Gajendra Moksha - Part 1

Gajendra’s Prayers of Surrender to Lord Vishnu

shri-ganjendra uvacha
om namo bhagavate tasmai
yata etac chid-atmakam
purushayadi-bijaya
pareshayabhidhimahi ll1ll

Gajendra said: I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Person, Vasudeva [om namo bhagavate vasudevaya]. Because of Him this material body acts due to the presence of spirit, and He is therefore the root cause of everyone. He is worshipable for such exalted persons as Brahma and Shiva, and He has entered the heart of every living being. Let me meditate upon Him. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.3.2)

yasminn idam yatash chedam
yenedam ya idam svayam
yo ‘smat parasmach cha paras
tam prapadye svayambhuvam ll2ll

The Supreme Godhead is the supreme platform on which everything rests, the ingredient by which everything has been produced, and the person who has created and is the only cause of this cosmic manifestation. Nonetheless, He is different from the cause and the result. I surrender unto Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is self-sufficient in everything. (8.3.3)

yah svatmanidam nija-mayayarpitam
kvachid vibhatam kva cha tat tirohitam
aviddha-drik sakshy ubhayam tad ikshate
sa atma-mula ‘vatu mam parat-paraha ll3ll

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, by expanding His own energy, keeps this cosmic manifestation visible and again sometimes renders it invisible. He is both the supreme cause and the supreme result, the observer and the witness, in all circumstances. Thus He is transcendental to everything. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead give me protection. (8.3.4)

kalena pancatvam iteshu kritsnasho
lokeshu paleshu cha sarva-hetushu
tamas tadasid gahanam gabhiram
yas tasya pare ‘bhivirajate vibhuhu ll4ll

In due course of time, when all the causative and effective manifestations of the universe, including the planets and their directors and maintainers, are annihilated, there is a situation of dense darkness. Above this darkness, however, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I take shelter of His lotus feet. (8.3.5)

na yasya deva rishayah padam vidur
jantuh punah ko ‘rhati gantum iritum
yatha natasyakritibhir vicheshtato
duratyayanukramanah sa mavatu ll5ll

An artist onstage, being covered by attractive dresses and dancing with different movements, is not understood by his audience; similarly, the activities and features of the Supreme Artist cannot be understood even by the demigods or great sages, and certainly not by those who are unintelligent like animals. Neither the demigods and sages nor the unintelligent can understand the features of the Lord, nor can they express in words His actual position. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead give me protection. (8.3.6)

didrikshavo yasya padam sumangalam
vimukta-sanga munayah susadhavaha
charanty aloka-vratam avranam vane
bhutatma-bhutah suhridah sa me gatihi ll6ll

Renunciants and great sages who see all living beings equally, who are friendly to everyone and who flawlessly practice in the forest the vows of brahmacarya [celibate student], vanaprastha [retired] and sannyasa [renunciation] desire to see the all-auspicious lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. May that same Supreme Personality of Godhead be my destination. (8.3.7)

na vidyate yasya cha janma karma va
na nama-rupe guna-dosha eva va
tathapi lokapyaya-sambhavaya yaha
sva-mayaya tany anukalam ricchati

tasmai namah pareshaya
brahmane ‘nanta-shaktaye
arupayoru-rupaya
nama ashcarya-karmane ll7ll

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no material birth, activities, name, form, qualities or faults. To fulfill the purpose for which this material world is created and destroyed, He comes in the form of a human being like Lord Rama or Lord Krishna by His original internal potency. He has immense potency, and in various forms, all free from material contamination, He acts wonderfully. He is therefore the Supreme Brahman. I offer my respects to Him. (8.3.8-9)

nama atma-pradipaya
sakshine paramatmane
namo giram viduraya
manasash chetasam api ll8ll

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the self-effulgent Supersoul, who is the witness in everyone’s heart, who enlightens the individual soul and who cannot be reached by exercises of the mind, words or consciousness. (8.3.10)

sattveno pratilabhyaya
naishkarmyena vipashcita
namah kaivalya-nathaya
nirvana-sukha-samvide ll9ll

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is realized by pure devotees who act in the transcendental existence of bhakti-yoga. He is the bestower of uncontaminated happiness and is the master of the transcendental world. Therefore I offer my respects unto Him. (8.3.11)

namah shantaya ghoraya
mudhaya guna-dharmine
nirvisheshaya samyaya
namo jnana-ghanaya cha ll10ll

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Vasudev, who is all-pervading, to the Lord’s fierce form as Lord Nrisimhadeva, to the Lord’s form as an animal [Lord Varahadeva], to Lord Dattatreya, who preached impersonalism, to Lord Buddha, and to all the other incarnations. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who has no material qualities but who accepts the three qualities of goodness, passion and ignorance within this material world. I also offer my respectful obeisances unto the impersonal Brahman effulgence. (8.3.12)

ksetra-jnaya namas tubhyam
sarvadhyakshaya sakshine
purushayatma-mulaya
mula-prakritaye namaha ll11ll

I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are the Supersoul, the superintendent of everything, and the witness of all that occurs. You are the Supreme Person, the origin of material nature and of the total material energy. You are also the owner of the material body. Therefore, You are the supreme complete. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. (8.3.13)

sarvendriya-guna-drashtre
sarva-pratyaya-hetave
asata cchayayoktaya
sad-abhasaya te namaha ll12ll

My Lord, You are the observer of all the objectives of the senses. Without Your mercy, there is no possibility of solving the problem of doubts. The material world is just like a shadow resembling You. Indeed, one accepts this material world as real because it gives a glimpse of Your existence. (8.3.14)