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Shloka 18

Gajendra’s Prayers and the Appearance of Lord Hari

Gajendra-stuti and Hari-darśana

आत्मात्मजाप्तगृहवित्तजनेषु सक्तै- र्दुष्प्रापणाय गुणसङ्गविवर्जिताय । मुक्तात्मभि: स्वहृदये परिभाविताय ज्ञानात्मने भगवते नम ईश्वराय ॥ १८ ॥

ātmātma-jāpta-gṛha-vitta-janeṣu saktair duṣprāpaṇāya guṇa-saṅga-vivarjitāya muktātmabhiḥ sva-hṛdaye paribhāvitāya jñānātmane bhagavate nama īśvarāya

என் ஆண்டவனே! பௌதிக மாசிலிருந்து விடுபட்டவர்கள் தங்கள் இதயத்தின் ஆழத்தில் எப்போதும் உம்மைத் தியானிக்கின்றனர். ஆனால் நான் மனக் கற்பனை, வீடு, உறவினர், நண்பர், செல்வம், பணியாளர் ஆகியவற்றில் பற்றுடையவன்; எனவே நீர் எனக்கு அரிது. நீர் குணாதீதன், ஞானச్వరூபன், பரமேஸ்வரன் பகவான்; உமக்கு வணக்கம்।

ātmaself
ātma:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)
ātmajason
ātmaja:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootātma (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, stem-form in compound; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ātmanः jaḥ)
āptakinsman/close relation
āpta:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootāpta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)
gṛhahouse
gṛha:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootgṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)
vittawealth
vitta:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootvitta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)
janeṣuamong people
janeṣu:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootjana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)
saktaiḥby those attached
saktaiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsakta (प्रातिपदिक; from √sañj/√saj, past participle used adjectivally)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; PPP (क्त)
duṣprāpaṇāyato the hard-to-attain (Lord)
duṣprāpaṇāya:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeAdjective
Rootdus (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + prāpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; from √āp/√prāp)
FormMasculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; adjective used as epithet
guṇamaterial quality
guṇa:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)
saṅgaassociation
saṅga:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootsaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)
vivarjitāyato the one devoid of (guṇa-association)
vivarjitāya:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeAdjective
Rootvi + varjita (प्रातिपदिक; from √vṛj/√varj, PPP)
FormMasculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; PPP (क्त) used as epithet
muktātmabhiḥby liberated souls
muktātmabhiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmukta (प्रातिपदिक; PPP from √muc) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; ‘mukta’ qualifying ‘ātmā’
svaown
sva:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootsva (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
FormIndeclinable-like pronominal adjective; stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)
hṛdayein the heart
hṛdaye:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Roothṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular
paribhāvitāyato the one contemplated/realized
paribhāvitāya:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeAdjective
Rootpari + bhāvita (प्रातिपदिक; from √bhū/√bhāv, causative PPP)
FormMasculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; PPP (क्त) used as epithet
jñānātmaneto the one whose essence is knowledge
jñānātmane:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootjñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘jñānasya ātmā’)
bhagavateto the Blessed Lord
bhagavate:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootbhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular
namaḥsalutation
namaḥ:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootnamas (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
FormAvyaya (निपात); used with dative to express salutation
īśvarāyato the Lord
īśvarāya:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootīśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes into the material world, He is unaffected by the modes of material nature. This is confirmed in Īśopaniṣad. Apāpa-viddham: He is not contaminated. This same fact is described here. Guṇa-saṅga-vivarjitāya. Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears as an incarnation within this material world, He is unaffected by the modes of material nature. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.11) , avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: foolish men with insufficient knowledge deride the Personality of Godhead because He appears just like a human being. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be understood only by the muktātmā, the liberated soul. Muktātmabhiḥ sva-hṛdaye paribhāvitāya: only the liberated person can constantly think of Kṛṣṇa. Such a person is the greatest of all yogīs.

G
Gajendra
B
Bhagavan (Vishnu)

FAQs

This verse says that attachment to body, children, relatives, home, wealth, and social identity makes the Supreme Lord difficult to attain, because such attachment binds one to material consciousness.

In extreme danger, Gajendra turned from worldly dependence to surrender, acknowledging that the Lord is realized by the liberated and is not easily reached through material attachments.

Reduce identity-based clinging (possessions, status, relationships as ultimate), cultivate daily remembrance of the Lord within the heart, and seek freedom from the push of the material modes through devotional practice.