श्रीगजेन्द्रमोक्षः
श्रीशुक उवाच
एवं व्यवसितो बुद्ध्या समाधाय मनोहृदि ।
जजाप परमं जाप्यं प्राग्जन्मन्यनुशिक्षितम् ॥ १॥
Shri Shuka said: Thus, having resolved with his intellect, and having fixed his mind in his heart, he chanted the supreme mantra which he had learned in his previous birth.
गजेन्द्र उवाच
नमो भगवते तस्मै यत एतच्चिदात्मकम् ।
पुरुषायादिबीजाय परेशायाभिधीमहि ॥ २॥
Gajendra said:
Salutations to that Lord, from whom this (universe), whose essence is consciousness, originates. We meditate upon the Purusha, the primal seed, the Supreme Lord.
यस्मिन्निदं यतश्चेदं येनेदं य इदं स्वयम् ।
योऽस्मात्परस्माच्च परस्तं प्रपद्ये स्वयम्भुवम् ॥ ३॥
I surrender to the Self-existent One, in whom this (universe) abides, from whom it originates, by whom it is sustained, who Himself is this (universe), and who is beyond this (manifest creation) as well as beyond the supreme (unmanifested cause).
यः स्वात्मनीदं निजमाययार्पितं
क्वचिद्विभातं क्व च तत्तिरोहितम् ।
अविद्धदृक् साक्ष्युभयं तदीक्षते
स आत्ममूलोऽवतु मां परात्परः ॥ ४॥
He who, by His own Māyā, has placed this (universe) within Himself—sometimes manifest, sometimes hidden; He, the unperturbed witness, observes both. May that Self-existent One, higher than the highest, protect me.
कालेन पञ्चत्वमितेषु कृत्स्नशो
लोकेषु पालेषु च सर्वहेतुषु ।
तमस्तदाऽऽसीद्गहनं गभीरं
यस्तस्य पारेऽभिविराजते विभुः ॥ ५॥
When, by time, all the worlds, their guardians, and even the very causes of all completely perished, then there was dense, profound darkness. He who shines forth resplendently beyond that (darkness) is the all-pervading Lord.
न यस्यदेवा ऋषयःपदं विदु-
र्जन्तुः पुनः कोऽर्हति गन्तुमीरितुम् ।
यथा नटस्याकृतिभिर्विचेष्टतो
दुरत्ययानुक्रमणः स मावतु ॥ ६॥
Whose true nature neither gods nor sages comprehend, what mere creature then can know or describe Him? Just as an actor, performing in various roles, His ways are inscrutable. May that Lord protect me.
दिदृक्षवो यस्य पदं सुमङ्गलं
विमुक्त सङ्गा मुनयः सुसाधवः ।
चरन्त्यलोकव्रतमव्रणं वने
भूतात्मभूताः सुहृदः स मे गतिः ॥ ७॥
He is my refuge, whom the unattached and truly pious sages, desiring to behold His supremely auspicious lotus feet, undertake a flawless, transcendental vow in the forest, having become one with all beings and acting as benefactors to all.
न विद्यते यस्य च जन्म कर्म वा
न नामरूपे गुणदोष एव वा ।
तथापि लोकाप्ययसम्भवाय यः
स्वमायया तान्यनुकालमृच्छति ॥ ८॥
He who has no birth or deeds, nor name or form, nor qualities or faults. Yet, for the creation and dissolution of the worlds, He, by His own Māyā (illusory power), manifests them in due course.
तस्मै नमः परेशाय ब्रह्मणेऽनन्तशक्तये ।
अरूपायोरुरूपाय नम आश्चर्यकर्मणे ॥ ९॥
My obeisances to Him, the Supreme Lord, Brahman, the possessor of infinite power; to the Formless One, who assumes many forms; and to the performer of wondrous deeds.
नम आत्मप्रदीपाय साक्षिणे परमात्मने ।
नमो गिरां विदूराय मनसश्चेतसामपि ॥ १०॥
Salutations to the Self-effulgent, the Witness, the Supreme Self. Salutations to Him who is far beyond words, and beyond even mind and consciousness.
सत्त्वेन प्रतिलभ्याय नैष्कर्म्येण विपश्चिता ।
नमः कैवल्यनाथाय निर्वाणसुखसंविदे ॥ ११॥
Obeisance to the Lord of Kaivalya (absolute liberation), the very consciousness of Nirvana's bliss, who is realized by the wise through purity (sattva) and freedom from the bonds of action (naiṣkarmya).
नमः शान्ताय घोराय मूढाय गुणधर्मिणे ।
निर्विशेषाय साम्याय नमो ज्ञानघनाय च ॥ १२॥
Salutations to the peaceful, to the terrifying, to the one who appears unknowing, and to the one possessing qualities. Salutations to the undifferentiated, to the impartial, and to the dense mass of knowledge.
क्षेत्रज्ञाय नमस्तुभ्यं सर्वाध्यक्षाय साक्षिणे ।
पुरुषायात्ममूलाय मूलप्रकृतये नमः ॥ १३॥
Salutations to You, the Knower of the Field, the Overseer of all, the Witness! Salutations to the Supreme Person, who is the root of the Self, and the primal material nature!
सर्वेन्द्रियगुणदृष्टे सर्व प्रत्यय हेतवे ।
असताच्छाययोक्ताय सदाभासाय ते नमः ॥ १४॥
Salutations to You, the perceiver of the qualities of all senses and the cause of all understanding; You who are indicated by the shadow of the unreal, yet are the ever-shining Reality.
नमो नमस्तेऽखिलकारणाय
निष्कारणायाद्भुतकारणाय ।
सर्वागमाम्नायमहार्णवाय
नमोऽपवर्गाय परायणाय ॥ १५॥
Salutations again and again to You, the cause of all; to the causeless One, to the wondrous cause. To the great ocean of all scriptures and sacred traditions, salutations to You, the ultimate liberation and the supreme refuge.
गुणारणिच्छन्नचिदूष्मपाय
तत्क्षोभविस्फूर्जितमानसाय ।
नैष्कर्म्यभावेन विवर्जितागम-
स्वयंप्रकाशाय नमस्करोमि ॥ १६॥
I offer my obeisance to Him, the Self-luminous One, whose conscious essence is veiled by the kindling-woods of the Gunas (qualities of nature); from the agitation of which (Gunas) His cosmic mind is manifested; and who, by the very state of being actionless, transcends the injunctions of all scriptures.
मादृक्प्रपन्नपशुपाशविमोक्षणाय
मुक्ताय भूरिकरुणाय नमोऽलयाय ॥
Obeisances to Him who liberates surrendered beings like me from the fetters of material existence, to the eternally free, to the supremely compassionate, to the imperishable One.
स्वांशेन सर्वतनुभृन्मनसि प्रतीत-
प्रत्यग्दृशे भगवते बृहते नमस्ते ॥ १७॥
Salutations to You, the Supreme Lord, the Greatest, who, by Your own partial manifestation, are evident as the inner Witness in the minds of all embodied beings.
आत्माऽऽत्मजाप्तगृहवित्तजनेषु सक्तै-
र्दुष्प्रापणाय गुणसङ्गविवर्जिताय ।
मुक्तात्मभिः स्वहृदये परिभाविताय
ज्ञानात्मने भगवते नम ईश्वराय ॥ १८॥
Obeisances to the Lord, the Supreme Controller, the embodiment of pure knowledge, who is difficult for those attached to their body, children, relatives, home, wealth, and kinsmen to attain, who is free from the entanglement of material qualities, and who is meditated upon in their own hearts by liberated souls.
यं धर्मकामार्थविमुक्तिकामा
भजन्त इष्टां गतिमाप्नुवन्ति ।
किं त्वाशिषो रात्यपि देहमव्ययं
करोतु मेऽदभ्रदयो विमोक्षणम् ॥ १९॥
Those who desire righteousness, prosperity, pleasure, and liberation worship Him and attain their desired goal. What then of (other) boons? He even grants an imperishable body. May He, of infinite compassion, grant me liberation.
एकान्तिनो यस्य न कञ्चनार्थं
वाञ्छन्ति ये वै भगवत्प्रपन्नाः ।
अत्यद्भुतं तच्चरितं सुमङ्गलं
गायन्त आनन्दसमुद्रमग्नाः ॥ २०॥
His exclusive devotees, who have truly surrendered to the Lord, desire no personal gain. Singing His most wonderful and supremely auspicious pastimes, they are immersed in an ocean of bliss.
तमक्षरम्ब्रह्म परं परेश-
मव्यक्तमाध्यात्मिकयोगगम्यम् ।
अतीन्द्रियं सूक्ष्ममिवातिदूर-
मनन्तमाद्यं परिपूर्णमीडे ॥ २१॥
I praise Him who is the imperishable Brahman, the Supreme, the Lord of all lords, the unmanifest, attainable through spiritual contemplation, beyond the senses, subtle, as if extremely distant, infinite, primeval, and perfectly complete.
यस्य ब्रह्मादयो देवा वेदा लोकाश्चराचराः ।
नामरूपविभेदेन फल्ग्व्या च कलया कृताः ॥ २२॥
From whom Brahma and other gods, the Vedas, the worlds, and all moving and non-moving entities are created, distinguished by name and form, by a mere insignificant fraction of His power.
यथार्चिषोऽग्नेः सवितुर्गभस्तयो
निर्यान्ति संयान्त्यसकृत्स्वरोचिषः ।
तथा यतोऽयं गुणसम्प्रवाहो
बुद्धिर्मनः खानि शरीरसर्गाः ॥ २३॥
Just as the flames of a fire and the rays of the sun repeatedly emanate and retract their own light, similarly, from Him proceeds and recedes this flow of the material qualities, along with intelligence, mind, the senses, and the creation of bodies.
स वै न देवासुरमर्त्यतिर्यङ्
न स्त्री न षण्डो न पुमान्न जन्तुः ।
नायं गुणः कर्म न सन्न चासन्
निषेधशेषो जयतादशेषः ॥ २४॥
He is certainly not a god, demon, human, or animal; not a female, nor an eunuch, nor a male, nor a living being. He is not a quality, nor an action, neither existent nor non-existent. May He, the unlimited One who remains after all negations, be victorious!
जिजीविषे नाहमिहामुया कि-
मन्तर्बहिश्चावृतयेभयोन्या ।
इच्छामि कालेन न यस्य विप्लव-
स्तस्यात्मलोकावरणस्य मोक्षम् ॥ २५॥
I do not desire to live here (in this world) or there (in the next world) in this condition, covered internally and externally by this elephant birth. I desire liberation from that covering of the Self-world, which is not destroyed by time.
सोऽहं विश्वसृजं विश्वमविश्वं विश्ववेदसम् ।
विश्वात्मानमजं ब्रह्म प्रणतोऽस्मि परं पदम् ॥ २६॥
I bow to Him, the creator of the universe, the universe itself, yet distinct from the universe, the knower of the universe, the Self of the universe, unborn, Brahman, the Supreme Abode.
योगरन्धितकर्माणो हृदि योगविभाविते ।
योगिनो यं प्रपश्यन्ति योगेशं तं नतोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ २७॥
I bow to that Lord of Yoga whom the yogis, whose karmas have been purified by yoga, clearly behold in their hearts illuminated by yoga.
नमो नमस्तुभ्यमसह्य वेग-
शक्तित्रयायाखिलधीगुणाय ।
प्रपन्नपालाय दुरन्तशक्तये
कदिन्द्रियाणामनवाप्यवर्त्मने ॥ २८॥
Salutations, salutations to You, whose speed is irresistible, who possesses the three powers and is the essence of all mental qualities! To the protector of those who surrender, whose power is endless, whose path is unattainable by those with uncontrolled senses!
नायं वेद स्वमात्मानं यच्छक्त्याहन्धिया हतम् ।
तं दुरत्ययमाहात्म्यं भगवन्तमितोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ २९॥
This (self) does not know its own Self, struck down by the ego (aham-dhi) born of Your power. To that Lord (Bhagavan), whose glory is insurmountable, I go for refuge.
श्रीशुक उवाच
एवं गजेन्द्रमुपवर्णितनिर्विशेषं
ब्रह्मादयो विविधलिङ्गभिदाभिमानाः ।
नैते यदोपससृपुर्निखिलात्मकत्वात्
तत्राखिलामरमयो हरिराविरासीत् ॥ ३०॥
Śrī Śuka said:
When Gajendra thus described the one who is devoid of specific attributes, Brahmā and others, who identify with various distinct forms, did not approach, due to their identification with specific forms (or because He is the Soul of all). Then Hari, who embodies all deities, appeared there.
तं तद्वदार्त्तमुपलभ्य जगन्निवासः
स्तोत्रं निशम्य दिविजैः सह संस्तुवभिः ।
छन्दोमयेन गरुडेन समुह्यमान-
श्चक्रायुधोऽभ्यगमदाशु यतो गजेन्द्रः ॥ ३१॥
Perceiving him (Gajendra) distressed in that manner, the Abode of the universe, hearing the hymn even as the demigods were praising along, being carried by Garuḍa, who is the embodiment of the Vedas, the wielder of the discus swiftly went to where Gajendra was.
सोऽन्तस्सरस्युरुबलेन गृहीत आर्त्तो
दृष्ट्वा गरुत्मति हरिं ख उपात्तचक्रम् ।
उत्क्षिप्य साम्बुजकरं गिरमाह कृच्छ्रा-
न्नारायणाखिलगुरो भगवन् नमस्ते ॥ ३२॥
He, distressed and seized by immense strength within the lake, saw Hari on Garuḍa in the sky, His discus already taken up. Raising his lotus-like trunk, he spoke with great difficulty: 'O Nārāyaṇa, O preceptor of all, O Lord, salutations to You!'
तं वीक्ष्य पीडितमजः सहसावतीर्य
सग्राहमाशु सरसः कृपयोज्जहार ।
ग्राहाद्विपाटितमुखादरिणा गजेन्द्रं
सम्पश्यतां हरिरमूमुचदुस्त्रियाणाम् ॥ ३३॥
Upon seeing him (Gajendra) in distress, the Unborn Lord (Vishnu) swiftly descended. Out of compassion, He immediately pulled Gajendra along with the crocodile from the lake. Hari, the foe (of the crocodile), tore open the crocodile's mouth and released Gajendra, while the celestial beings watched.
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुरराणे संहितायामष्टस्कन्धे
श्रीगजेन्द्रमोक्षणं नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः ॥
Thus ends the third chapter, named 'Shri Gajendra Mokshana' (The Liberation of Gajendra), in the Eighth Canto of the great Purana, the glorious Srimad Bhagavatam.