Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 21

Trikūṭa Mountain, Ṛtumat Garden, and the Beginning of Gajendra’s Crisis

Devanagari script

यद्गन्धमात्राद्धरयो गजेन्द्रा व्याघ्रादयो व्यालमृगा: सखड्‌गा: । महोरगाश्चापि भयाद्‌द्रवन्ति सगौरकृष्णा: सरभाश्चमर्य: ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

yad-gandha-mātrād dharayo gajendrā vyāghrādayo vyāla-mṛgāḥ sakhaḍgāḥ mahoragāś cāpi bhayād dravanti sagaura-kṛṣṇāḥ sarabhāś camaryaḥ

Translation

Simply by catching scent of that elephant, all the other elephants, the tigers and the other ferocious animals, such as lions, rhinoceroses, great serpents and black and white sarabhas, fled in fear. The camarī deer also fled.

Synonyms

• yat: from which
• yat: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; relative pronoun used with ablative sense (यत् = from which)

• gandha-mātrāt: from the mere scent
• gandha-mātrāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: gandhasya mātram = mere smell

• dharayaḥ: lions
• dharayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• gajendrāḥ: lordly elephants
• gajendrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja-indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: gajānām indraḥ = lord of elephants

• vyāghra-ādayaḥ: tigers and the rest
• vyāghra-ādayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; तत्पुरुष: vyāghraḥ ādiḥ yeṣām = tigers and others

• vyāla-mṛgāḥ: ferocious beasts
• vyāla-mṛgāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāla (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; कर्मधारय: vyālāḥ mṛgāḥ = fierce beasts

• sa-khaḍgāḥ: (those) with horns/swords
• sa-khaḍgāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + khaḍga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; अव्ययीभाव: sa- = with; 'with swords/horns' (khaḍga = sword; also rhinoceros horn)

• mahā-oragāḥ: great serpents
• mahā-oragāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + uraga/oraga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; कर्मधारय: mahāntaḥ uragāḥ = great serpents

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चय)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अपि = also/even)

• bhayāt: from fear
• bhayāt: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• dravanti: run away
• dravanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dru (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural

• sa-gaura-kṛṣṇāḥ: together with the fair and dark (beasts)
• sa-gaura-kṛṣṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (अव्यय) + gaura (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; अव्ययीभाव: sa- = with; 'with the fair and the dark (ones)' (gaura-kṛṣṇa as द्वन्द्व inside)

• sarabhāḥ: sarabhas (mythic beasts)
• sarabhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चय)

• camaryaḥ: camaryas (a kind of wild animal)
• camaryaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: camarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

Characters & Entities

• Gajendra

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the power of the Lord’s presence?

This verse says that even the strongest and most fearsome creatures flee simply by catching the Lord’s scent, highlighting the overwhelming majesty of the Supreme.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī describing animals fleeing in fear in Gajendra Moksha?

In the Gajendra Moksha narration, Śukadeva emphasizes the Lord’s irresistible potency—His mere presence subdues all worldly strength—preparing the listener to understand how the Lord can effortlessly rescue His devotee.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

It encourages cultivating refuge in God: when one remembers the Lord with faith, fear and anxiety lose their grip, just as worldly terrors are subdued by divine presence.