Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 17
Gajendra’s Prayers and the Appearance of Lord Hari
Gajendra-stuti and Hari-darśana
मादृक्प्रपन्नपशुपाशविमोक्षणाय मुक्ताय भूरिकरुणाय नमोऽलयाय । स्वांशेन सर्वतनुभृन्मनसि प्रतीत- प्रत्यग्दृशे भगवते बृहते नमस्ते ॥ १७ ॥
mādṛk prapanna-paśu-pāśa-vimokṣaṇāya muktāya bhūri-karuṇāya namo ’layāya svāṁśena sarva-tanu-bhṛn-manasi pratīta- pratyag-dṛśe bhagavate bṛhate namas te
Since an animal such as me has surrendered unto You, who are supremely liberated, certainly You will release me from this dangerous position. Indeed, being extremely merciful, You incessantly try to deliver me. By your partial feature as Paramātmā, You are situated in the hearts of all embodied beings. You are celebrated as direct transcendental knowledge, and You are unlimited. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The words bṛhate namas te have been explained by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura: bṛhate śrī-kṛṣṇāya. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. There are many tattvas, such as viṣṇu-tattva, jīva-tattva and śakti-tattva, but above everything is the viṣṇu-tattva, which is all-pervading. This all-pervading feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (10.42) , wherein the Lord says:
FAQs
This verse teaches that the Lord, being ever-free and supremely merciful, releases surrendered souls from the ‘noose’ of material bondage; surrender (prapatti) attracts His saving grace.
Because Gajendra, helpless in danger, experiences that only the Lord is the ultimate refuge (ālayāya) and that His compassion extends to rescuing even an animal devotee who takes wholehearted shelter.
By cultivating inner remembrance—prayer, mindfulness of God, and ethical living—one turns inward to recognize the Lord’s guidance in the heart and gains strength to break habits and attachments that bind.