66 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 2
yah kascaneso balino ’ntakoragat
pracanda-vegad abhidhavato bhrsam
bhitarh prapannam paripati yad-bhayan
mrtyuh pradhavaty aranam tam imahi

yah—He who (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); kascana—
someone; isah—the supreme controller; balinah—very powerful;
antaka-uragat—from the great serpent of time, which brings death;
pracanda-vegat —whose force is fearful; abhidhavatah—who is chas-
ing; bhrsam—endlessly (every hour and every minute); bhitam—one
who is afraid of death; prapannam—who is surrendered (to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead); paripati—He protects; yat-bhayat—
from fear of the Lord; mrtyuh—death itself; pradhavati—runs away;
aranam—the actual shelter of everyone; tam—unto Him; imahi—I sur-
render or take shelter.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly not known to
everyone, but He is very powerful and influential. Therefore, al-
though the serpent of eternal time, which is fearful in force,
endlessly chases everyone, ready to swallow him, if one who fears
this serpent seeks shelter of the Lord, the Lord gives him protec-
tion, for even death runs away in fear of the Lord. I therefore sur-
render unto Him, the great and powerful supreme authority who
is the actual shelter of everyone.

PURPORT

One who is intelligent understands that there is a great and supreme
authority above everything. That great authority appears in different in-
carnations to save the innocent from disturbances. As confirmed in
Bhagavad-gita (4.8), paritranaya sédhiinam vinasaya ca duskrtam: the
Lord appears in His various incarnations for two purposes —to annihilate
the duskrti, the sinful, and to protect His devotees. The King of the
elephants decided to surrender unto Him. This is intelligent. One must
know that great Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrender unto
Him. The Lord comes personally to instruct us how to be happy, and only
