FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.2.26

स पुष्करेणोद्‌धृतशीकराम्बुभि- र्निपाययन्संस्‍नपयन्यथा गृही । घृणी करेणु: करभांश्च दुर्मदो नाचष्ट कृच्छ्रं कृपणोऽजमायया ॥ २६ ॥
sa puṣkareṇoddhṛta-śīkarāmbubhir
[sa pushkarenoddhrita-sheekaraambubhir]
nipāyayan saṁsnapayan yathā gṛhī
[nipaayayan samsnapayan yathaa grihee]
ghṛṇī kareṇuḥ karabhāṁś ca durmado
[ghrinee karenuh karabhaamsh cha durmado]
nācaṣṭa kṛcchraṁ kṛpaṇo ’ja-māyayā
[naachashta krichchram kripano ’ja-maayayaa]
Word-for-word
saḥ — he (the leader of the elephants) puṣkareṇa — with his trunk uddhṛta — by drawing out śīkara-ambubhiḥ — and sprinkling the water nipāyayan — causing them to drink saṁsnapayan — and bathing them yathā — as gṛhī — a householder ghṛṇī — always kind (to the members of his family) kareṇuḥ — to his wives, the female elephants karabhān — to the children ca — as well as durmadaḥ — who is too attached to the members of his family na — not ācaṣṭa — considered kṛcchram — hardship kṛpaṇaḥ — being without spiritual knowledge aja-māyayā — because of the influence of the external, illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa puṣkareṇoddhṛta-śīkarāmbubhir
saḥ
he (the leader of the elephants)
puṣkareṇa
with his trunk
uddhṛta
by drawing out
śīkara-ambubhiḥ
and sprinkling the water
nipāyayan saṁsnapayan yathā gṛhī
nipāyayan
causing them to drink
saṁsnapayan
and bathing them
yathā
as
gṛhī
a householder
ghṛṇī kareṇuḥ karabhāṁś ca durmado
ghṛṇī
always kind (to the members of his family)
kareṇuḥ
to his wives, the female elephants
karabhān
to the children
ca
as well as
durmadaḥ
who is too attached to the members of his family
nācaṣṭa kṛcchraṁ kṛpaṇo ’ja-māyayā
na
not
ācaṣṭa
considered
kṛcchram
hardship
kṛpaṇaḥ
being without spiritual knowledge
aja-māyayā
because of the influence of the external, illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Like a human being who lacks spiritual knowledge and is too attached to the members of his family, the elephant, being illusioned by the external energy of Kṛṣṇa, had his wives and children bathe and drink the water. Indeed, he raised water from the lake with his trunk and sprayed it over them. He did not mind the hard labor involved in this endeavor.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Like a human being who lacks spiritual knowledge and is too attached to the members of his family, the elephant, illusioned by the external energy, had his wives and children bathe and drink the water with water raised by his trunk, without considering it an endeavor. He bathed his wives (kareṇuḥ) and children (karabhāṇ).
Personal Guidance
Like an attached householder, Gajendra labors to bathe and water his wives and young. Family duty is good, but performed under the illusion of total ownership it traps us. Care for those entrusted to you while remembering that they too belong to the Lord.
Reflection Questions
  • Where does my family service slip from offering to anxious possession?
  • How would my caregiving feel different if I held each loved one as the Lord's, not mine?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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