Shloka 5
Gajendra’s Prayers and the Appearance of Lord Hari
Gajendra-stuti and Hari-darśana
कालेन पञ्चत्वमितेषु कृत्स्नशो लोकेषु पालेषु च सर्वहेतुषु । तमस्तदासीद् गहनं गभीरं यस्तस्य पारेऽभिविराजते विभु: ॥ ५ ॥
kālena pañcatvam iteṣu kṛtsnaśo lokeṣu pāleṣu ca sarva-hetuṣu tamas tadāsīd gahanaṁ gabhīraṁ yas tasya pāre ’bhivirājate vibhuḥ
เมื่อกาลเวลามาถึง ครั้นโลกทั้งหลายพร้อมผู้ปกครองและผู้พิทักษ์ รวมทั้งปัจจัยเหตุและผลทั้งปวงถูกทำลายจนกลับสู่ธาตุทั้งห้า ก็มีความมืดทึบลึกซึ้งปกคลุม แต่เหนือความมืดนั้น พระผู้เป็นบุคคลสูงสุดผู้ทรงฤทธิ์สถิตสว่างไสว ข้าพเจ้าขอพึ่งพระบาทดอกบัวของพระองค์
From the Vedic mantras we understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is above everything. He is supreme, above all the demigods, including Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva. He is the supreme controller. When everything disappears by the influence of His energy, the cosmic situation is one of dense darkness. The Supreme Lord, however, is the sunshine, as confirmed in the Vedic mantras: āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt. In our daily experience, when we on earth are in the darkness of night, the sun is always luminous somewhere in the sky. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme sun, always remains luminous, even when the entire cosmic manifestation is annihilated in due course of time.
FAQs
This verse states that with time, all worlds, their rulers, and even the cosmic causes dissolve back into a five-element material state, while the Supreme Lord remains beyond that dissolution.
He is establishing the Lord’s transcendence—when everything material is dissolved into darkness, the Supreme Lord still shines beyond it, showing why surrender to Him is ultimately effective.
Since time erodes all material supports, one should cultivate devotion to the Lord who remains unchanged beyond all loss and uncertainty.