Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 12
The Lord’s Supervision of Embodiment: Fetal Development, Womb-Suffering, and the Jīva’s Prayer (Garbha-stuti) — and the Trap of Māyā
जन्तुरुवाच तस्योपसन्नमवितुं जगदिच्छयात्त- नानातनोर्भुवि चलच्चरणारविन्दम् । सोऽहं व्रजामि शरणं ह्यकुतोभयं मे येनेदृशी गतिरदर्श्यसतोऽनुरूपा ॥ १२ ॥
jantur uvāca tasyopasannam avituṁ jagad icchayātta- nānā-tanor bhuvi calac-caraṇāravindam so ’haṁ vrajāmi śaraṇaṁ hy akuto-bhayaṁ me yenedṛśī gatir adarśy asato ’nurūpā
The human soul says: I take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appears in His various eternal forms and walks on the surface of the world. I take shelter of Him only, because He can give me relief from all fear and from Him I have received this condition of life, which is just befitting my impious activities.
The word calac-caraṇāravindam refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who actually walks or travels upon the surface of the world. For example, Lord Rāmacandra actually walked on the surface of the world, and Lord Kṛṣṇa also walked just like an ordinary man. The prayer is therefore offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who descends to the surface of this earth, or any part of this universe, for the protection of the pious and the destruction of the impious. It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā that when there is an increase of irreligion and discrepancies arise in the real religious activities, the Supreme Lord comes to protect the pious and kill the impious. This verse indicates Lord Kṛṣṇa.
FAQs
This verse shows the jīva consciously choosing śaraṇa (refuge) in the Lord, who is described as akuto-bhaya—fearless and the giver of fearlessness—because only His grace reveals a fitting path even for the fallen.
Here the soul acknowledges that, by His will for the world’s welfare, the Lord manifests various incarnations and descends to protect those who approach Him for shelter.
Practice conscious surrender—remembering the Lord as the ultimate protector—so anxieties are met with devotion, humility, and steady reliance on divine guidance rather than panic or self-dependence alone.