FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.19.35

यो गजेन्द्र झषग्रस्तं ध्यायन्तं चरणाम्बुजम् । क्रोशन्तीनां करेणूनां कृच्छ्रतोऽमोचयद् द्रुतम् ॥ ३५ ॥
yo gajendraṁ jhaṣa-grastaṁ
[yo gajendram jhasha-grastam]
dhyāyantaṁ caraṇāmbujam
[dhyaayantam charanaambujam]
krośantīnāṁ kareṇūnāṁ
[kroshanteenaam karenoonaam]
kṛcchrato ’mocayad drutam
[krichchrato ’mochayad drutam]
yaḥ — He who gaja-indram — the king of elephants jhaṣa — an alligator grastam — attacked by dhyāyantam — meditating upon caraṇa — feet ambujam — lotus krośantīnām — while crying kareṇūnām — the female elephants kṛcchrataḥ — from danger amocayat — delivered drutam — quickly.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yo gajendraṁ jhaṣa-grastaṁ
dhyāyantaṁ caraṇāmbujam
yaḥ
He who
gaja-indram
the king of elephants
jhaṣa
an alligator
grastam
attacked by
dhyāyantam
meditating upon
caraṇa
feet
ambujam
lotus
krośantīnāṁ kareṇūnāṁ
krośantīnām
while crying
kareṇūnām
the female elephants
kṛcchrato ’mocayad drutam
kṛcchrataḥ
from danger
amocayat
delivered
drutam
quickly.
The Personality of Godhead delivered the king of the elephants, who was attacked by an alligator and who meditated upon the lotus feet of the Lord. At that time the female elephants who accompanied him were crying, and the Lord saved them from the impending danger.

The example of the elephant in danger who was saved by the Supreme Lord is especially cited here because even if one is an animal he can approach the Personality of Godhead in devotional service, whereas even a demigod cannot approach the Supreme Person unless he is a devotee.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
What grateful person would not worship the Supreme Lord who quickly rescued the king of the elephants from the material world when he was caught by the crocodile while his wives lamented, as he meditated on the lotus feet of the Lord, and who is willingly worshipped by the sincerely surrendered souls while not worshiped by the crooked? The Lord delivers humans just by their hearing his pastimes, but he even delivers animals, just by their remembrance of him. Jhaṣa means crocodile. What to speak of delivering the elephant from the crocodile, he delivered the elephant even from the material world (kṛcchrataḥ). Kareṇūnām means “of the female elephants, his wives.” One recognizes that the Lord is the protector of the surrendered souls, one who is grateful (kṛtajñaḥ), should always worship that Lord. He is not worshipped by those who are crooked (asādhubhiḥ), who surrender to someone else.
Real devotion is steady, not theatrical. The verse treats bhakti as the work the soul was made for — every other career is a temporary detour from this primary employment. The verse keeps returning to lotus feet of the Lord.
Reflection Questions
  • What part of your day still belongs entirely to your own enjoyment, and could even a corner of it be offered?
  • What would steady, unglamorous service look like for you this month?
📝 My note

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