Shloka 20

Trikūṭa Mountain, Ṛtumat Garden, and the Beginning of Gajendra’s Crisis

Devanagari script

तत्रैकदा तद्‌गिरिकाननाश्रय: करेणुभिर्वारणयूथपश्चरन् । सकण्टकं कीचकवेणुवेत्रवद् विशालगुल्मं प्ररुजन्वनस्पतीन् ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

tatraikadā tad-giri-kānanāśrayaḥ kareṇubhir vāraṇa-yūtha-paś caran sakaṇṭakaṁ kīcaka-veṇu-vetravad viśāla-gulmaṁ prarujan vanaspatīn

Translation

Once, the leader of the elephants dwelling in the forest of Mount Trikūṭa wandered toward the lake with his female companions. As he went, he broke many plants, creepers, thickets, and trees, heedless of their piercing thorns.

Synonyms

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• एकदा: once
• एकदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• तद्-गिरि-कानन-आश्रयः: one who had taken refuge in that mountain-forest (the elephant)
• तद्-गिरि-कानन-आश्रयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + कानन (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: ‘तद्गिरिकाननाश्रय’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: that-mountain-forest-dweller/refuge); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• करेणुभिः: with female elephants
• करेणुभिः: Sahakāraka / Saha (सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• वारण-यूथपः: leader of the elephant herd
• वारण-यूथपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारण (प्रातिपदिक) + यूथप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वारणानां यूथपः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चरन्: roaming
• चरन्: Kriyā (क्रिया) / Karta-anvaya
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; finite-verb sense ‘while roaming’

• स-कण्टकम्: thorny
• स-कण्टकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ ‘with’) + कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सह-समास); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agrees with ‘गुल्मम्’

• कीचक-वेणु-वेत्र-वत्: like kīcaka reeds, bamboos and canes
• कीचक-वेणु-वेत्र-वत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीचक (प्रातिपदिक) + वेणु (प्रातिपदिक) + वेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: समास: ‘कीचकवेणुवेत्र’ (द्वन्द्व: kīcaka, bamboo, cane) + ‘वत्’ तद्धित (like); अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; compares ‘गुल्मम्’

• विशाल-गुल्मम्: a large thicket
• विशाल-गुल्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाल (प्रातिपदिक) + गुल्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• प्ररुजन्: breaking apart
• प्ररुजन्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + रुज् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘breaking/tearing’ (simultaneous action)

• वनस्पतीन्: trees
• वनस्पतीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

Characters & Entities

• Gajendra

FAQs

What is happening in Srimad Bhagavatam 8.2.20?

Śukadeva describes Gajendra, the leader of elephants, roaming in a mountain forest with his female elephants, powerfully crushing thorny thickets and vegetation—setting the scene before his coming danger.

Who is the speaker of the Gajendra Moksha verses in Canto 8 Chapter 2?

The narration is spoken by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to King Parīkṣit, describing the background and events leading to Gajendra’s deliverance.

What practical lesson can devotees take from the Gajendra episode setup?

Even the mighty can become vulnerable; the Bhagavatam prepares us to see that real shelter is not strength or surroundings, but taking refuge in the Lord when life suddenly turns.