Shloka 19

Gajendra's Deliverance — Gajendra’s Deliverance and the Protective Power of Remembrance (Japa)

Devanagari script

तस्मिन् सरसि दुष्टात्मा विरूपो ऽन्तर्जलेशयः आसीद् ग्राहो गजेन्द्राणां रिपुराकेकरेक्षमः

Transliteration

tasmin sarasi duṣṭātmā virūpo 'ntarjaleśayaḥ āsīd grāho gajendrāṇāṃ ripurākekarekṣamaḥ

Translation

ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—ਹੇ ਭਦ੍ਰ ਪੁਰਖ, ਦੱਸੋ ਕਿ ਕੀ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੈ; ਕਿਹੜੇ ਕਾਰਨ ਕਰਕੇ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਫੜਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ? ਉਹ ਗੱਲ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਸਾਫ਼ ਦੱਸੋ। ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਭਲਾ ਹੋਵੇ; ਮੈਂ ਇੱਥੇ ਹਾਜ਼ਰ ਹਾਂ—ਹੁਣ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਉਪਦੇਸ਼ ਦਿਓ।

Word by Word

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Speakers

• Narrator voice within the Purāṇic dialogue (exact interlocutors not provided in input)

Key Themes

• Moral contrast in sacred space (tirtha vs. lurking danger)
• Mythic prelude to divine rescue
• Predation as a narrative catalyst

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Why is a ‘wicked crocodile’ placed in a sacred lake narrative?

Purāṇic tirtha narratives often include a संकट (crisis) that triggers divine intervention or reveals the tirtha’s salvific power; the crocodile functions as the narrative instrument that brings the elephant-lord to a turning point.

Does grāha mean only ‘crocodile’?

Primarily it denotes a crocodile in such contexts, but etymologically it also means ‘seizer/grabber,’ fitting the motif of sudden capture that defines the Gajendra episode.

What does ‘watching for a single opportunity’ imply?

It portrays the crocodile as strategic and patient, heightening the inevitability of conflict when the elephant enters the water—an important setup for the next verses.