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
O Bhagavān, da selbst ein „Tier“ wie ich sich Dir ergeben hat, wirst Du, der vollkommen Befreite, mich gewiss aus dieser gefährlichen Fessel lösen. Du bist überaus barmherzig und unablässige Zuflucht. Als Paramātmā wohnt Deine Teilmanifestation im Herzen aller Verkörperten; Du bist unmittelbares inneres Wissen, der Große und Unbegrenzte. Ich verneige mich vor Dir.
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.