Gajendra's Prayers of Surrender to Lord Vishnu

shri-ganjendra uvacha
om namo bhagavate tasmai
yata etac chid-atmakam
purushayadi-bijaya
pareshayabhidhimahi

Gajendra said: I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Person, Vasudeva [om namo
bhagavate vasudevaya]. Because of Him this material body acts due to the presence of spirit, and
He is therefore the root cause of everyone. He is worshipable for such exalted persons as
Brahma and Shiva, and He has entered the heart of every living being. Let me meditate upon
Him. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.3.2)

yasminn idam yatash chedam

yenedam ya idam svayam
yo 'smat parasmach cha paras
tam prapadye svayambhuvam

The Supreme Godhead is the supreme platform on which everything rests, the ingredient by
which everything has been produced, and the person who has created and is the only cause of
this cosmic manifestation. Nonetheless, He is different from the cause and the result. I surrender
unto Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is self-sufficient in everything. (8.3.3)

yah svatmanidam nija-mayayarpitam

kvachid vibhatam kva cha tat tirohitam
aviddha-drik sakshy ubhayam tad ikshate
sa atma-mula 'vatu mam parat-paraha

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, by expanding His own energy, keeps this cosmic
manifestation visible and again sometimes renders it invisible. He is both the supreme cause and
the supreme result, the observer and the witness, in all circumstances. Thus He is transcendental
to everything. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead give me protection. (8.3.4)

kalena pancatvam iteshu kritsnasho

lokeshu paleshu cha sarva-hetushu
tamas tadasid gahanam gabhiram
yas tasya pare 'bhivirajate vibhuhu

In due course of time, when all the causative and effective manifestations of the universe,
including the planets and their directors and maintainers, are annihilated, there is a situation of
dense darkness. Above this darkness, however, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I take
shelter of His lotus feet. (8.3.5)
 na yasya deva rishayah padam vidur
jantuh punah ko 'rhati gantum iritum
yatha natasyakritibhir vicheshtato
duratyayanukramanah sa mavatu

An artist onstage, being covered by attractive dresses and dancing with different movements, is
not understood by his audience; similarly, the activities and features of the Supreme Artist
cannot be understood even by the demigods or great sages, and certainly not by those who are
unintelligent like animals. Neither the demigods and sages nor the unintelligent can understand
the features of the Lord, nor can they express in words His actual position. May that Supreme
Personality of Godhead give me protection. (8.3.6)

didrikshavo yasya padam sumangalam

vimukta-sanga munayah susadhavaha
charanty aloka-vratam avranam vane
bhutatma-bhutah suhridah sa me gatihi

Renunciants and great sages who see all living beings equally, who are friendly to everyone and
who flawlessly practice in the forest the vows of brahmacarya [celibate student], vanaprastha
[retired] and sannyasa [renunciation] desire to see the all-auspicious lotus feet of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. May that same Supreme Personality of Godhead be my destination.
(8.3.7)

na vidyate yasya cha janma karma va

na nama-rupe guna-dosha eva va
tathapi lokapyaya-sambhavaya yaha
sva-mayaya tany anukalam ricchati

tasmai namah pareshaya

brahmane 'nanta-shaktaye
arupayoru-rupaya
nama ashcarya-karmane

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no material birth, activities, name, form, qualities or
faults. To fulfill the purpose for which this material world is created and destroyed, He comes in
the form of a human being like Lord Rama or Lord Krishna by His original internal potency. He
has immense potency, and in various forms, all free from material contamination, He acts
wonderfully. He is therefore the Supreme Brahman. I offer my respects to Him. (8.3.8-9)

nama atma-pradipaya
sakshine paramatmane
namo giram viduraya
manasash chetasam api

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the self-effulgent
Supersoul, who is the witness in everyone's heart, who enlightens the individual soul and who
cannot be reached by exercises of the mind, words or consciousness. (8.3.10)
 sattveno pratilabhyaya
naishkarmyena vipashcita
namah kaivalya-nathaya
nirvana-sukha-samvide

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is realized by pure devotees who act in the transcendental
existence of bhakti-yoga. He is the bestower of uncontaminated happiness and is the master of
the transcendental world. Therefore I offer my respects unto Him. (8.3.11)

namah shantaya ghoraya

mudhaya guna-dharmine
nirvisheshaya samyaya
namo jnana-ghanaya cha

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Vasudev, who is all-pervading, to the Lord's fierce form
as Lord Nrisimhadeva, to the Lord's form as an animal [Lord Varahadeva], to Lord Dattatreya,
who preached impersonalism, to Lord Buddha, and to all the other incarnations. I offer my
respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who has no material qualities but who accepts the three
qualities of goodness, passion and ignorance within this material world. I also offer my
respectful obeisances unto the impersonal Brahman effulgence. (8.3.12)

ksetra-jnaya namas tubhyam

sarvadhyakshaya sakshine
purushayatma-mulaya
mula-prakritaye namaha

I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are the Supersoul, the superintendent of
everything, and the witness of all that occurs. You are the Supreme Person, the origin of material
nature and of the total material energy. You are also the owner of the material body. Therefore,
You are the supreme complete. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. (8.3.13)

sarvendriya-guna-drashtre
sarva-pratyaya-hetave
asata cchayayoktaya
sad-abhasaya te namaha

My Lord, You are the observer of all the objectives of the senses. Without Your mercy, there is
no possibility of solving the problem of doubts. The material world is just like a shadow
resembling You. Indeed, one accepts this material world as real because it gives a glimpse of
Your existence. (8.3.14)

namo namas te 'khila-karanaya

nishkaranayadbhuta-karanaya
sarvagamamnaya-maharnavaya
namo 'pavargaya parayanaya
My Lord, You are the cause of all causes, but You Yourself have no causes. Therefore You are
the wonderful cause of everything. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are the
shelter of the Vedic knowledge contained in the shastras like the Pancharatras and Vedanta-
sutra, which are Your representations, and who are the source of the parampara system. Because
it is You who can give liberation, You are the only shelter for all transcendentalists. Let me offer
my respectful obeisances unto You. (8.3.15)

gunarani-cchanna-chid-ushmapaya
tat-kshobha-visphurjita-manasaya
naishkarmya-bhavena vivarjitagama
svayam-prakashaya namas karomi

My Lord, as the fire in arani wood is covered, You and Your unlimited knowledge are covered
by the material modes of nature. Your mind, however, is not attentive to the activities of the
modes of nature. Those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge are not subject to the
regulative principles directed in the Vedic literature. Because such advanced souls are
transcendental, You personally appear in their pure minds. Therefore I offer my respectful
obeisances unto You. (8.3.16)

madrik prapanna-pashu-pashu-vimokshanaya
muktaya bhuri-karunaya namo 'layaya
svamshena sarva-tanu-bhrin-manasi pratita-
pratyag-drishe bhagavate brihate namaste

Since an animal such as I has surrendered unto You, who are supremely liberated, certainly You
will release me from this dangerous position. Indeed, being extremely merciful, You incessantly
try to deliver me. By Your partial feature as Paramatma, You are situated in the hearts of all
embodied beings. You are celebrated as direct transcendental knowledge, and You are
unlimited. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(8.3.17)

atmatma-japti-griha-vitta-janeshu saktair
dushprapanaya guna-sanga-vivarjitaya
muktatmabhih sva-hridaya paribhavitaya
jnanatmane bhagavate nama ishvaraya

My Lord, those who are completely freed from material contamination always meditate upon
You within the cores of their hearts. You are extremely difficult to attain for those like me who
are too attached to mental concoction, home, relatives, friends, money, servants and assistants.
You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, uncontaminated by the modes of nature. You are
the reservoir of all enlightenment, the supreme controller. I therefore offer my respectful
obeisances unto You. (8.3.18)
 yam dharma-kamartha-vimukti-kama
bhajanta ishtam gatim apnuvanti
kim chashisho raty api deham avyayam
karotu me 'dabhra-dayo vimokshanam

After worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, those who are interested in the four
principles of religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation obtain from Him
what they desire. What then is to be said of other benedictions? Indeed, sometimes the Lord
gives a spiritual body to such ambitious worshipers. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead,
who is unlimitedly merciful, bestow upon me the benediction of liberation from this present
danger and from the materialistic way of life. (8.3.19)

ekantino yasya na kanchanartham

vanchanti ye vai bhagavat-prapannaha
aty-adbhutam tach-charitam sumangalam
gayanta ananda-samudra-magnaha

tam aksharam brahma param paresham

avyaktam adhyatmika-yoga-gamyam
atindriyam sukshmam ivatiduram
anantam adyam paripurnam ide

Unalloyed devotees, who have no desire other than to serve the Lord, worship Him in full
surrender and always hear and chant about His activities, which are most wonderful and
auspicious. Thus they always merge in an ocean of transcendental bliss. Such devotees never ask
the Lord for any benediction. I, however, am in danger. Thus I pray to the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, who is eternally existing, who is invisible, who is the Lord of all great personalities,
such as Brahma, and who is available only by transcendental bhakti-yoga. Being extremely
subtle, He is beyond the reach of my senses and transcendental to all external realization. He is
unlimited, He is the original cause, and He is completely full in everything. I offer my
obeisances unto Him. (8.3.20-21)

yasya bramadayo deva

veda lokash characharaha
nama-rupa-vibhedena
phalgvya cha kalaya kritaha

yatharchisho 'gneh savitur gabhastayo

niryanti samyanty asakrit sva-rochishaha
tatha yato 'yam guna-sampravaho
buddhir manah khani sharira-sargaha

sa vai na devasura-martya-tiryan
na stri na sandho na puman na jantuhu
nayam gunah karma na san na casan
nishedha-shesho jayatad ashesaha
The Supreme Personality of Godhead creates His minor parts and parcels, the jiva-tattva,
beginning with Lord Brahma, the demigods and the expansions of Vedic knowledge [Sama, Rig,
Yajur and Atharva Vedas] and including all other living entities, moving and nonmoving, with
their different names and characteristics. As the sparks of a fire or the shining rays of the sun
emanate from their source and merge into it again and again, the mind, the intelligence, the
senses, the gross and subtle material bodies, and the continuous transformations of the different
modes of nature all emanate from the Lord and again merge into Him. He is neither demigod nor
demon, neither human nor bird nor beast. He is not woman, man or neuter, nor is He an animal.
He is not a material quality, a fruitive activity, a manifestation or nonmanifestation. He is the
last word in the discrimination of "not this, or not that," and He is unlimited. All glories to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. (8.3.22-24)

jijivishe naham ihamuya kim

antar bahish chavritayebha-yonya
icchami kalena na yasya viplavas
tasyatma-lokavaranasya moksham

I do not wish to live anymore after I am released from the attack of the crocodile. What is the
use of an elephant's body covered externally and internally by ignorance? I simply desire eternal
liberation from the covering of ignorance. That covering is not destroyed by the influence of
time. (8.3.25)

so 'ham vishva-srijam vishvam

avishvan vishva-vedasam
vishvatmanam ajam brahma
pranato 'smi param padam

Now, fully desiring release from material life, I offer my respectful obeisances unto that
Supreme Person who is the creator of the universe, who is Himself the form of the universe and
who is nonetheless transcendental to this cosmic manifestation. He is the supreme knower of
everything in this world, the Supersoul of the universe. He is the unborn, supremely situated
Lord. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him. (8.3.26)

yoga-randhita-karmano
hridi yoga-vibhavite
yogino yam prapashyanti
yogesham tam nato 'smy aham

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme, the Supersoul, the master of all mystic yoga,
who is seen in the core of the heart by perfect mystics when they are completely purified and
freed from the reactions of fruitive activity by practicing bhakti-yoga. (8.3.27)

namo namas tubhyam asahya-vega-

shakti-trayayakhila-dhi-gunaya
prapanna-palaya duranta-shaktaye
kad-indriyanam anavapya-vartmane
My Lord, You are the controller of formidable strength in three kinds of energy. You appear as
the reservoir of all sense pleasure and the protector of the surrendered souls. You possess
unlimited energy, but You are unapproachable by those who are unable to control their senses. I
offer my respectful obeisances unto You again and again. (8.3.28)

nayam veda svam atmanam

yach-chaktyaham-dhiya hatam
tam duratyaya-mahatmyam
bhagavantam ito 'smy aham

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by whose illusory
energy the jiva [individual spirit soul], who is part and parcel of God, forgets his real identity
because of the bodily concept of life. I take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
whose glories are difficult to understand. (8.3.29)

[The Lord now replies to Gajendra]

ye mam stuvanty anenanga
pratibudhya nishatyaye
tesham pranatyaye chaham
dadami vipulam gatim

"My dear devotee, unto those who rise from bed at the end of night and offer Me the prayers
offered by you, I give an eternal residence in the spiritual world at the end of their lives."
(8.4.25)