Shloka 27

Gajendra's Deliverance — 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

That foremost of Nāgas, O illustrious one, being wholly devoted to Nārāyaṇa, then went to that very God alone as his refuge, with his entire being.

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.