Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 31

Manvantara Enumerations Begin: Svāyambhuva’s Austerity, Yajñapati’s Protection, and the Avatāras up to Hari

Gajendra Prelude

Devanagari script

श्रीराजोवाच बादरायण एतत् ते श्रोतुमिच्छामहे वयम् । हरिर्यथा गजपतिं ग्राहग्रस्तममूमुचत् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-rājovāca bādarāyaṇa etat te śrotum icchāmahe vayam harir yathā gaja-patiṁ grāha-grastam amūmucat

Translation

帕利克希特王说道：尊者婆陀罗衍尼啊，我们愿详闻哈利如何解救那被鳄鱼擒住的象王。

Synonyms

• śrī-rājā: the revered king
• śrī-rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: śrī + rājā = “the illustrious king”

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• bādarāyaṇa: O Bādarāyaṇa
• bādarāyaṇa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bādarāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: 2nd person pronoun, Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrotum: to hear
• śrotum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śrotum (कृदन्त; √śru श्रु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), “to hear”

• icchāmahe: we wish
• icchāmahe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: 1st person pronoun, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• hariḥ: Hari
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā: how
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/conjunction (अव्यय), comparative “how/just as”

• gaja-patim: the lord of elephants
• gaja-patim: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja-pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: “lord of elephants”

• grāha-grastam: seized by the crocodile
• grāha-grastam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: grāha-grasta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); तत्पुरुष: grāheṇa grastaḥ (PPP from √gras ग्रस्) “seized by the crocodile”; agrees with gaja-patim

• amūmucat: released, freed
• amūmucat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (धातु)
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Characters & Entities

• King Parīkṣit
• Bādarāyaṇa (Śukadeva Gosvāmī)
• Hari (Lord Viṣṇu)
• Gajendra
• Grāha (the crocodile)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Lord Vishnu saving devotees in danger?

This verse introduces the theme that Lord Hari personally delivers His devotee—here, Gajendra—when he is helpless and seized by danger.

Why did King Parikshit ask Shukadeva (Badarayana) about Gajendra Moksha?

Parīkṣit, eager to hear the Lord’s saving acts, asks Śukadeva to narrate how Hari freed Gajendra from the crocodile—an exemplary episode of divine protection.

Practical application of Gajendra’s deliverance in modern life?

When overwhelmed by suffering, cultivate sincere prayer and surrender to God; this shloka points to faith that the Divine can lift one from seemingly impossible situations.