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Shloka 10

Gajendra’s Prayers and the Appearance of Lord Hari

Gajendra-stuti and Hari-darśana

नम आत्मप्रदीपाय साक्षिणे परमात्मने । नमो गिरां विदूराय मनसश्चेतसामपि ॥ १० ॥

nama ātma-pradīpāya sākṣiṇe paramātmane namo girāṁ vidūrāya manasaś cetasām api

Con kính đảnh lễ Paramātmā tự chiếu sáng, Đấng làm chứng trong tim mọi loài. Ngài vượt ngoài tầm với của lời nói, của tâm trí và cả ý thức.

namaḥsalutation
namaḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/obeisance)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootnamas (नमस्) (प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रणामार्थक-निपातः (salutation)
ātma-pradīpāyato the light of the self
ātma-pradīpāya:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootātman + pradīpa (आत्मन् + प्रदीप) (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: आत्मनः प्रदीपः = ‘lamp/light of the self’
sākṣiṇeto the witness
sākṣiṇe:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootsākṣin (साक्षिन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचन; ‘to the witness’
paramātmaneto the Supreme Self
paramātmane:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootparama + ātman (परम + आत्मन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: परम आत्मा = ‘Supreme Self’
namaḥsalutation
namaḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/obeisance)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootnamas (नमस्) (प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रणामार्थक-निपातः (salutation)
girāmof speech/words
girām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootgir (गिर्) (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of words/speech’
vidūrāyato (him) far beyond
vidūrāya:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
TypeAdjective
Rootvidūra (विदूर) (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचन; ‘far beyond’ (qualifying the Lord)
manasaḥof the mind
manasaḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootmanas (मनस्) (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; ‘of the mind’
cetasāmof (all) hearts/consciousness
cetasām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootcetas (चेतस्) (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of (all) consciousnesses/hearts’
apieven/also
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, cannot be understood by the individual soul through mental, physical or intellectual exercises. It is by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that the individual soul is enlightened. Therefore, the Lord is described here as ātma-pradīpa. The Lord is like the sun, which illuminates everything and cannot be illuminated by anyone. Therefore, if one is serious about understanding the Supreme, one must receive enlightenment from Him, as instructed in Bhagavad-gītā. One cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by one’s mental, physical or intellectual powers.

G
Gajendra
P
Paramatma
N
Narayana (Vishnu)

FAQs

This verse addresses the Lord as sākṣī (the Witness) and Paramātmā, affirming that the Supreme resides within all beings as the inner observer who illumines consciousness.

In utter helplessness, Gajendra praises God’s transcendence—He cannot be fully captured by speech or mental speculation—so the only refuge is humble surrender and devotion.

When overwhelmed, turn inward to the Divine Witness through prayer and remembrance, accepting that ultimate reality exceeds analysis—cultivate surrender, steadiness, and devotion.