Shloka 18
Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi and the Lord’s Unlimited Incarnations
गुप्तोऽप्यये मनुरिलौषधयश्च मात्स्ये क्रौडे हतो दितिज उद्धरताम्भस: क्ष्माम् । कौर्मे धृतोऽद्रिरमृतोन्मथने स्वपृष्ठे ग्राहात् प्रपन्नमिभराजममुञ्चदार्तम् ॥ १८ ॥
gupto ’pyaye manur ilauṣadhayaś ca mātsye krauḍe hato diti-ja uddharatāmbhasaḥ kṣmām kaurme dhṛto ’drir amṛtonmathane sva-pṛṣṭhe grāhāt prapannam ibha-rājam amuñcad ārtam
In Seiner Erscheinung als Fisch (Matsya) beschützte der Herr Manu Satyavrata, die Erde und die kostbaren Heilkräuter vor den Wassern des Pralaya. Als göttlicher Eber (Varāha) erschlug Er Hiraṇyākṣa, den Sohn Ditis, und hob die Erde aus den kosmischen Fluten empor. Als Schildkröte (Kūrma) trug Er den Berg Mandara auf Seinem Rücken, damit beim Quirlen des Ozeans der Nektar hervortrat. Und Er rettete Gajendra, den sich Ihm ergebenden Elefantenkönig, aus der furchtbaren Not im Griff des Krokodils.
FAQs
This verse lists multiple avatāras where the Lord intervenes—protecting Manu at pralaya, rescuing the earth as Varāha, sustaining the churning as Kūrma, and saving surrendered Gajendra—showing that divine protection follows sincere surrender.
Śukadeva highlights a consistent principle across different līlās: whether cosmic events (pralaya, earth’s rescue, nectar churning) or personal crisis (Gajendra), the Lord responds to surrender and protects those who take shelter of Him.
When overwhelmed, consciously turn to God with humility and trust—seek shelter through prayer, remembrance, and dharmic action—rather than relying only on ego or panic; the verse emphasizes relief comes through genuine dependence on the Lord.