he represents. The same way the gods, the sages and the common creatures cannot understand His movements or express them in words. May He who is so hard to grasp give me protection. (7) The Lord of those who long to see His all-auspicious lotus feet, of those who are free from all attachment, of the great sages who faultless in the forest, highly elevated above the material world practice their vows in accordance with the different spiritual positions in life [the âs'ramas], the Lord of those who are equal and friendly towards all, He is my destination. (8-9) He who is without birth has no karma, no name or a form, and is free from [the basic material] qualities and from faults. He who is the destruction and the creation of this cosmic manifestation, nevertheless by His own potency occasionally engages in [personal] activities [as an avatâra]. I offer Him my respects, the transcendental Lord, the Controller, the Supreme Brahman of unlimited potency, who without a form has assumed forms and performed so many wonderful activities. (10) I offer Him my obeisances who is the enlightenment of the soul, the witness present within all, the Supreme Self, Him who defies description and is beyond the mind and even consciousness. (11) For Him who, by learned souls free from material desires, [in devotion] can be reached through the mode of goodness, for the master of emancipation and salvation and bestower of happiness, there is my respectful reverence. (12) I offer my obeisances to the Lord of Peace, the Lord of Equilibrium, who free from the modes assumes the form of the modes in a dangerous or animal appearance [like with Nrisimha and Varâha]. I dedicate my prayers to the Lord of the diversity of spiritual knowledge. (13) My respects for the knower of the field [see B.G. 13: 1-5], for You the superintendent of all, the witness and the Original Person who are the primal source. You, the origin of the material creation, I offer my obeisances. (14) You are the one whom I respect because You oversee the motives of the senses. You are the source of all forms of belief concerning the apparent reality that one takes for real because it is a reflection of You. With respect for that reflection my reverence for You. (15) I offer You, the causeless supreme cause of all, my obeisances. You who are the miraculous root cause of all, the science of the sacred tradition and the great ocean, I honor, You the granter of liberation and the shelter of the transcendentalist. (16) I honor Him who is the fire of consciousness hidden in the wood of the modes of nature, Him whose [creative] spirit spurs into action when nature loses its equilibrium, Him who personally reveals Himself to those who gave up on the formal approach because of their spiritual understanding. (17) I offer my obeisances to Him, the immaculacy of infinite mercy, who releases a surrendered animal like me from being entangled. You, the Supreme Unlimited Lord, He who is celebrated as the direct witness within, You who are ever attentive by a single part of Your self [the Paramâtmâ, see also B.G. 10: 42], I offer my respects. (18) You are difficult to attain for everyone who is [overly] attached to his mind and body, to his offspring and relatives, to his home, wealth and support. But for those liberated souls who [absorbed in the soul] are not disturbed by the modes of nature, You are present in the core of the heart [see B.G. 6: 47]. I offer You, on whom one always meditates, You, the reservoir of all spiritual knowledge, You, the Supreme Lord and Controller, my respects. (19) They who desire dharma, artha, kâma and moksha [the regulation of their civil virtue] worship Him and thus succeed in attaining their desired objective, not to mention other benedictions; He even endows one with an immortal [spiritual] body. May His unlimited mercy bring me salvation [see also 2.3: 10 en 7.9: 27]. (20-21) They who are fully surrendered to the Supreme Lord are, by reciting and hearing about His all-auspicious, wondrous activities, immersed in an ocean of transcendental bliss. With no other but Him as their purpose in life, they do not desire any [other] benediction. He, the eternal and Absolute Spirit of transcendence, the Supreme Master of all great personalities, the unseen Soul above and beyond all who in yoga can be reached [by devotional service] is, because of His subtle and elusive nature, out of reach of the senses. Him the unlimited, all-inclusive origin I worship. (22-24) The different moving and unmoving entities, the Vedic knowledge, the gods, Brahmâ and the souls belonging to him, as also His less important expansions, were created by the Lord with all their names and forms. Just like sparks that emanate from, and merge with, the fire and rays of light that emanate from and dissolve in the sun, there are similarly, time and again, the manifestations from the basic qualities of nature of creations and creatures of intelligence and mind, senses and [of the gross and subtle aspect] of the body, that as parts and parcels repeatedly originate from, and merge again with, the Lord. He, [that fire,] is neither a demigod nor a demon, neither a human being nor an animal, He is neither feminine nor masculine, neither neuter nor another kind of creature. He is not the fruitful action nor the mode of nature, neither the manifest nor the non-manifest; He is the conclusion of the exclusion [of this or that, of neti neti, see also 7.7: 23]. All hail to Him, the One Unlimited!
(25) I do not want to live like this in the world. What is the use of this captivation from within and from without in being born as an elephant? I do not want the misery and destruction because of the time factor. I want to be liberated from that covering of my spiritual existence [see also 1.2: 3, 6.15: 16]! (26) I bow down before the transcendental shelter, the unborn Absolute Spirit who created the universe, who is the universe and who is beyond the universe, who is the knower of the universe and the soul of the universe. (27) The devotees and ascetics who with yoga subdued their karma, see Him, the Lord of Yoga, clearly in their hearts. I offer Him my obeisances. (28) My respects again and again for You, the force of whose threefold energy is formidable, You, the intelligence of the completeness, the Lord of all qualities who shelters the surrendered souls and whose [deluding] potency [of mâyâ] is difficult to overcome [see B.G. 16: 21], You who are unattainable for those on the path of poor sense control. (29) I seek my refuge with Him, the Supreme Lord whose glories are unfathomable, whose Self is not known by the common man and by whose forces and intelligence I have been defeated.'
(30) S'rî S'uka said: 'Since he with this description was not directed at any particular personal appearance, Gajendra was not approached by any of the diverse appearances of Brahmâ's independent demigods. Instead of that choice of gods the Lord in person appeared, because He stands for the complete of them [compare B.G. 7: 20-23 and 9: 23; 4.31: 14]. (31) Hearing his prayer the Lord of all worlds, who understood his plight, then came as fast as He could, together with the denizens of heaven who offered their prayers. Carried by Garuda and equipped with His disc and other weapons, He soon arrived where Gajendra was situated. (32) The moment he, who in the water so violently was captured and was suffering, saw the Lord on the back of Garuda with His disc raised in the sky, he lifted his trunk while holding a lotus flower and uttered with difficulty: 'Oh Nârâyana, Teacher of Completeness, oh Supreme Lord, You I offer my obeisances.' (33) Seeing him in pain, the Unborn One, so full of mercy, alighted immediately and saved him with His disc, before the eyes of all the godly souls present, by severing the snout from the crocodile’s trunk and pulled Gajendra out of the water.'
Third revised edition, loaded May 1, 2019.
Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:
The son of Vyâsa [S'uka] said: 'With that decision he [Gajendra], led by his intelligence, focussed his mind on his heart by reciting a supreme prayer he had practiced in a previous birth [see also B.G. 6: 43-44].The son of Vyâsa [S'uka] said: 'Thus in his intelligence determined to concentrate his mind on the heart, he [Gajendra] chanted a supreme prayer he had practiced in a previous birth [see also B.G. 6: 43-44]. (Vedabase)
S'rî Gajendra said: 'My obeisances unto the Supreme Godhead who moves this materially controlled existence to consciousness, let me meditate on Him, the original person, the transcendental Lord who is the root cause.
S'rî Gajendra said: 'My obeisances unto the Original One, the Supreme Godhead from whom this material existence is moving in consciousness, let me meditate upon Him, that personality who is the root cause, the Supreme Controller. (Vedabase)
The universe rests in Him, exists because of Him and originates from Him, I surrender to Him, that independent Godhead who is our cause and who is transcendental to us.
On Him the universe rests, from Him there are all its elements and by Him it is working, unto Him who Himself is the material world in effect as well as its transcendental cause, unto that Supreme Self-sufficient One I surrender myself. (Vedabase)
He who from His own energy expanded this cosmic manifestation that sometimes is manifest and sometimes is not visible, in both cases oversees all and everything as the witness. I beg that root Soul, the Supreme Transcendence of the beyond, to protect me!
He who from Himself, by His own energy, expanded this cosmic manifestation, that sometimes is manifest and sometimes is not visible, oversees in both cases as the witness all and everything; that Soul without a prior cause, that Supreme of all Transcendence, I beseech, please protect me! (Vedabase)
When in due course of time everything in this world has come to naught, when all the worlds and all their maintainers and directors and everything that was active, has ended, there is a dense and deep darkness, above and beyond which He, the Almighty One, is radiating.
When in due course of time everything, all transformations, all that is done, all the worlds and all its maintainers and directors, comes to naught, is there a dense and deep darkness, above and beyond which is shining the Almighty One. (Vedabase)
When a dancer dances it is difficult to understand the different forms he represents. The same way the gods, the sages and the common creatures cannot understand His movements or express them in words. May He who is so hard to grasp give me protection.
Like with the looks of a performing artist who then cannot be fathomed, can His movements neither by the gods, the sages or the common creatures be understood or expressed in words; He so hard to grasp, may He give me His protection. (Vedabase)
The Lord of those who long to see His all-auspicious lotus feet, of those who are free from all attachment, of the great sages who faultless in the forest, highly elevated above the material world practice their vows in accordance with the different spiritual positions in life [the âs'ramas], the Lord of those who are equal and friendly towards all, He is my destination.
The Lord of those desirous to see the all-auspicious lotus feet, of those freed from all attachment, of those great sages, faultless in the forest, highly elevated practicing vows to the different positions [the âs'ramas], the Lord of those who are equal and friendly to all, He is my destination. (Vedabase)
He who is without birth has no karma, no name or a form, and is free from [the basic material] qualities and from faults. He who is the destruction and the creation of this cosmic manifestation, nevertheless by His own potency occasionally engages in [personal] activities [as an avatâra]. I offer Him my respects, the transcendental Lord, the Controller, the Supreme Brahman of unlimited potency, who without a form has assumed forms and performed so many wonderful activities.
From Him there is no birth, no karma, no name or form, nor modes and faults certainly either; nevertheless does He, who is the destruction and the creation of this cosmic manifestation, by His own potency time and again come into action [as an avatâra]. Unto Him the transcendental One who is the Controller, the Supreme Brahman of unlimited potency, who without a form has assumed forms, who is of so many wonderful activities, I offer my respects. (Vedabase)
I offer Him my obeisances who is the enlightenment of the soul, the witness present within all, the Supreme Self, Him who defies description and is beyond the mind and even consciousness.
My obeisances unto Him, the enlightenment of the soul, the witness in all, the Supreme of the Self; unto Him who defies description, the mind and even the consciousness my reverence. (Vedabase)
For Him who, by learned souls free from material desires, [in devotion] can be reached through the mode of goodness, for the master of emancipation and salvation and bestower of happiness, there is my respectful reverence.
He, the object of devotion who by the ones of learning in transcendental activities is done justice, unto Him, the master of emancipation, the bestower of happiness, He who is completely free, my honorable reverence. (Vedabase)
I offer my obeisances to the Lord of Peace, the Lord of Equilibrium, who free from the modes assumes the form of the modes in a dangerous or animal appearance [like with Nrisimha and Varâha]. I dedicate my prayers to the Lord of the diversity of spiritual knowledge.
All my obeisances to the One of Peace fully concentrated on the spiritual in forms fierce and animalistic [like Nrisimha and Varâha] to the different qualities of nature; to Him who as well is the knowledge of Brahman, I do dedicate my prayer. (Vedabase)
My respects for the knower of the field [see B.G. 13: 1-5], for You the superintendent of all, the witness and the Original Person who are the primal source. You, the origin of the material creation, I offer my obeisances.
The knower of the field [see B.G. 13: 1-5] I respect, You the superintendent of all, the witness and the original person who art the original source, unto You, the doer of the material creation, You as the primal reality, I offer my obeisances. (Vedabase)
You are the one whom I respect because You oversee the motives of the senses. You are the source of all forms of belief concerning the apparent reality that one takes for real because it is a reflection of You. With respect for that reflection my reverence for You.
You I respect, for You oversee the objectives of all the senses. You are the end of all doubts with the untrue that because of being Your mirror-image is called the reality. To that reflection, my reverence unto You. (Vedabase)
I offer You, the causeless supreme cause of all, my obeisances. You who are the miraculous root cause of all, the science of the sacred tradition and the great ocean, I honor, You the granter of liberation and the shelter of the transcendentalist.
My obeisances again unto You, the causeless supreme cause of everything, the cause of all wonders, the source of what is learned in succession, the ocean receiving from all rivers of knowing; I honor You, the granter of liberation and the shelter of the transcendentalist. (Vedabase)
I honor Him who is the fire of consciousness hidden in the wood of the modes of nature, Him whose [creative] spirit spurs into action when nature loses its equilibrium, Him who personally reveals Himself to those who gave up on the formal approach because of their spiritual understanding.
Unto Him whose fire of knowledge by the modes of nature is covered the way fire is covered in wood, unto Him outside of the, by the turmoil of nature agitated, mind, unto Him manifest personally for those who from their stage of spiritual understanding gave up on the formal approach, I do dedicate myself. (Vedabase)
I offer my obeisances to Him, the immaculacy of infinite mercy, who releases a surrendered animal like me from being entangled. You, the Supreme Unlimited Lord, He who is celebrated as the direct witness within, You who are ever attentive by a single part of Your self [the Paramâtmâ, see also B.G. 10: 42], I offer my respects.
As an animal like me of surrender unto Him, the Immaculate of infinite mercy who releases from being entangled, I offer my respects; by a single part of Your self [the Paramâtmâ, see also B.G. 10: 42] are You ever attentive to all the ones embodied, unto that Supreme Lord of no limits, celebrated in the mind as the direct observer, I offer my obeisances. (Vedabase)
You are difficult to attain for everyone who is [overly] attached to his mind and body, to his offspring and relatives, to his home, wealth and support. But for those liberated souls who [absorbed in the soul] are not disturbed by the modes of nature, You are present in the core of the heart [see B.G. 6: 47]. I offer You, on whom one always meditates, You, the reservoir of all spiritual knowledge, You, the Supreme Lord and Controller, my respects.
For all those so very attached to their mind and body, sons and daughters, home, wealth and helpers, are You difficult to reach, but for persons liberated in the heart, in freedom from the influence of the modes of nature, You are there already [see B.G. 6: 47]; unto Him who is always meditated, the reservoir of all spiritual knowledge, unto that Supreme Lord and Controller, my respects. (Vedabase)
They who desire dharma, artha, kâma and moksha [the regulation of their civil virtue] worship Him and thus succeed in attaining their desired objective, not to mention other benedictions; He even endows one with an immortal [spiritual] body. May His unlimited mercy bring me salvation [see also 2.3: 10 and 7.9: 27].
By worshiping Him can that be reached what is sought with all the desiring after the religion, the economy, the gratification and the liberation, not even mentioning the other benedictions He also bestows like having a spiritual body on top of that; may He, the one of infinite mercy, grant me the liberation of my soul [see also 2.3: 10 and 7.9: 27]. (Vedabase)
They who are fully surrendered to the Supreme Lord are, by reciting and hearing about His all-auspicious, wondrous activities, immersed in an ocean of transcendental bliss. With no other but Him as their purpose in life, they do not desire any [other] benediction. He, the eternal and Absolute Spirit of transcendence, the Supreme Master of all great personalities, the unseen Soul above and beyond all who in yoga can be reached [by devotional service] is, because of His subtle and elusive nature, out of reach of the senses. Him the unlimited, all-inclusive origin I worship.
Those who yearn for no other purpose than Him do not desire some benediction - those who factually came to the shelter of the Supreme Lord are immersed in an ocean of transcendental bliss by reciting and hearing about the all-auspicious, wondrous activities of Him. He, the eternal one transcendental, Supreme Master of all great personalities, the unseen Soul above all that in yoga can be reached by devotion is, as subtle and elusive out of the reach of the senses as He is, the unlimited, all-complete origin whom I worship. (Vedabase)
The different moving and unmoving entities, the Vedic knowledge, the gods, Brahmâ and the souls belonging to him, as also His less important expansions, were created by the Lord with all their names and forms. Just like sparks that emanate from, and merge with, the fire and rays of light that emanate from and dissolve in the sun, there are similarly, time and again, the manifestations from the basic qualities of nature of creations and creatures of intelligence and mind, senses and [of the gross and subtle aspect] of the body, that as parts and parcels repeatedly originate from, and merge again with, the Lord. He, [that fire,] is neither a demigod nor a demon, neither a human being nor an animal, He is neither feminine nor masculine, neither neuter nor another kind of creature. He is not the fruitful action nor the mode of nature, neither the manifest nor the non-manifest; He is the conclusion of the exclusion [of this or that, of neti neti, see also 7.7: 23]. All hail to Him, the One Unlimited!
Of Him are by His parts - the moving and nonmoving different entities, the vedic knowledge the gods and all who belong to Brahmâ - created the less important divisions of names and forms. This continuous display of the modes of nature, this intelligence and mind, these senses and divisions of the gross and subtle of the body, are, like sparks to the fire that is the sun, the shining particles that over and over emanate from and merge into Him as parts and parcels. That fire, indeed not a demigod or a demon, a human being, beast nor bird, a woman, neuter or man either, nor either a living creature, is not the fruitive action nor the manifestation nor the non-manifest; He is the end of excluding this and that [neti neti see also 7.7: 23]; all hail to Him, the unlimited One! (Vedabase)
I do not want to live like this in the world. What is the use of this captivation from within and from without in being born as an elephant? I do not want the misery and destruction because of the time factor. I want to be liberated from that covering of my spiritual existence [see also 1.2: 3, 6.15: 16]!
I do not wish to continue with my life here or in a world hereafter; of what use would that be when one within and without is locked up; in this birth as an elephant I desire to escape from the timebound which only heads for destruction. I want to be liberated from that degrading limitation of myself [see also 1.2: 3, 6.15: 16]. (Vedabase)
I bow down before the transcendental shelter, the unborn Absolute Spirit who created the universe, who is the universe and who is beyond the universe, who is the knower of the universe and the soul of the universe.
For that purpose do I unto Him, the manifest albeit the unmanifest creator of this cosmic manifestation, that unborn soul and the knower of the universe and transcendental shelter of the Supreme, offer my life and soul. (Vedabase)
The devotees and ascetics who with yoga subdued their karma, see Him, the Lord of Yoga, clearly in their hearts. I offer Him my obeisances.
Those of the unification of consciousness unto Him, who by that bhakti-yoga burned all the karma and have a unified heart purified, do directly see Him, the Lord of Yoga I'm dedicated to. (Vedabase)
My respects again and again for You, the force of whose threefold energy is formidable, You, the intelligence of the completeness, the Lord of all qualities who shelters the surrendered souls and whose [deluding] potency [of mâyâ] is difficult to overcome [see B.G. 16: 21], You who are unattainable for those on the path of poor sense control.
My respects again and again unto You, the formidable of the forces of the threefold potency of [making, unwinding and keeping up] the complete, unto Him who, to the intelligence appearing as an object to the senses, gives shelter and who, with His difficult to overcome energies [see B.G. 16: 21], is unattainable for the ones who on the path cannot control their senses. (Vedabase)
I seek my refuge with Him, the Supreme Lord whose glories are unfathomable, whose Self is not known by the common man and by whose forces and intelligence I have been defeated.'
I seek my refuge with Him whose glories are so hard to fathom, whose identity by the people in general is not known and under whose influence and intelligence I as a separate soul am defeated.' (Vedabase)
S'rî S'uka said: 'Since he with this description was not directed at any particular personal appearance, Gajendra was not approached by any of the diverse appearances of Brahmâ's independent demigods. Instead of that choice of gods the Lord in person appeared, because He stands for the complete of them [compare B.G. 7: 20-23 and 9: 23; 4.31: 14].
S'rî S'uka said: 'When, because of this description that was not directed at any particular person, none of the autocratic godly of Brahmâ with their variety of forms, approached Gajendra, appeared there from the choice of the godly the Lord in person for He is the complete of them all together [compare B.G. 7: 20-23 and 9: 23; 4.31: 14]. (Vedabase)
Hearing his prayer the Lord of all worlds, who understood his plight, then came as fast as He could, together with the denizens of heaven who offered their prayers. Carried by Garuda and equipped with His disc and other weapons, He soon arrived where Gajendra was situated.
Hearing his prayer came the Lord of all worlds understanding his predicament, together with the denizens of heaven who offered their prayers, as fast as He could, carried by Garuda and equiped with His disc and other weapons, to the spot where Gajendra was. (Vedabase)
The moment he, who in the water so violently was captured and was suffering, saw the Lord on the back of Garuḍa with His disc raised in the sky, he lifted his trunk while holding a lotus flower and uttered with difficulty: 'Oh Nârâyana, Teacher of Completeness, oh Supreme Lord, You I offer my obeisances.'
When he, who in the water so violently was captured and was suffering, saw the Lord who from the back of Garuda wielded His disc in the sky, raised he his trunk holding a lotus flower and uttered he with difficulty: 'O Nârâyana, Teacher of the Complete, o Supreme Lord, You I offer my obeisances.' (Vedabase)
Seeing him in pain, the Unborn One, so full of mercy, alighted immediately and saved him with His disc, before the eyes of all the godly souls present, by severing the snout from the crocodile’s trunk and pulled Gajendra out of the water.'
Seeing him that aggrieved alighted the Unborn One so full of mercy immediately and saved He, before the eyes of all the godly present with His disc severing the mouth from the crocodile its trunk, King Gajendra by pulling him out of the water. (Vedabase)
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