Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 14

Aftermath of Gajendra’s Deliverance: Hūhū’s Release, Indradyumna’s Curse, and Sārūpya-mukti

Devanagari script

एतन्महाराज तवेरितो मया कृष्णानुभावो गजराजमोक्षणम् । स्वर्ग्यं यशस्यं कलिकल्मषापहं दु:स्वप्ननाशं कुरुवर्य श‍ृण्वताम् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

etan mahā-rāja taverito mayā kṛṣṇānubhāvo gaja-rāja-mokṣaṇam svargyaṁ yaśasyaṁ kali-kalmaṣāpahaṁ duḥsvapna-nāśaṁ kuru-varya śṛṇvatām

Translation

My dear King Parīkṣit, I have now described the wonderful power of Kṛṣṇa, as displayed when the Lord delivered the King of the elephants. O best of the Kuru dynasty, those who hear this narration become fit to be promoted to the higher planetary systems. Simply because of hearing this narration, they gain a reputation as devotees, they are unaffected by the contamination of Kali-yuga, and they never see bad dreams.

Synonyms

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahā-rāja: O great king
• mahā-rāja: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja(n) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Vocative compound (समास): mahārāja; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• īritaḥ: spoken/told
• īritaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īr (ईर्/ईरय् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṛṣṇa-anubhāvaḥ: the power/glory of Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇa-anubhāvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + anubhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास): kṛṣṇānubhāva; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• gaja-rāja-mokṣaṇam: the deliverance of the elephant-king
• gaja-rāja-mokṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja(n) (प्रातिपदिक) + mokṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास): gajarāja-mokṣaṇa; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• svargyam: heavenly
• svargyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svargya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• yaśasyam: fame-giving
• yaśasyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yaśasya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• kali-kalmaṣa-apaham: removing the sins of Kali-age
• kali-kalmaṣa-apaham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kali (प्रातिपदिक) + kalmaṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + apaha (अपह/अपहन् प्रातिपदिक ‘remover’)
• Form: Compound (समास): kali-kalmaṣāpaha ‘remover of Kali’s impurities’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• duḥsvapna-nāśam: destruction of bad dreams
• duḥsvapna-nāśam: Viśeṣya/Phala (विशेष्य/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥsvapna (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास): duḥsvapna-nāśa; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• kuru-varya: O best of the Kurus
• kuru-varya: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuru (प्रातिपदिक) + varya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Vocative compound (समास): kuru-varya ‘best of the Kurus’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• śṛṇvatām: of those who listen
• śṛṇvatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ) used substantively; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन) (also acceptable as Locative plural in Vedic usage; here Genitive: ‘of those who hear’)

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit Mahārāja
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Gajendra

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the benefits of hearing the Gajendra Moksha story?

This verse says that hearing Gajendra’s deliverance reveals Kṛṣṇa’s glory, grants pious merit and fame, removes Kali-yuga contamination, and even destroys distressing dreams.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī speak this verse to Parīkṣit Mahārāja?

After narrating Gajendra’s liberation, Śukadeva concludes by highlighting the spiritual and purifying results of hearing this līlā, encouraging Parīkṣit (and all listeners) to receive it through śravaṇa-bhakti.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Regularly hear or read the Bhagavatam—especially the Gajendra Moksha episode—as a devotional practice to purify the mind, reduce fear and anxiety, and strengthen faith in the Lord’s protection.