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𑌗𑌜𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍋𑌕𑍍𑌷 𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍍

गजेन्द्रमोक्ष स्तोत्रम् in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Early morning (Brahma Muhurta) after a bath; especially on Ekadashi, Dvadashi and in times of distress·📜 Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Eighth Canto (chapters 2-4)
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Origin & Story

Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Eighth Canto (chapters 2-4) · Veda Vyasa (as narrated by Shuka to King Parikshit) · 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.

As told in scripture

The Bhagavata declares that the very instant Gajendra's prayer became free of all selfish motive and he sought the Lord alone, Sri Hari, who dwells in the hearts of all, abandoned His own abode and rushed on Garuda to the lake — delivering the elephant before any other god could respond. Devotees hold that the Lord still comes with the same swiftness to any soul who, having exhausted every other resource, cries out to Him in complete surrender.

Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌶𑍁𑌕 𑌉𑌵𑌾𑌚 - 𑌏𑌵𑌂 𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌵𑌸𑌿𑌤𑍋 𑌬𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌸𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌾𑌯 𑌮𑌨𑍋 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌿 𑌜𑌜𑌾𑌪 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌂 𑌜𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌨𑍁𑌶𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍

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

Meaning:श्रीशुकदेव बोले — इस प्रकार बुद्धि से निश्चय करके और अपने मन को हृदय में स्थिर करके गजेन्द्र ने वह परम जप करना आरम्भ किया, जिसे उसने पूर्वजन्म में सीखा था।

Verse 2

𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌗𑌜𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰 𑌉𑌵𑌾𑌚 - 𑍐 𑌨𑌮𑍋 𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌤𑍇 𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌮𑍈 𑌯𑌤 𑌏𑌤𑌚𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌦𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌮𑍍 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌷𑌾𑌯𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌬𑍀𑌜𑌾𑌯 𑌪𑌰𑍇𑌶𑌾𑌯𑌾𑌭𑌿𑌧𑍀𑌮𑌹𑌿

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

Meaning:गजेन्द्र बोले — ॐ। उस भगवान् को मेरा नमस्कार है, जिनसे यह सम्पूर्ण चिन्मय सृष्टि प्रकट हुई है। हम उस आदिपुरुष, सबके आदिबीज, परमेश्वर का ध्यान करते हैं।

Verse 3

𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌦𑌂 𑌯𑌤𑌶𑍍𑌚𑍇𑌦𑌂 𑌯𑍇𑌨𑍇𑌦𑌂 𑌯 𑌇𑌦𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌮𑍍 𑌯𑍋𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌚𑍍𑌚 𑌪𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍇 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌮𑍍𑌭𑍁𑌵𑌮𑍍

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

Meaning:जिनमें यह जगत् स्थित है, जिनसे यह उत्पन्न होता है, जिनके द्वारा यह है, और जो स्वयं यह जगत् हैं — उन स्वयम्भू, परात्पर प्रभु की मैं शरण ग्रहण करता हूँ।

Verse 4

𑌯𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑍀𑌦𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌮𑌾𑌯𑌯𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌕𑍍𑌵𑌚𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌭𑌾𑌤𑌂 𑌕𑍍𑌵 𑌚 𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌰𑍋𑌹𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌦𑍃𑌕𑍍𑌸𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌭𑌯𑌂 𑌤𑌦𑍀𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌤𑍇 𑌸 𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌮𑍂𑌲𑍋𑌽𑌵𑌤𑍁 𑌮𑌾𑌂 𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌰𑌃

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

Meaning:यह सृष्टि उनकी अपनी माया द्वारा उनके ही आत्मा में प्रकट की गई है — कभी प्रकट, कभी लीन। वे निर्मल दृष्टि वाले साक्षी दोनों अवस्थाओं को देखते हैं। वे आत्ममूल परात्पर प्रभु मेरी रक्षा करें।

Verse 5

𑌕𑌾𑌲𑍇𑌨 𑌪𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌕𑍃𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍍𑌨𑌶𑍋 𑌲𑍋𑌕𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌪𑌾𑌲𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌚 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌹𑍇𑌤𑍁𑌷𑍁 𑌤𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌦𑌾𑌸𑍀𑌦𑍍 𑌗𑌹𑌨𑌂 𑌗𑌭𑍀𑌰𑌂 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌪𑌾𑌰𑍇𑌽𑌭𑌿𑌵𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌜𑌤𑍇 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍁𑌃

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

Meaning:जब समय आने पर समस्त लोक, उनके पालक तथा सभी कारण एकत्व में लीन हो जाते हैं, तब केवल गहन-गम्भीर अन्धकार शेष रहता है; किन्तु वे विभु प्रभु उस अन्धकार के परे प्रकाशमान रहते हैं। वे मेरी रक्षा करें।

Verse 6

𑌨 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌾 𑌋𑌷𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑌦𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍁- 𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌃 𑌪𑍁𑌨𑌃 𑌕𑍋𑌽𑌰𑍍𑌹𑌤𑌿 𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌮𑍀𑌰𑌿𑌤𑍁𑌮𑍍 𑌯𑌥𑌾 𑌨𑌟𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌿𑌭𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌚𑍇𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌤𑍋 𑌦𑍁𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌯𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌣𑌃 𑌸 𑌮𑌾𑌵𑌤𑍁

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

Meaning:जिनके स्वरूप को देवता और ऋषि भी नहीं जान पाते, फिर साधारण प्राणी उन्हें कैसे जान या वर्णन कर सकता है? जैसे नट अनेक रूप धारण करता है, वैसे ही उनकी गति दुर्ज्ञेय है। वे प्रभु मेरी रक्षा करें।

Verse 7

𑌨𑌮𑍋 𑌨𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌮𑌸𑌹𑍍𑌯𑌵𑍇𑌗- 𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌯𑌾𑌯𑌾𑌖𑌿𑌲𑌧𑍀𑌗𑍁𑌣𑌾𑌯 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌪𑌾𑌲𑌾𑌯 𑌦𑍁𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌯𑍇 𑌕𑌦𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌾𑌣𑌾𑌮𑌨𑌵𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑍇

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

Meaning:आपको बारम्बार नमस्कार है, जो असह्य वेग वाली त्रिगुणात्मक शक्ति के स्वामी हैं, समस्त बुद्धि के मूल हैं, शरणागतों के रक्षक हैं, अनन्त शक्ति वाले हैं, और जिनका मार्ग अनियन्त्रित इन्द्रियों को कभी प्राप्त नहीं होता।

Verse 8

𑌯𑌂 𑌧𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥𑌵𑌿𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾 𑌭𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌤 𑌇𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌾𑌂 𑌗𑌤𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌨𑍁𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌚𑌾𑌶𑌿𑌷𑍋 𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌪𑌿 𑌦𑍇𑌹𑌮𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌯𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑍋𑌤𑍁 𑌮𑍇𑌽𑌦𑌭𑍍𑌰𑌦𑌯𑍋 𑌵𑌿𑌮𑍋𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌣𑌮𑍍

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

Meaning:धर्म, काम, अर्थ अथवा मोक्ष की कामना करने वाले जिनकी उपासना करके अपना अभीष्ट प्राप्त कर लेते हैं, और जो अविनाशी देह तक प्रदान करते हैं — वे अपार दया वाले प्रभु मुझे मोक्ष प्रदान करें।

Verse 9

𑌏𑌕𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌨𑍋 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌨 𑌕𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌨𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌞𑍍𑌛𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌯𑍇 𑌵𑍈 𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌾𑌃 𑌅𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌦𑍍𑌭𑍁𑌤𑌂 𑌤𑌚𑍍𑌚𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌸𑍁𑌮𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌲𑌂 𑌗𑌾𑌯𑌨𑍍𑌤 𑌆𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌸𑌮𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌗𑍍𑌨𑌾𑌃

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

Meaning:जो उनके अनन्य भक्त हैं और भगवान् के पूर्ण शरणागत हैं, वे कुछ भी नहीं चाहते; आनन्द के समुद्र में डूबे हुए वे उनके अत्यन्त अद्भुत एवं परम मंगलमय चरित्रों का गान करते हैं।

Verse 10

𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌮𑍈 𑌨𑌮𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑍇𑌶𑌾𑌯 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌣𑍇𑌽𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌯𑍇 𑌅𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌾𑌯𑍋𑌰𑍁𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌾𑌯 𑌨𑌮 𑌆𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌣𑍇

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

Meaning:उन परमेश्वर को नमस्कार है, जो अनन्त शक्ति वाले ब्रह्म हैं, जो अरूप होते हुए भी अनेक रूप वाले हैं — उन आश्चर्यकर्मा प्रभु को नमस्कार है।

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑍐 𑌨𑌮𑍋 𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌤𑍇 𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌮𑍈🔊oṃ namo bhagavate tasmaiOm, I offer obeisances to that Supreme Lord (Bhagavan)
𑌯𑌤 𑌏𑌤𑌤𑍍 𑌚𑌿𑌦𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌮𑍍🔊yata etat cid-ātmakamfrom whom this entire creation, made of consciousness, has come
𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌷𑌾𑌯🔊puruṣāyato the Supreme Person (Purusha)
𑌆𑌦𑌿𑌬𑍀𑌜𑌾𑌯🔊ādi-bījāyathe original seed and cause of all
𑌪𑌰𑍇𑌶𑌾𑌯 𑌅𑌭𑌿𑌧𑍀𑌮𑌹𑌿🔊pareśāya abhidhīmahithe Supreme Controller — upon Him we meditate
𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌨𑍍 𑌇𑌦𑌮𑍍🔊yasmin idamin whom this universe rests
𑌯𑌤𑌃 𑌚 𑌇𑌦𑌮𑍍🔊yataś ca idamfrom whom this universe arises
𑌤𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍇 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌮𑍍𑌭𑍁𑌵𑌮𑍍🔊taṃ prapadye svayambhuvamI take refuge in Him, the self-existent (Svayambhu)
𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌮𑌾𑌯𑌯𑌾 𑌅𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊nija-māyayā arpitamprojected by His own divine power (maya)
𑌅𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌦𑍃𑌕𑍍 𑌸𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍀🔊aviddha-dṛk sākṣīthe untainted witness whose vision is never obscured
𑌸 𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌮𑍂𑌲𑌃 𑌅𑌵𑌤𑍁 𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊sa ātma-mūlaḥ avatu māmmay He, the self-rooted source of all, protect me
𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌰𑌃🔊parāt-paraḥgreater than the greatest, transcendental
𑌤𑌮𑌃 𑌤𑌦𑌾 𑌆𑌸𑍀𑌤𑍍 𑌗𑌹𑌨𑌂 𑌗𑌭𑍀𑌰𑌮𑍍🔊tamas tadā āsīt gahanaṃ gabhīramthen there remained only deep, impenetrable darkness (at dissolution)
𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌪𑌾𑌰𑍇 𑌅𑌭𑌿𑌵𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌜𑌤𑍇 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍁𑌃🔊yasya pāre abhivirājate vibhuḥthe all-pervading Lord who shines beyond that darkness
𑌨 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌾𑌃 𑌋𑌷𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑌦𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍁𑌃🔊na yasya devā ṛṣayaḥ padaṃ viduḥwhose true nature neither the gods nor the sages can know
𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌪𑌾𑌲𑌾𑌯🔊prapanna-pālāyato the protector of those who surrender to Him
𑌦𑍁𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌯𑍇🔊duranta-śaktayeto the one of limitless, fathomless power
𑌅𑌦𑌭𑍍𑌰𑌦𑌯𑌃🔊adabhra-dayaḥthe one of boundless mercy
𑌕𑌰𑍋𑌤𑍁 𑌮𑍇 𑌵𑌿𑌮𑍋𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌣𑌮𑍍🔊karotu me vimokṣaṇammay He grant me liberation (deliverance)
𑌆𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌸𑌮𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌗𑍍𑌨𑌾𑌃🔊ānanda-samudra-magnāḥimmersed in an ocean of bliss (the surrendered devotees)
𑌅𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌾𑌯 𑌉𑌰𑍁𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌾𑌯🔊arūpāya uru-rūpāyato the formless one who yet has unlimited forms
𑌨𑌮𑌃 𑌆𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌣𑍇🔊namaḥ āścarya-karmaṇeobeisances to the one of wondrous, marvellous deeds

Benefits of Chanting गजेन्द्रमोक्ष स्तोत्रम्

Regarded as the supreme hymn of total surrender (sharanagati) to the Lord

Believed to invoke the Lord's immediate protection in moments of grave danger and distress

Frees the mind from fear, helplessness and dependence on one's own limited strength

Traditionally recited for relief from disease, debt, enemies and life-threatening crises

Cultivates pure, desireless devotion that seeks the Lord alone and not His gifts

Said to grant liberation (moksha) at the end of life, as it did for Gajendra

Recitation at dawn is held to remove the burden of accumulated sins

How to Chant गजेन्द्रमोक्ष स्तोत्रम्

Repetitions1times
Best TimeEarly morning (Brahma Muhurta) after a bath; especially on Ekadashi, Dvadashi and in times of distress

Bathe and sit facing east before an image of Lord Vishnu. Light a lamp and recite the Gajendra Moksha Stotram slowly with full attention, contemplating Gajendra's complete surrender. The Bhagavata states that the Lord rises to protect the helpless the instant the devotee gives up all other shelter, so chant with a heart that relies on Him alone. It may be recited daily, or read in full during illness, danger or moments of helplessness, and is traditionally read for the welfare of the departed.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete गजेन्द्रमोक्ष स्तोत्रम् written in the Grantha script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.
Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.
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'.
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.
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.
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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Read the full गजेन्द्रमोक्ष स्तोत्रम् with verse-by-verse meaning, or explore more sacred texts