Many of us know the story of Gajendra elephant by heart, because this story is often being told in all Vaishnava-Sampradayas.
For example, Gajendra story is being cited in Shree Ramanuja-Sampradaya as the example of Prapatti (see for example, "Shree AshtaBhuja Ashtakam" by OM VishnuPad Vedanta Desika MahAcharya - http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/acharyas/desika/stotras/ashtabhuja-nk.html)
Amusingly, but right before the Gajendra story there is a kind of hidden Chapter. This Chapter is very easy to miss, because it is called "Description of Manvantaras" and you can't expect Upanishadic Siddhanta in the Chapter with such a name.
But if you read this Chapter from 8th to 16th Verses you will be shocked, because just 8 Verses summarize crucial Upanishadic Vidyas.
The following is
the translation from English Edition of "Shree Bhagavata-Purana" by Motilal Banasirdass. I have added remarks about Upanishadic Vidyas to each Verse - some remarks based on commentaries by A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami PrabhuPada and some on mine own ones.
Note: the English edition of "Shreemad Bhagavatam" by Motilal Banasirdass has an additional Verse 8.1.8, which is marked as 8.1.8A (yes with "A" letter) in their Edition, it is due to the fact they have been using some additional manuscripts while preparing their translation.
"Shree Bhagavata-Purana", 8.1.8A: "With His Vision Uninterrupted, this Vasudeva dwells in all bodies. He does not perceive the (evolution, continuance and dissolution of universe) with the help of another. He is The Cause of the (sentient and nonsentient) universe. Hence His Vision (and Power of controlling from within)".
Note: This Verse repeats classic Siddhanta from "Shree Ishopanishad" ("Shree Ishavasya-Upanishad").
And "Shree Tadvana-Vidya" from "Shree Kena-Upanishad", 4.6:
"Bhagavan Shree Narayana is known as Tadvana - "The All-Pervading Adorable One". He should be worshipped as Tadvana. He who knows Bhagavan Shree Narayana thus, all creatures love him".
श्रीमनुरुवाच येन चेतयते विश्वं विश्वं चेतयते न यम्
यो जागर्ति शयाने ऽस्मिन् नायं तं वेद वेद सः ०८.०१.००९
"Shree Bhagavata-Purana", 8.1.9: "By Him the universe is endowed with consciousness, but unto Whom none in the universe can impart consciousness. He remains Awake (as a witness) while the universe is in sleep (even during Pralaya). No creatures can know Him but He knows all".
Note: A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami PraphuPada writes that this Verse repeats Siddhanta from "Shree Katha-Upanishad" - Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13) - http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/8/1/9
आत्मावास्यमिदं विश्वं यत् किञ्चिज् जगत्यां जगत्
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् ०८.०१.०१०
"Shree Bhagavata-Purana", 8.1.10: "Whatever is animate (and inanimate) in this universe, the whole universe is pervaded by The Supreme Soul. Therefore you should make your living by whatever has been allotted to you by Bhagavan Shree Narayana or what is given to you, after offering it to Bhagavan Shree Narayana. Do not covet another person's riches".
Note: This is Classic Siddhanta from "Shree Ishopanishad", please see the translation of Mantra 001 by A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami PrabhuPada:
"Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong" (cited from http://www.vedabase.com/en/iso/1)
यं पश्यति न पश्यन्तं चक्षुर्यस्य न रिष्यति
तं भूतनिलयं देवं सुपर्णमुपधावत ०८.०१.०११
"Shree Bhagavata-Purana", 8.1.11: "Resort to The Self-Illuminating Lord Who is The Abode (The Inner Controller) of all beings and yet Unconcerned and Aloof from them like Suparna (or the bird of beautiful wings, the symbol of Atman, the companion of jiva in Upanshads like the Mundaka 3.1.1).
Whom though He sees all, no eye (created being) can see (as He is beyond sense perception), and Whose Vision (Knowledge) never vanishes (as He is Knowledge Incarnate)".
Note: A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami PrabhuPada cites "Shree Svetashwara-Upanishad", 4.6 and also Tantrik Praman from "Shree Gautamiya-Tantram", please see His brilliant Tika - http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/8/1/11
And as you can see right in the translation of the Verse Ganesha Vasudeva Shastri (the translator of Motilal Edition) remarks that this Verse repeats Siddhanta from "Shree Mundaka-Upanishad", 3.1.1.
And from myself I add "Shree Kena-Upanishad", 1.3:
"The Deva of eye cannot fully enter in The Majesty of Bhagavan Shree Hari, nor the deva of speech, nor of mind".
न यस्याद्यन्तौ मध्यं च स्वः परो नान्तरं बहिः
विश्वस्यामूनि यद्यस्माद्विश्वं च तदृतं महत् ०८.०१.०१२
"Shree Bhagavata-Purana", 8.1.12: "The attributes like beginning, middle and the end cannot be predicated of Bhagavan Shree Vishnu (being present in all), He has none that is His Own or as belonging to another (being All-Pervading).
The distinction of "in-ness" and "out-ness" is not applicable to Him. All these stages (of creation, subsistence and destruction) are attributable to the universe which is just His Manifestation.
Hence, Bhagavan Shree Narayana is The Reality, The Supreme Truth, The Great Perfect Brahman".
Note: This is Siddhanta from "Shree Mundaka-Upanishad", 2.2.7. Actually this Verse in brief repeats the entire Khanda 2.1 from "Shree Mundaka-Upanishad" (that is Verses from 2.1.1 to 2.1.10).
As for "in-ness" and "out-ness", for example, please see "Shree Manduka-Upanishad", 2.1.2:
"The Divine Person (Bhagavan Shree Vishnu) is verily without Prakritik body; Bhagavan Shree Narayana is both within and without. He is Unborn and without Prakritic prana and manas. He is Pure and Higher than The Imperishable Prakriti and Higher than the High".
In previous Tika A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami PrabhuPada cited "Shree Gautamiya-Tantra" and He again goes Tantrik in His Tika and cites "Shree Brahma-Samhita", Verse 5.1:
“Krishna, known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes.” - http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/8/1/12
स विश्वकायः पुरुहूतईशः सत्यः स्वयंज्योतिरजः पुराणः
धत्ते ऽस्य जन्माद्यजयात्मशक्त्या तां विद्ययोदस्य निरीह आस्ते ०८.०१.०१३
"Shree Bhagavata-Purana", 8.1.13: "Bhagavan Shree Narayana has the universe as His Body (or He contains the universe within Himself at the time of the Deluge).
He has innumerable designations. He is The Absolute Ruler, The Supreme Truth, The Self-Effulgent, Uncreated Eternal Ancient Being.
By His Maya, which is also Uncreated, He brings about the creation (sustenance and destruction) of this universe. By His Eternal Knowledge and Wisdom, He sets aside Maya and remains Actionless (in His original state as ParaBrahman)".
Note: This Verse repeats that part of Orthodox "Sharira-Shariri" Siddhanta by Shree Ramanuja-Sampradaya, which tells about The Universe being just The Body of Bhagavan Shree Narayana.
This Siddhanta is based on "Shree MahaNarayana-Upanishad" and on "Shree Purusha-Suktam".
Please also see "Shree Sharanagati-Deepika" by OM VishnuPad Vedanta Desika MahAcharya, Verse 06:
"Oh ViLakkoLi PerumALE! You enter into all objects of the Universe and uphold them. You rule all these chEthanams and achEthanams with your sankalpam (volition). You become the Sarva SEshi and make the fruits of the Universe as Your own fruits. Therefore, the sentient and the insentient become your body (sarIram) and You stay inside them as the indweller (antharyAmi Brahmam)".
अथाग्रे ऋषयः कर्माण् ईहन्ते ऽकर्महेतवे
ईहमानो हि पुरुषः प्रायो ऽनीहां प्रपद्यते ०८.०१.०१४
"Shree Bhagavata-Purana", 8.1.14: "As the Lord initiates action e.g. creation of the universe etc. just to return to actionlessness so the sages wish to undertake the religious duties with the object of attaining to actionlessness or liberation (Moksha) or, a person who performs actions (dedicating them to The Lord) generally attains to Moksha (literally stage of actionlessness)".
Note: "Shree Kena-Upanishad", 2.4:
"Understanding (thinking and realizing) Bhagavan Shree Narayana according to one's intelligence, as a direct object of intuition, verily jiva obtains immortality.
By one's own (exertion in the perfomance of duties even after attaining wisdom) jiva obtains intense joy through The Grace of Bhagavan Shree Narayana and by direct knowledge of Brahman jiva obtains immortality"
ईहते भगवान् ईशो न हि तत्र विसज्जते
आत्मलाभेन पूर्णार्थो नावसीदन्ति ये ऽनु तम् ०८.०१.०१५
"Shree Bhagavata-Purana", 8.1.15: "The Supreme Lord of Glorious Powers engages Himself in acts, but is not attached to them, for through realization (of The Blissful Nature) of His Self He (Bhagavan Shree Narayana) has all His Wishes achieved. Hence, those who worship Bhagavan Shree Narayana do not come to grief"
Note: This Verse follows "Shree Mundaka-Upanishad", Mantra 3.1.2:
"Though seated on one and the same tree, the jiva bewildered by The Divine Power sees not The Lord and so grieves. But when jiva sees The Eternally Worshipped Lord and His Glory, as separated from himself (jiva), then jiva becomes free from grief (and fit for Mukti)".
तमीहमानं निरहङ्कृतं बुधं निराशिषं पूर्णमनन्यचोदितम्
नॄन् शिक्षयन्तं निजवर्त्मसंस्थितं प्रभुं प्रपद्ये ऽखिलधर्मभावनम् ०८.०१.०१६
"Shree Bhagavata-Purana", 8.1.16: "I (Svayambhuva Manu) take shelter in The Almighty Lord Who (out of Grace) engages Himself in activities (such as creation etc. of the universe or follows the path of Veda in His incarnations as Rama, Krishna etc.) yet is Absolutely Free from egotism as He is full of wisdom.
Being Perfect, He is above all cravings (for blessings etc).
Being Himself the Master, He is not impelled by others; He is yet Steadfast in the path of action (according to The Incarnation taken by Him) as He has to set an example to people and He is The Exponent of the path of Dharma".
Note: This is a Prapatti Verse, please Shree Prapatti-Siddhanta as explained by Acharyas of Shree Ramanuja-Sampradaya and especially "Shreemad Rahasya-Traya-Sara", The Grantha by OM VishnuPad Vedanta Desika MahAcharya, in which He cites a lot of Upanishadic and PanchaRatrika Pramans.
OM SHRIYAI NAMAH
OM VENKATESHAYA NAMAH
OM SHRIMATE RAMANUJAYA NAMAH
Compiled by Vishnudut1926, Moscow, February 2017
Tikas and translations cited from:
1. "SHREE BHAGAVATA-PURANA", TRANSLATED BY A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA - http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb
2. "THE BHAGAVATA PURANA", All 5 Volumes in English (Motilal Banasirdass 1950-1955 editions) - http://vishnudut1926.blogspot.ru/2014/11/the-bhagavata-purana-all-5-volumes-in.html
3. UPANISHADS WITH SHREE SHREEMAD MADHVACARYA COMMENTARIES: Ishavasya, Kena, Katha, Prashna, Mundaka, Manduka, Allahabad,
