Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.2.27
तं तत्र कश्चिन्नृप दैवचोदितो
ग्राहो बलीयांश्चरणे रुषाग्रहीत् ।
यदृच्छयैवं व्यसनं गतो गजो
यथाबलं सोऽतिबलो विचक्रमे ॥ २७ ॥
taṁ tatra kaścin nṛpa daiva-codito
[tam tatra kashchin nripa daiva-chodito]
grāho balīyāṁś caraṇe ruṣāgrahīt
[graaho baleeyaamsh charane rushaagraheet]
yadṛcchayaivaṁ vyasanaṁ gato gajo
[yadrichchayaivam vyasanam gato gajo]
yathā-balaṁ so ’tibalo vicakrame
[yathaa-balam so ’tibalo vichakrame]
Word-for-word
tam
—
him (Gajendra)
tatra
—
there (in the water)
kaścit
—
someone
nṛpa
—
O King
daiva-coditaḥ
—
inspired by providence
grāhaḥ
—
crocodile
balīyān
—
very powerful
caraṇe
—
his foot
ruṣā
—
angrily
agrahīt
—
captured
yadṛcchayā
—
occurring due to providence
evam
—
such
vyasanam
—
a dangerous position
gataḥ
—
having obtained
gajaḥ
—
the elephant
yathā-balam
—
according to his strength
saḥ
—
he
ati-balaḥ
—
with great endeavor
vicakrame
—
tried to get out.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
taṁ tatra kaścin nṛpa daiva-codito
tam
him (Gajendra)
tatra
there (in the water)
kaścit
someone
nṛpa
O King
daiva-coditaḥ
inspired by providence
grāho balīyāṁś caraṇe ruṣāgrahīt
grāhaḥ
crocodile
balīyān
very powerful
caraṇe
his foot
ruṣā
angrily
agrahīt
captured
yadṛcchayaivaṁ vyasanaṁ gato gajo
yadṛcchayā
occurring due to providence
evam
such
vyasanam
a dangerous position
gataḥ
having obtained
gajaḥ
the elephant
yathā-balaṁ so ’tibalo vicakrame
yathā-balam
according to his strength
saḥ
he
ati-balaḥ
with great endeavor
vicakrame
tried to get out.
By the arrangement of providence, O King, a strong crocodile was angry at the elephant and attacked the elephant’s leg in the water. The elephant was certainly strong, and he tried his best to get free from this danger sent by providence.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
O King! By fate, a strong crocodile, angry at the elephant, bit the elephant's leg in the water. The strong elephant, put into danger by fate, then showed his prowess.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Without warning, a crocodile clamps onto Gajendra's leg. The mighty elephant uses all his strength against a danger sent by providence. Some difficulties are not for us to muscle through; they arrive precisely so that we discover the limits of our own strength.
Reflection Questions
- Which current problem am I exhausting myself trying to defeat by strength alone?
- What might this difficulty be trying to teach me about my actual smallness?
My note
Source: vedabase.io