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Gajendra Moksha Stotram Meaning — Line by Line

गजेन्द्रमोक्ष स्तोत्रम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Gajendra Moksha Stotram with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. śrī-śuka uvāca -
  2. Verse 2. śrī-gajendra uvāca -
  3. Verse 3. yasminn-idaṃ yataś-cedaṃ yenedaṃ ya idaṃ svayam |
  4. Verse 4. yaḥ svātmanīdaṃ nija-māyayārpitaṃ
  5. Verse 5. kālena pañcatvam-iteṣu kṛtsnaśo
  6. Verse 6. na yasya devā ṛṣayaḥ padaṃ vidur-
  7. Verse 7. namo namas-tubhyam-asahya-vega-
  8. Verse 8. yaṃ dharma-kāmārtha-vimukti-kāmā
  9. Verse 9. ekāntino yasya na kañcanārthaṃ
  10. Verse 10. tasmai namaḥ pareśāya brahmaṇe'nanta-śaktaye |
Verse 1#

śrī-śuka uvāca -

श्रीशुक उवाच - एवं व्यवसितो बुद्ध्या समाधाय मनो हृदि जजाप परमं जाप्यं प्राग्जन्मन्यनुशिक्षितम्

śrī-śuka uvāca - evaṃ vyavasito buddhyā samādhāya mano hṛdi | jajāpa paramaṃ jāpyaṃ prāg-janmany-anuśikṣitam ||

MeaningSri Shuka said: Thus resolved in his mind and fixing his consciousness within his heart, Gajendra began to recite the supreme prayer he had learned in a previous birth.

Verse 2#

śrī-gajendra uvāca -

श्रीगजेन्द्र उवाच - नमो भगवते तस्मै यत एतच्चिदात्मकम् पुरुषायादिबीजाय परेशायाभिधीमहि

śrī-gajendra uvāca - oṃ namo bhagavate tasmai yata etac-cid-ātmakam | puruṣāyādi-bījāya pareśāyābhidhīmahi ||

MeaningGajendra said: Om. I offer my obeisances to that Supreme Lord from whom this whole conscious creation has sprung. We meditate upon Him, the Supreme Person, the original seed of everything, the Lord of all.

Verse 3#

yasminn-idaṃ yataś-cedaṃ yenedaṃ ya idaṃ svayam |

यस्मिन्निदं यतश्चेदं येनेदं इदं स्वयम् योऽस्मात्परस्माच्च परस्तं प्रपद्ये स्वयम्भुवम्

yasminn-idaṃ yataś-cedaṃ yenedaṃ ya idaṃ svayam | yo'smāt-parasmāc-ca paras-taṃ prapadye svayambhuvam ||

MeaningIn whom this universe rests, from whom it arises, by whom it exists, and who is Himself this universe — to Him, the self-existent one who is beyond the highest, I surrender.

Verse 4#

yaḥ svātmanīdaṃ nija-māyayārpitaṃ

यः स्वात्मनीदं निजमाययार्पितं क्वचिद्विभातं क्व तत्तिरोहितम् अविद्धदृक्साक्ष्युभयं तदीक्षते आत्ममूलोऽवतु मां परात्परः

yaḥ svātmanīdaṃ nija-māyayārpitaṃ kvacid-vibhātaṃ kva ca tat-tirohitam | aviddha-dṛk-sākṣy-ubhayaṃ tad-īkṣate sa ātma-mūlo'vatu māṃ parāt-paraḥ ||

MeaningThis creation is projected by His own maya upon His own Self — sometimes manifest, sometimes withdrawn. He, the untainted witness, sees both states. May that self-rooted Lord, greater than the greatest, protect me.

Verse 5#

kālena pañcatvam-iteṣu kṛtsnaśo

कालेन पञ्चत्वमितेषु कृत्स्नशो लोकेषु पालेषु सर्वहेतुषु तमस्तदासीद् गहनं गभीरं यस्तस्य पारेऽभिविराजते विभुः

kālena pañcatvam-iteṣu kṛtsnaśo lokeṣu pāleṣu ca sarva-hetuṣu | tamas-tadāsīd gahanaṃ gabhīraṃ yas-tasya pāre'bhivirājate vibhuḥ ||

MeaningWhen, in the course of time, all the worlds, their rulers, and all causes are dissolved into oneness, only deep, impenetrable darkness remains; yet the all-pervading Lord shines resplendent beyond that darkness. May He protect me.

Verse 6#

na yasya devā ṛṣayaḥ padaṃ vidur-

यस्य देवा ऋषयः पदं विदु- र्जन्तुः पुनः कोऽर्हति गन्तुमीरितुम् यथा नटस्याकृतिभिर्विचेष्टतो दुरत्ययानुक्रमणः मावतु

na yasya devā ṛṣayaḥ padaṃ vidur- jantuḥ punaḥ ko'rhati gantum-īritum | yathā naṭasyākṛtibhir-viceṣṭato duratyayānukramaṇaḥ sa māvatu ||

MeaningNeither the gods nor the sages can comprehend His position — how then can an ordinary creature describe or reach Him? Like an actor who assumes many forms, His ways are impossible to trace. May that Lord protect me.

Verse 7#

namo namas-tubhyam-asahya-vega-

नमो नमस्तुभ्यमसह्यवेग- शक्तित्रयायाखिलधीगुणाय प्रपन्नपालाय दुरन्तशक्तये कदिन्द्रियाणामनवाप्यवर्त्मने

namo namas-tubhyam-asahya-vega- śakti-trayāyākhila-dhī-guṇāya | prapanna-pālāya duranta-śaktaye kad-indriyāṇām-anavāpya-vartmane ||

MeaningObeisances again and again to You, who wield the irresistible threefold power (of the gunas), who are the source of all intelligence, the protector of the surrendered, of endless might, the path that the uncontrolled senses can never reach.

Verse 8#

yaṃ dharma-kāmārtha-vimukti-kāmā

यं धर्मकामार्थविमुक्तिकामा भजन्त इष्टां गतिमाप्नुवन्ति किं चाशिषो रात्यपि देहमव्ययं करोतु मेऽदभ्रदयो विमोक्षणम्

yaṃ dharma-kāmārtha-vimukti-kāmā bhajanta iṣṭāṃ gatim-āpnuvanti | kiṃ cāśiṣo rāty-api dehama-vyayaṃ karotu me'dabhra-dayo vimokṣaṇam ||

MeaningThose who desire dharma, pleasure, wealth, or liberation worship Him and attain their wished-for goal; He even grants an imperishable body. May that Lord of boundless mercy grant me deliverance.

Verse 9#

ekāntino yasya na kañcanārthaṃ

एकान्तिनो यस्य कञ्चनार्थं वाञ्छन्ति ये वै भगवत्प्रपन्नाः अत्यद्भुतं तच्चरितं सुमङ्गलं गायन्त आनन्दसमुद्रमग्नाः

ekāntino yasya na kañcanārthaṃ vāñchanti ye vai bhagavat-prapannāḥ | aty-adbhutaṃ tac-caritaṃ su-maṅgalaṃ gāyanta ānanda-samudra-magnāḥ ||

MeaningHis unalloyed devotees, who have fully surrendered to the Lord, desire nothing whatsoever; immersed in an ocean of bliss, they sing of His most wondrous and auspicious deeds.

Verse 10#

tasmai namaḥ pareśāya brahmaṇe'nanta-śaktaye |

तस्मै नमः परेशाय ब्रह्मणेऽनन्तशक्तये अरूपायोरुरूपाय नम आश्चर्यकर्मणे

tasmai namaḥ pareśāya brahmaṇe'nanta-śaktaye | arūpāyoru-rūpāya nama āścarya-karmaṇe ||

MeaningObeisances to that Supreme Lord, the limitless Brahman of infinite power, who though formless possesses unlimited forms — obeisances to Him of wondrous deeds.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

ॐ नमो भगवते तस्मै
oṃ namo bhagavate tasmai
Om, I offer obeisances to that Supreme Lord (Bhagavan)
यत एतत् चिदात्मकम्
yata etat cid-ātmakam
from whom this entire creation, made of consciousness, has come
पुरुषाय
puruṣāya
to the Supreme Person (Purusha)
आदिबीजाय
ādi-bījāya
the original seed and cause of all
परेशाय अभिधीमहि
pareśāya abhidhīmahi
the Supreme Controller — upon Him we meditate
यस्मिन् इदम्
yasmin idam
in whom this universe rests
यतः च इदम्
yataś ca idam
from whom this universe arises
तं प्रपद्ये स्वयम्भुवम्
taṃ prapadye svayambhuvam
I take refuge in Him, the self-existent (Svayambhu)
निजमायया अर्पितम्
nija-māyayā arpitam
projected by His own divine power (maya)
अविद्धदृक् साक्षी
aviddha-dṛk sākṣī
the untainted witness whose vision is never obscured
स आत्ममूलः अवतु माम्
sa ātma-mūlaḥ avatu mām
may He, the self-rooted source of all, protect me
परात्परः
parāt-paraḥ
greater than the greatest, transcendental
तमः तदा आसीत् गहनं गभीरम्
tamas tadā āsīt gahanaṃ gabhīram
then there remained only deep, impenetrable darkness (at dissolution)
यस्य पारे अभिविराजते विभुः
yasya pāre abhivirājate vibhuḥ
the all-pervading Lord who shines beyond that darkness
न यस्य देवाः ऋषयः पदं विदुः
na yasya devā ṛṣayaḥ padaṃ viduḥ
whose true nature neither the gods nor the sages can know
प्रपन्नपालाय
prapanna-pālāya
to the protector of those who surrender to Him
दुरन्तशक्तये
duranta-śaktaye
to the one of limitless, fathomless power
अदभ्रदयः
adabhra-dayaḥ
the one of boundless mercy
करोतु मे विमोक्षणम्
karotu me vimokṣaṇam
may He grant me liberation (deliverance)
आनन्दसमुद्रमग्नाः
ānanda-samudra-magnāḥ
immersed in an ocean of bliss (the surrendered devotees)
अरूपाय उरुरूपाय
arūpāya uru-rūpāya
to the formless one who yet has unlimited forms
नमः आश्चर्यकर्मणे
namaḥ āścarya-karmaṇe
obeisances to the one of wondrous, marvellous deeds

Origin & History

Source: Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Eighth Canto (chapters 2-4)

Author: Veda Vyasa (as narrated by Shuka to King Parikshit)

Period: Puranic

The Gajendra Moksha is narrated by Shukadeva Goswami to King Parikshit in the Eighth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavata Purana. Gajendra, king of the elephants, had been the pious king Indradyumna in a former life, cursed by sage Agastya to take an elephant's body. Seized by a crocodile (a Gandharva named Huhu, fallen by the curse of sage Devala) while drinking at a lake, Gajendra fought for a thousand years until utterly spent. Surrendering every other hope, he recited this prayer — the supreme jaapya he had learned in his previous birth — addressing the Lord not by any sectarian name but as the formless, all-pervading source of all. Pleased by such pure, desireless surrender, Lord Hari appeared upon Garuda, severed the crocodile's jaws with His Sudarshana Chakra, and lifted Gajendra from the water, granting both him and the crocodile liberation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Gajendra Moksha Stotram?
It is the prayer offered by Gajendra, the king of elephants, recorded in the Eighth Canto (chapters 2-4) of the Srimad Bhagavata Purana. While being dragged into a lake by a crocodile, Gajendra surrendered to the Supreme Lord with this hymn, and Lord Vishnu appeared and delivered him. 'Gajendra Moksha' means 'the liberation of Gajendra'.
What is the story behind the Gajendra Moksha?
Gajendra, a mighty elephant-king, went to a lake to drink and was seized by the leg by a powerful crocodile. They struggled for a thousand celestial years until the elephant's strength failed. Realising no earthly power could save him, Gajendra offered a lotus with his trunk and prayed to the Lord. The moment his prayer became free of all ego and self-interest, Lord Vishnu came on Garuda, killed the crocodile with His discus, and liberated Gajendra. The crocodile was a Gandharva freed from a curse.
What is the deeper meaning of the Gajendra Moksha?
Tradition reads it as an allegory of the soul. Gajendra is the jiva (individual soul), the crocodile is samsara (worldly entanglement) that grips ever tighter the more one struggles with one's own strength, and the lake is material existence. Deliverance comes only when the soul gives up self-reliance and surrenders completely to the Lord.
When and why is the Gajendra Moksha recited?
It is recited in times of danger, disease, debt or distress as a prayer for the Lord's protection, and daily by devotees as a hymn of surrender. It is considered especially powerful on Ekadashi and Dvadashi, and is traditionally read for the peace and liberation of those who have passed away.

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