Vamana Purana — Gajendra's Deliverance, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

स तु नागवरः श्रीमन् नारायणपरायणः तमेव शरणं देवं गतः सर्वात्मना तदा

Transliteration

sa tu nāgavaraḥ śrīman nārāyaṇaparāyaṇaḥ tameva śaraṇaṃ devaṃ gataḥ sarvātmanā tadā

Translation

Wahai yang mulia, nāga yang utama itu sepenuhnya bersandar kepada Nārāyaṇa; saat itu ia menjadikan Dia saja sebagai perlindungan, dengan segenap jiwa raganya.

Speakers

• Narrator (Purāṇic speaker) to the listening sage/audience (traditional frame often: Pulastya to Nārada
• depending on recension)

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (Nārāyaṇa)

Key Themes

• Śaraṇāgati (total surrender)
• Bhakti as sole refuge
• Protection of devotees
• Tīrtha-māhātmya narrative exemplum

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is emphasized by the phrase ‘sarvātmanā śaraṇaṃ gataḥ’ in Purāṇic theology?

It signals complete śaraṇāgati—surrender without remainder—where the devotee relies on the Lord alone (ananya-śaraṇatā), not on secondary supports such as power, lineage, or ritual merit.

Why is a Nāga portrayed as ‘nārāyaṇaparāyaṇa’?

Purāṇas frequently present devotion as transcending species and status. A Nāga-lord exemplifies that bhakti is accessible to all beings and that divine protection follows devotion rather than social category.

How does this verse function inside a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter?

Tīrtha-māhātmyas often embed exemplary stories to teach dharma and devotion. The devotee’s act of taking refuge becomes a paradigmatic lesson for pilgrims: the tīrtha is not only a place but a catalyst for surrender and transformation.