Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

अथ दन्तोज्ज्वलमुखः कदाचिद् गजयूथपः मदस्रावी जलाकाङ्क्षी पादचारीव पर्वतः

Transliteration

atha dantojjvalamukhaḥ kadācid gajayūthapaḥ madasrāvī jalākāṅkṣī pādacārīva parvataḥ

Translation

Then, at some time, the leader of the elephant-herd—his face shining with tusks—oozing rut-fluid and longing for water, came on foot like a moving mountain.

Speakers

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

Key Themes

• Approach to tirtha/lake for relief
• Royal/heroic animal imagery (gajayūthapa)
• Foreshadowing of trial and deliverance

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the significance of describing the elephant as ‘like a mountain’?

It conveys mass, majesty, and inevitability—standard epic-Purāṇic simile—while also intensifying the drama: even a ‘mountain-like’ being can be brought into संकट, necessitating divine aid.

What does mada-srāvī indicate in elephant symbolism?

Musth (mada) signifies peak vigor and dominance; narratively it underscores that the coming danger is not due to weakness but to circumstance, making the crisis more poignant.

How does this verse connect to tirtha geography?

It frames the lake as a destination sought for water and relief, a typical tirtha function in Purāṇic landscapes—both physically (water source) and narratively (site where transformative events occur).