FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.2.31

इत्थं गजेन्द्र: स यदाप सङ्कटं प्राणस्य देही विवशो यद‍ृच्छया । अपारयन्नात्मविमोक्षणे चिरं दध्याविमां बुद्धिमथाभ्यपद्यत ॥ ३१ ॥
itthaṁ gajendraḥ sa yadāpa saṅkaṭaṁ
[ittham gajendrah sa yadaapa sankatam]
prāṇasya dehī vivaśo yadṛcchayā
[praanasya dehee vivasho yadrichchayaa]
apārayann ātma-vimokṣaṇe ciraṁ
[apaarayann aatma-vimokshane chiram]
dadhyāv imāṁ buddhim athābhyapadyata
[dadhyaav imaam buddhim athaabhyapadyata]
Word-for-word
ittham — in this way gaja-indraḥ — the King of the elephants saḥ — he yadā — when āpa — obtained saṅkaṭam — such a dangerous position prāṇasya — of life dehī — who is embodied vivaśaḥ — circumstantially helpless yadṛcchayā — by the will of providence apārayan — being unable ātma-vimokṣaṇe — to save himself ciram — for a long time dadhyau — began to think seriously imām — this buddhim — decision atha — thereupon abhyapadyata — reached.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
itthaṁ gajendraḥ sa yadāpa saṅkaṭaṁ
ittham
in this way
gaja-indraḥ
the King of the elephants
saḥ
he
yadā
when
āpa
obtained
saṅkaṭam
such a dangerous position
prāṇasya dehī vivaśo yadṛcchayā
prāṇasya
of life
dehī
who is embodied
vivaśaḥ
circumstantially helpless
yadṛcchayā
by the will of providence
apārayann ātma-vimokṣaṇe ciraṁ
apārayan
being unable
ātma-vimokṣaṇe
to save himself
ciram
for a long time
dadhyāv imāṁ buddhim athābhyapadyata
dadhyau
began to think seriously
imām
this
buddhim
decision
atha
thereupon
abhyapadyata
reached.
When the King of the elephants saw that he was under the clutches of the crocodile by the will of providence and, being embodied and circumstantially helpless, could not save himself from danger, he was extremely afraid of being killed. He consequently thought for a long time and finally reached the following decision.
Purport

Everyone in the material world is engaged in a struggle for existence. Everyone tries to save himself from danger, but when one is unable to save himself, if he is pious, he then takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (7.16) :

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛtino ’rjuna ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha

Four kinds of pious men — namely, one who is in danger, one who is in need of money, one who is searching for knowledge and one who is inquisitive — begin to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to be saved or to advance. The King of the elephants, in his condition of danger, decided to seek shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. After considerable thought, he intelligently arrived at this correct decision. Such a decision is not reached by a sinful man. Therefore in Bhagavad-gītā it is said that those who are pious ( sukṛtī ) can decide that in a dangerous or awkward condition one should seek shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
When the king of the elephants saw that he was helpless by fate, that he could not save himself, and that his life was in danger, he thought for a long time and finally got intelligence. He thought, “This is my karma.” When he thought in that way, he suddenly got intelligence.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Realizing he cannot save himself, Gajendra finally pauses to think clearly and decides to take shelter of the Lord. Crisis can reveal the door of bhakti that comfort hides. Pious distress is often the doorway that opens us to the lotus feet.
Reflection Questions
  • What distress in my life might already be inviting me to make a similar decision?
  • Have I 'thought for a long time' yet about where my actual shelter lies?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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