Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

एवं विमोक्ष्य गजयूथपमब्जनाभ- स्तेनापि पार्षदगतिं गमितेन युक्त: । गन्धर्वसिद्धविबुधैरुपगीयमान- कर्माद्भ‍ुतं स्वभवनं गरुडासनोऽगात् ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

evaṁ vimokṣya gaja-yūtha-pam abja-nābhas tenāpi pārṣada-gatiṁ gamitena yuktaḥ gandharva-siddha-vibudhair upagīyamāna- karmādbhutaṁ sva-bhavanaṁ garuḍāsano ’gāt

Translation

Nachdem der lotusnabelige Herr den König der Elefanten aus den Klauen des Krokodils—und aus dem krokodilgleichen materiellen Dasein—befreit hatte, verlieh Er ihm sārūpya-mukti und die Stellung eines ewigen Gefährten. Während Gandharvas, Siddhas und andere Devas Seine wunderbaren Taten besangen, kehrte der Herr, auf Garuḍa sitzend, in Seine herrliche Wohnstatt zurück und nahm Gajendra mit sich.

Synonyms

• evam: thus
• evam: Prakāra-adhikaraṇa (प्रकाराधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• vimokṣya: having freed
• vimokṣya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√muc (वि-मुच् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), having liberated (पूर्वकालिक क्रियाविशेषण)

• gaja-yūtha-pam: the leader of the elephant herd
• gaja-yūtha-pam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja (प्रातिपदिक) + yūtha (प्रातिपदिक) + pa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास): gaja-yūtha-pa (गजयूथप) ‘leader of a herd of elephants’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• abja-nābhaḥ: the lotus-naveled Lord (Viṣṇu)
• abja-nābhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abja (प्रातिपदिक) + nābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि): ‘whose navel is a lotus’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tena: by him/with him
• tena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Particle (निपात-अव्यय)

• pārṣada-gatim: the status of an attendant (of the Lord)
• pārṣada-gatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārṣada (प्रातिपदिक) + gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास): pārṣada-gati (पार्षदगति) ‘state/position of an attendant’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• gamitena: by (him) being led/caused to attain
• gamitena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम् धातु, णिच् causative + क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Causative past passive participle (णिच् + क्त): ‘made to go/led’; Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• yuktaḥ: being joined/associated
• yuktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yuj (युज् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• gandharva-siddha-vibudhaiḥ: by Gandharvas, Siddhas, and gods
• gandharva-siddha-vibudhaiḥ: Karaṇa/Sahakārī (करण/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandharva (प्रातिपदिक) + siddha (प्रातिपदिक) + vibudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Copulative compound (द्वन्द्व): gandharvāḥ + siddhāḥ + vibudhāḥ; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• upagīyamāna-karmā: he whose deeds were being sung
• upagīyamāna-karmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upagīyamāna (उप√गै धातु, कर्मणि शानच्) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि): ‘whose deeds are being sung’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• adbhutam: wonderful
• adbhutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sva-bhavanam: his own abode
• sva-bhavanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास): sva-bhavana (स्वभवन); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• garuḍa-āsanaḥ: the one seated on Garuḍa (Viṣṇu)
• garuḍa-āsanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garuḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि): ‘whose seat is Garuḍa’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• agāt: went
• agāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Purport

In this verse the word vimokṣya is significant. For a devotee, mokṣa or mukti — salvation — means getting the position of the Lord’s associate. The impersonalists are satisfied to get the liberation of merging in the Brahman effulgence, but for a devotee, mukti (liberation) means not to merge in the effulgence of the Lord, but to be directly promoted to the Vaikuṇṭha planets and to become an associate of the Lord. In this regard, there is a relevant verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.8) :

Characters & Entities

• Abjanābha (Lord Viṣṇu)
• Gajendra
• Garuḍa
• Gandharvas
• Siddhas
• Vibudhas (Devas)

FAQs

What is the meaning of 'pārṣada-gati' in the Gajendra Moksha episode?

In this verse, 'pārṣada-gati' indicates that Gajendra was granted the destination/status of the Lord’s personal associate—liberation with devotional service in the Lord’s presence.

Why do Gandharvas, Siddhas, and the Devas sing about Vishnu’s deed here?

Because the Lord’s rescue of Gajendra is described as an 'adbhuta-karma'—a wondrous act of divine compassion—worthy of praise by celestial beings.

What practical lesson does this Bhagavatam verse teach about bhakti and liberation?

Sincere surrender to the Lord brings divine protection and the highest spiritual outcome; devotion is portrayed as the direct cause of the Lord’s saving grace.