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Shloka 15

Gajendra’s Prayers and the Appearance of Lord Hari

Gajendra-stuti and Hari-darśana

नमो नमस्तेऽखिलकारणाय निष्कारणायाद्भ‍ुतकारणाय । सर्वागमाम्नायमहार्णवाय नमोऽपवर्गाय परायणाय ॥ १५ ॥

namo namas te ’khila-kāraṇāya niṣkāraṇāyādbhuta-kāraṇāya sarvāgamāmnāya-mahārṇavāya namo ’pavargāya parāyaṇāya

يا ربّي، لكَ السجود مرارًا: أنتَ عِلّةُ العلل كلّها، ولا عِلّةَ لك؛ لذا فأنتَ العِلّةُ العجيبة لكلّ شيء. أنتَ محيطُ جميع الآغامَات (الشرائع)؛ مانحُ الموكشا وملجأُ السالكين إلى التعالي.

नमःsalutation
नमः:
सम्बोधन/उद्गार (Interjection/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootनमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नमस्कार-उद्गार
नमःsalutation
नमः:
सम्बोधन/उद्गार (Interjection/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootनमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति
तेto you
ते:
सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formमध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी/षष्ठी एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी-अर्थः (to you)
अखिलकारणायto the cause of all
अखिलकारणाय:
सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootअखिलकारण (प्रातिपदिक; अखिल + कारण)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अखिलस्य कारणम्/अखिलानां कारणम्)
निष्कारणायto the causeless one
निष्कारणाय:
सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
TypeAdjective
Rootनिष्कारण (प्रातिपदिक; निः + कारण)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/नञ्-भाव (without cause)
अद्भुतकारणायto the wondrous cause
अद्भुतकारणाय:
सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootअद्भुतकारण (प्रातिपदिक; अद्भुत + कारण)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अद्भुतं कारणम्)
सर्वागमाम्नायमहार्णवायto the great ocean of the Vedic traditions of all scriptures
सर्वागमाम्नायमहार्णवाय:
सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootसर्वागमाम्नायमहार्णव (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + आगम + आम्नाय + महा + अर्णव)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषाम् आगमानाम् आम्नायः = परम्परा/समूहः; तस्य महा-अर्णवः इव)
नमःsalutation
नमः:
सम्बोधन/उद्गार (Interjection/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootनमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
अपवर्गायto liberation (the giver of liberation)
अपवर्गाय:
सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootअपवर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; अपवर्ग = मोक्ष
परायणायto the supreme refuge
परायणाय:
सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
TypeAdjective
Rootपरायण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; परायण = परम-आश्रय/ultimate refuge

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described herein as the wonderful cause. He is wonderful in the sense that although there may be unlimited emanations from the Supreme Personality of Godhead ( janmādy asya yataḥ ), He always remains complete ( pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate ). In our experience in the material world, if we have a bank balance of one million dollars, as we withdraw money from the bank the balance gradually diminishes until it becomes nil. However, the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, is so complete that although innumerable Personalities of Godhead expand from Him, He remains the same Supreme Personality of Godhead. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate . Therefore He is the wonderful cause. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi.

G
Gajendra
L
Lord Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)

FAQs

This verse praises the Lord as akhila-kāraṇa—the source behind all causes—while also niṣkāraṇa, meaning He Himself depends on no prior cause, establishing His absolute supremacy.

Caught helplessly in mortal danger, Gajendra turns to the ultimate refuge and glorifies the Lord as the supreme shelter and giver of liberation, seeking divine protection and deliverance.

Practice conscious surrender: remember the Lord in crisis and calm, seek guidance from scripture, and place outcomes in His hands while doing your duty with sincerity.