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Chapter Four
Gajendra Returns to the Spiritual World
This Fourth Chapter describes the previous birth of Gajendra and the crocodile. It tells how the crocodile became a Gandharva and how Gajendra became an associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
There was a king on the Gandharva planet whose name was Huhu. Once this King Huhu was enjoying with women in the water, and while enjoying he pulled the leg of Devala Rsi, who was also taking a bath in the water. Upon this, the sage became very angry and immediately cursed him to become a crocodile. King Huhu was very sorry when cursed in that way, and he begged pardon from the sage, who in compassion gave him the benediction that he would be freed when Gajendra was delivered by the Personality of Godhead. Thus the crocodile was delivered when killed by Narayana.
When Gajendra, by the mercy of the Lord, became one of the Lord's associates in Vaikuntha, he got four hands. This achievement is called sarupya-mukti, or the liberation of receiving a spiritual body exactly like that of Narayana. Gajendra, in his previous birth, had been a great devotee of Lord Visnu. His name was Indradyumna, and he was the King of the Tamila country. Following the Vedic principles, this King retired from family life and constructed a small cottage in the Malayacala Hills, where he always worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead in silence. Agastya Rsi, along with many disciples, once approached King Indradyumna's asrama, but because the King was meditating on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he could not receive Agastya Rsi properly. Thus the rsi became very angry and cursed the King to become a dull elephant. In accordance with this curse, the King was born as an elephant, and he forgot all about his previous activities in devotional service. Nonetheless, in his birth as an elephant, when he was dangerously attacked by the crocodile, he remembered his past life in devotional service and remembered a prayer he had learned in that life. Because of this prayer, he again received the mercy of the Lord. Thus he was immediately delivered, and he became one of the Lord's four-handed associates.
Sukadeva Gosvami ends this chapter by describing the good fortune of the elephant. Sukadeva Gosvami says that by hearing the narration of Gajendra's deliverance, one can also get the opportunity to be delivered. Sukadeva Gosvami vividly describes this, and thus the chapter ends.
TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
tada devarsi-gandharva
brahmesana-purogamah
mumucuh kusumasaram
samsantah karma tad dhareh
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; tada--at that time (when Gajendra was delivered); deva-rsi-gandharvah--the demigods, sages and Gandharvas; brahma-isana-purogamah--headed by Lord Brahma and Lord Siva; mumucuh--showered; kusuma-asaram--a covering of flowers; samsantah--while praising; karma--transcendental activity; tat--that (gajendra-moksana); hareh--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: When the Lord delivered Gajendra, King of the elephants, all the demigods, sages and Gandharvas, headed by Brahma and Siva, praised this activity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and showered flowers upon both the Lord and Gajendra.
PURPORT
It is evident from this chapter that great sages like Devala Rsi, Narada Muni and Agastya Muni will sometimes curse someone. The curse of such a personality, however, is in fact a benediction. Both the crocodile, who had been a Gandharva in his previous life, and Gajendra, who had been a king named Indradyumna, were cursed, but both of them benefited. Indradyumna, in his birth as an elephant, attained salvation and became a personal associate of the Lord in Vaikuntha, and the crocodile regained his status as a Gandharva. We find evidence in many places that the curse of a great saint or devotee is not a curse but a benediction.
TEXT 2
TEXT
nedur dundubhayo divya
gandharva nanrtur jaguh
rsayas caranah siddhas
tustuvuh purusottamam
SYNONYMS
neduh--vibrated; dundubhayah--kettledrums; divyah--in the sky of the higher planetary system; gandharvah--residents of Gandharvaloka; nanrtuh--danced; jaguh--and sang; rsayah--all the saintly sages; caranah--the inhabitants of the Carana planet; siddhah--the inhabitants of the Siddha planet; tustuvuh--offered prayers; purusa-uttamam--to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Purusottama, the best of males.
TRANSLATION
There was a beating of kettledrums in the heavenly planets, the inhabitants of Gandharvaloka began to dance and sing, while great sages and the inhabitants of Caranaloka and Siddhaloka offered prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Purusottama.
TEXTS 3-4
TEXT
yo 'sau grahah sa vai sadyah
paramascarya-rupa-dhrk
mukto devala-sapena
huhur gandharva-sattamah
pranamya sirasadhisam
uttama-slokam avyayam
agayata yaso-dhama
kirtanya-guna-sat-katham
SYNONYMS
yah--he who; asau--that; grahah--became a crocodile; sah--he; vai--indeed; sadyah--immediately; parama--very nice; ascarya--wonderful; rupa-dhrk--possessing the form (of his original Gandharva position); muktah--was delivered; devala-sapena--by the cursing of Devala Rsi; huhuh--whose name was formerly Huhu; gandharva-sattamah--the best of Gandharvaloka; pranamya--offering his obeisances; sirasa--by the head; adhisam--unto the supreme master; uttama-slokam--who is worshiped by the choicest verses; avyayam--who is the supreme eternal; agayata--he began to chant; yasah-dhama--the glories of the Lord; kirtanya-guna-sat-katham--whose transcendental pastimes and qualities are glorious.
TRANSLATION
The best of the Gandharvas, King Huhu, having been cursed by Devala Muni, had become a crocodile. Now, having been delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he assumed a very beautiful form as a Gandharva. Understanding by whose mercy this had happened, he immediately offered his respectful obeisances with his head and began chanting prayers just suitable for the transcendental Lord, the supreme eternal, who is worshiped by the choicest verses.
PURPORT
The story of how the Gandharva had become a crocodile will be described later. The curse by which the Gandharva took this position was actually a blessing, not a curse. One should not be displeased when a saintly person curses someone, for his curse, indirectly, is a blessing. The Gandharva had the mentality of an inhabitant of the celestial planetary system, and for him to become an associate of the Supreme Lord would have taken millions of long years. However, because he was cursed by Devala Rsi, he became a crocodile and in only one life was fortunate enough to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face and be promoted to the spiritual world to become one of the Lord's associates. Similarly, Gajendra was also delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead when he was freed from the curse of Agastya Muni.
TEXT 5
TEXT
so 'nukampita isena
parikramya pranamya tam
lokasya pasyato lokam
svam agan mukta-kilbisah
SYNONYMS
sah--he (King Huhu); anukampitah--being favored; isena--by the Supreme Lord; parikramya--circumambulating; pranamya--offering his obeisances; tam--unto Him; lokasya--all the demigods and men; pasyatah--while seeing; lokam--to the planet; svam--his own; agat--went back; mukta--being delivered; kilbisah--from the reactions of his sin.
TRANSLATION
Having been favored by the causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and having regained his original form, King Huhu circumambulated the Lord and offered his obeisances. Then, in the presence of all the demigods, headed by Brahma, he returned to Gandharvaloka. He had been freed of all sinful reactions.
TEXT 6
TEXT
gajendro bhagavat-sparsad
vimukto 'jnana-bandhanat
prapto bhagavato rupam
pita-vasas catur-bhujah
SYNONYMS
gajendrah--the King of the elephants, Gajendra; bhagavat-sparsat--because of being touched by the hand of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vimuktah--was immediately freed; ajnana-bandhanat--from all kinds of ignorance, especially the bodily concept of life; praptah--achieved; bhagavatah--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rupam--the same bodily features; pita-vasah--wearing yellow garments; catuh-bhujah--and four-handed, with conchshell, disc, club and lotus.
TRANSLATION
Because Gajendra, King of the elephants, had been touched directly by the hands of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he was immediately freed of all material ignorance and bondage. Thus he received the salvation of sarupya-mukti, in which he achieved the same bodily features as the Lord, being dressed in yellow garments and possessing four hands.
PURPORT
If one is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead by having his gross body touched by the Lord, his body turns into a spiritual body, and he can go back home, back to Godhead. Gajendra assumed a spiritual body when his body was touched by the Lord. Similarly, Dhruva Maharaja assumed his spiritual body in this way. Arcana-paddhati, daily worship of the Deity, provides an opportunity to touch the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus it enables one to be fortunate enough to get a spiritual body and go back to Godhead. Not only by touching the body of the Supreme Lord, but simply by hearing about His pastimes, chanting His glories, touching His feet and offering worship--in other words, by serving the Lord somehow or other--one is purified of material contamination. This is the result of touching the Supreme Lord. One who is a pure devotee (anyabhilasita-sunyam), who acts according to the sastra and the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, certainly becomes purified. Like Gajendra, he assumes a spiritual body and returns home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 7
TEXT
sa vai purvam abhud raja
pandyo dravida-sattamah
indradyumna iti khyato
visnu-vrata-parayanah
SYNONYMS
sah--this elephant (Gajendra); vai--indeed; purvam--formerly; abhut--was; raja--a king; pandyah--of the country known as Pandya; dravida-sat-tamah--the best of those born in Dravida-desa, South India; indradyumnah--by the name Maharaja Indradyumna; iti--thus; khyatah--celebrated; visnu-vrata-parayanah--who was a first-class Vaisnava, always engaged in the service of the Lord.
TRANSLATION
This Gajendra had formerly been a Vaisnava and the king of the country known as Pandya, which is in the province of Dravida [South India]. In his previous life, he was known as Indradyumna Maharaja.
TEXT 8
TEXT
sa ekadaradhana-kala atmavan
grhita-mauna-vrata isvaram harim
jata-dharas tapasa apluto 'cyutam
samarcayam asa kulacalasramah
SYNONYMS
sah--that Indradyumna Maharaja; ekada--once upon a time; aradhana-kale--at the time of worshiping the Deity; atmavan--engaged in devotional service in meditation with great attention; grhita--taken; mauna-vratah--the vow of silence (not talking with anyone); isvaram--the supreme controller; harim--the Personality of Godhead; jata-dharah--with matted locks; tapasah--always engaged in austerity; aplutah--always merged in love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead; acyutam--the infallible Lord; samarcayam asa--was worshiping; kulacala-asramah--he made his asrama in Kulacala (the Malaya Hills).
TRANSLATION
Indradyumna Maharaja retired from family life and went to the Malaya Hills, where he had a small cottage for his asrama. He wore matted locks on his head and always engaged in austerities. Once, while observing a vow of silence, he was fully engaged in the worship of the Lord and absorbed in the ecstasy of love of Godhead.
TEXT 9
TEXT
yadrcchaya tatra maha-yasa munih
samagamac chisya-ganaih parisritah
tam viksya tusnim akrtarhanadikam
rahasy upasinam rsis cukopa ha
SYNONYMS
yadrcchaya--out of his own will (without being invited); tatra--there; maha-yasah--very celebrated, well-known; munih--Agastya Muni; samagamat--arrived; sisya-ganaih--by his disciples; parisritah--surrounded; tam--him; viksya--seeing; tusnim--silent; akrta-arhana-adikam--without offering a respectful reception; rahasi--in a secluded place; upasinam--sitting in meditation; rsih--the great sage; cukopa--became very angry; ha--it so happened.
TRANSLATION
While Indradyumna Maharaja was engaged in ecstatic meditation, worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the great sage Agastya Muni arrived there, surrounded by his disciples. When the Muni saw that Maharaja Indradyumna, who was sitting in a secluded place, remained silent and did not follow the etiquette of offering him a reception, he was very angry.
TEXT 10
TEXT
tasma imam sapam adad asadhur
ayam duratmakrta-buddhir adya
vipravamanta visatam tamisram
yatha gajah stabdha-matih sa eva
SYNONYMS
tasmai--unto Maharaja Indradyumna; imam--this; sapam--curse; adat--he gave; asadhuh--not at all gentle; ayam--this; duratma--degraded soul; akrta--without education; buddhih--his intelligence; adya--now; vipra--of a brahmana; avamanta--insulter; visatam--let him enter; tamisram--darkness; yatha--as; gajah--an elephant; stabdha-matih--possessing blunt intelligence; sah--he; eva--indeed.
TRANSLATION
Agastya Muni then spoke this curse against the King: This King Indradyumna is not at all gentle. Being low and uneducated, he has insulted a brahmana. May he therefore enter the region of darkness and receive the dull, dumb body of an elephant.
PURPORT
An elephant is very strong, it has a very big body, and it can work very hard and eat a large quantity of food, but its intelligence is not at all commensurate with its size and strength. Thus in spite of so much bodily strength, the elephant works as a menial servant for a human being. Agastya Muni thought it wise to curse the King to become an elephant because the powerful King did not receive Agastya Muni as one is obliged to receive a brahmana. Yet although Agastya Muni cursed Maharaja Indradyumna to become an elephant, the curse was indirectly a benediction, for by undergoing one life as an elephant, Indradyumna Maharaja ended the reactions for all the sins of his previous life. Immediately after the expiry of the elephant's life, he was promoted to Vaikunthaloka to become a personal associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, in a body exactly like that of the Lord. This is called sarupya-mukti.
TEXTS 11-12
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
evam saptva gato 'gastyo
bhagavan nrpa sanugah
indradyumno 'pi rajarsir
distam tad upadharayan
apannah kaunjarim yonim
atma-smrti-vinasinim
hary-arcananubhavena
yad-gajatve 'py anusmrtih
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; evam--thus; saptva--after cursing; gatah--left that place; agastyah--Agastya Muni; bhagavan--so powerful; nrpa--O King; sa-anugah--with his associates; indradyumnah--King Indradyumna; api--also; rajarsih--although he was a rajarsi; distam--because of past deeds; tat--that curse; upadharayan--considering; apannah--got; kaunjarim--of an elephant; yonim--the species; atma-smrti--remembrance of one's identity; vinasinim--which destroys; hari--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; arcana-anubhavena--because of worshiping; yat--that; gajatve--in the body of an elephant; api--although; anusmrtih--the opportunity to remember his past devotional service.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, after Agastya Muni had thus cursed King Indradyumna, the Muni left that place along with his disciples. Since the King was a devotee, he accepted Agastya Muni's curse as welcome because it was the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, although in his next life he got the body of an elephant, because of devotional service he remembered how to worship and offer prayers to the Lord.
PURPORT
This is the unique position of a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although the King was cursed, he welcomed the curse because a devotee is always aware that nothing can happen without the desire of the Supreme Lord. Although the King was not at fault, Agastya Muni cursed him, and when this happened the King considered it to be due to his past misdeeds. Tat te 'nukampam susamiksamanah (Bhag. 10.14.8). This is a practical example of how a devotee thinks. He regards any reverses in life as blessings of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, instead of being agitated by such reverses, he continues his activities of devotional service, and Krsna takes care of him and enables him to be promoted to the spiritual world, back to Godhead. If a devotee has to suffer the reactions of his past misdeeds, the Supreme Lord arranges for him to be given only a token of these reactions, and very soon he is freed from all the reactions of material contamination. One should therefore adhere to devotional service, and the Lord Himself will very soon see to one's promotion to the spiritual world. A devotee should not be disturbed by unfortunate circumstances, but must continue his regular program, depending on the Lord for everything. The word upadharayan, "considering," is very significant in this verse. This word indicates that a devotee knows what is what; he understands what is happening in material, conditional life.
TEXT 13
TEXT
evam vimoksya gaja-yutha-pam abja-nabhas
tenapi parsada-gatim gamitena yuktah
gandharva-siddha-vibudhair upagiyamana-
karmadbhutam sva-bhavanam garudasano 'gat
SYNONYMS
evam--thus; vimoksya--delivering; gaja-yutha-pam--the King of the elephants, Gajendra; abja-nabhah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whose navel sprouts a lotus flower; tena--by him (Gajendra); api--also; parsada-gatim--the position of the Lord's associate; gamitena--who had already gotten; yuktah--accompanied; gandharva--by the denizens of Gandharvaloka; siddha--the denizens of Siddhaloka; vibudhaih--and by all great learned sages; upagiyamana--were being glorified; karma--whose transcendental activities; adbhutam--all-wonderful; sva-bhavanam--to His own abode; garuda-asanah--sitting on the back of Garuda; agat--returned.
TRANSLATION
Upon delivering the King of the elephants from the clutches of the crocodile, and from material existence, which resembles a crocodile, the Lord awarded him the status of sarupya-mukti. In the presence of the Gandharvas, the Siddhas and the other demigods, who were praising the Lord for His wonderful transcendental activities, the Lord, sitting on the back of His carrier, Garuda, returned to His all-wonderful abode and took Gajendra with Him.
PURPORT
In this verse the word vimoksya is significant. For a devotee, moksa or mukti--salvation--means getting the position of the Lord's associate. The impersonalists are satisfied to get the liberation of merging in the Brahman effulgence, but for a devotee, mukti (liberation) means not to merge in the effulgence of the Lord, but to be directly promoted to the Vaikuntha planets and to become an associate of the Lord. In this regard, there is a relevant verse in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.8):
tat te 'nukampam susamiksamano
bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak
"One who seeks Your compassion and thus tolerates all kinds of adverse conditions due to the karma of his past deeds, who engages always in Your devotional service with his mind, words and body, and who always offers obeisances unto You, is certainly a bona fide candidate for liberation." A devotee who tolerates everything in this material world and patiently executes his devotional service can become mukti-pade sa daya-bhak, a bona fide candidate for liberation. The word daya-bhak refers to a hereditary right to the Lord's mercy. A devotee must simply engage in devotional service, not caring about material situations. Then he automatically becomes a rightful candidate for promotion to Vaikunthaloka. The devotee who renders unalloyed service to the Lord gets the right to be promoted to Vaikunthaloka, just as a son inherits the property of his father.
When a devotee gets liberation, he becomes free from material contamination and engages as a servant of the Lord. This is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.10.6): muktir hitvanyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih. The word svarupa refers to sarupya-mukti--going back home, back to Godhead, and remaining the Lord's eternal associate, having regained a spiritual body exactly resembling that of the Lord, with four hands, holding the sankha, cakra, gada and padma. The difference between the mukti of the impersonalist and that of the devotee is that the devotee is immediately appointed an eternal servant of the Lord, whereas the impersonalist, although merging in the effulgence of the brahmajyoti, is still insecure and therefore generally falls again to this material world. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah (Bhag. 10.2.32). Although the impersonalist rises to the Brahman effulgence and enters into that effulgence, he has no engagement in the service of the Lord, and therefore he is again attracted to materialistic philanthropic activities. Thus he comes down to open hospitals and educational institutions, feed poor men and perform similar materialistic activities, which the impersonalist thinks are more precious than serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah. The impersonalists do not think that the service of the Lord is more valuable than serving the poor man or starting a school or hospital. Although they say brahma satyam jagan mithya--"Brahman is real, and the material world is false"--they are nonetheless very eager to serve the false material world and neglect the service of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 14
TEXT
etan maha-raja taverito maya
krsnanubhavo gaja-raja-moksanam
svargyam yasasyam kali-kalmasapaham
duhsvapna-nasam kuru-varya srnvatam
SYNONYMS
etat--this; maha-raja--O King Pariksit; tava--unto you; iritah--described; maya--by me; krsna-anubhavah--the unlimited potency of Lord Krsna (by which He can deliver a devotee); gaja-raja-moksanam--delivering the King of the elephants; svargyam--giving elevation to higher planetary systems; yasasyam--increasing one's reputation as a devotee; kali-kalmasa-apaham--diminishing the contamination of the Kali-yuga; duhsvapna-nasam--counteracting the causes of bad dreams; kuru-varya--O best among the Kurus; srnvatam--of persons who hear this narration.
TRANSLATION
My dear King Pariksit, I have now described the wonderful power of Krsna, as displayed when the Lord delivered the King of the elephants. O best of the Kuru dynasty, those who hear this narration become fit to be promoted to the higher planetary systems. Simply because of hearing this narration, they gain a reputation as devotees, they are unaffected by the contamination of Kali-yuga, and they never see bad dreams.
TEXT 15
TEXT
yathanukirtayanty etac
chreyas-kama dvijatayah
sucayah pratar utthaya
duhsvapnady-upasantaye
SYNONYMS
yatha--without deviation; anukirtayanti--they chant; etat--this narration of the deliverance of Gajendra; sreyah-kamah--persons who desire their own auspiciousness; dvi-jatayah--the twice-born (brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas); sucayah--especially the brahmanas, who are always clean; pratah--in the morning; utthaya--after getting up from sleep; duhsvapna-adi--beginning with sleeping badly at night; upasantaye--to counteract all troublesome positions.
TRANSLATION
Therefore, after getting up from bed in the morning, those who desire their own welfare--especially the brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and in particular the brahmana Vaisnavas--should chant this narration as it is, without deviation, to counteract the troubles of bad dreams.
PURPORT
Every verse in the Vedic literature, especially in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, is a Vedic mantra. Here the words yathanukirtayanti are used to recommend that this literature be presented as it is. Unscrupulous persons, however, deviate from the actual narration and interpret the text in their own way with grammatical jugglery. Such deviations are to be avoided. This is a Vedic injunction supported by Sukadeva Gosvami, one of the mahajanas, or authorities. He says, yathanukirtayanti: one should recite the mantra as it is, without deviation, for then one will be eligible to rise to the platform of all good fortune. Sukadeva Gosvami especially recommends that those who are brahmanas (sucayah) recite all these mantras after rising from bed in the morning.
Because of sinful activities, at night we have bad dreams, which are very troublesome. Indeed, Maharaja Yudhisthira was obliged to see hell because of a slight deviation from devotional service to the Lord. Therefore, duhsvapna--bad dreams--occur because of sinful activities. A devotee sometimes accepts a sinful person as his disciple, and to counteract the sinful reactions he accepts from the disciple, he has to see a bad dream. Nonetheless, the spiritual master is so kind that in spite of having bad dreams due to the sinful disciple, he accepts this troublesome business for the deliverance of the victims of Kali-yuga. After initiation, therefore, a disciple should be extremely careful not to commit again any sinful act that might cause difficulties for himself and the spiritual master. Before the Deity, before the fire, before the spiritual master and before the Vaisnavas, the honest disciple promises to refrain from all sinful activity. Therefore he must not again commit sinful acts and thus create a troublesome situation.
TEXT 16
TEXT
idam aha harih prito
gajendram kuru-sattama
srnvatam sarva-bhutanam
sarva-bhuta-mayo vibhuh
SYNONYMS
idam--this; aha--said; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pritah--being pleased; gajendram--unto Gajendra; kuru-sat-tama--O best of the Kuru dynasty; srnvatam--hearing; sarva-bhutanam--in the presence of everyone; sarva-bhuta-mayah--all-pervading Personality of Godhead; vibhuh--the great.
TRANSLATION
O best of the Kuru dynasty, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul of everyone, being thus pleased, addressed Gajendra in the presence of everyone there. He spoke the following blessings.
TEXTS 17-24
TEXT
sri-bhagavan uvaca
ye mam tvam ca saras cedam
giri-kandara-kananam
vetra-kicaka-venunam
gulmani sura-padapan
srnganimani dhisnyani
brahmano me sivasya ca
ksirodam me priyam dhama
sveta-dvipam ca bhasvaram
srivatsam kaustubham malam
gadam kaumodakim mama
sudarsanam pancajanyam
suparnam patagesvaram
sesam ca mat-kalam suksmam
sriyam devim mad-asrayam
brahmanam naradam rsim
bhavam prahradam eva ca
matsya-kurma-varahadyair
avataraih krtani me
karmany ananta-punyani
suryam somam hutasanam
pranavam satyam avyaktam
go-vipran dharmam avyayam
daksayanir dharma-patnih
soma-kasyapayor api
gangam sarasvatim nandam
kalindim sita-varanam
dhruvam brahma-rsin sapta
punya-slokams ca manavan
utthayapara-ratrante
prayatah susamahitah
smaranti mama rupani
mucyante te 'mhaso 'khilat
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; ye--those who; mam--Me; tvam--you; ca--also; sarah--lake; ca--also; idam--this; giri--hill (Trikuta Mountain); kandara--caves; kananam--gardens; vetra--of cane; kicaka--hollow bamboo; venunam--and of another kind of bamboo; gulmani--clusters; sura-padapan--celestial trees; srngani--the peaks; imani--these; dhisnyani--abodes; brahmanah--of Lord Brahma; me--of Me; sivasya--of Lord Siva; ca--also; ksira-udam--the ocean of milk; me--My; priyam--very dear; dhama--place; sveta-dvipam--known as the white island; ca--also; bhasvaram--always brilliant with spiritual rays; srivatsam--the mark named Srivatsa; kaustubham--the Kaustubha gem; malam--garland; gadam--club; kaumodakim--known as Kaumodaki; mama--My; sudarsanam--Sudarsana disc; pancajanyam--conchshell named Pancajanya; suparnam--Garuda; pataga-isvaram--the king of all birds; sesam--the resting place Sesa Naga; ca--and; mat-kalam--My expanded part; suksmam--very subtle; sriyam devim--the goddess of fortune; mat-asrayam--all dependent upon Me; brahmanam--Lord Brahma; naradam rsim--the great saint Narada Muni; bhavam--Lord Siva; prahradam eva ca--as well as Prahlada; matsya--the Matsya incarnation; kurma--the Kurma incarnation; varaha--the boar incarnation; adyaih--and so on; avataraih--by different incarnations; krtani--done; me--My; karmani--activities; ananta--unlimited; punyani--auspicious, pious; suryam--the sun-god; somam--the moon-god; hutasanam--the fire-god; pranavam--the omkara mantra; satyam--the Absolute Truth; avyaktam--the total material energy; go-vipran--the cows and brahmanas; dharmam--devotional service; avyayam--never ending; daksayanih--the daughters of Daksa; dharma-patnih--bona fide wives; soma--of the moon-god; kasyapayoh--and of the great rsi Kasyapa; api--also; gangam--the River Ganges; sarasvatim--the River Sarasvati; nandam--the River Nanda; kalindim--the River Yamuna; sita-varanam--the elephant Airavata; dhruvam--Dhruva Maharaja; brahma-rsin--great rsis; sapta--seven; punya-slokan--extremely pious; ca--and; manavan--human beings; utthaya--getting up; apara-ratra-ante--at the end of the night; prayatah--being very careful; su-samahitah--with concentrated minds; smaranti--remember; mama--My; rupani--forms; mucyante--are delivered; te--such persons; amhasah--from sinful reactions; akhilat--of all kinds.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Freed from all sinful reactions are those who rise from bed at the end of night, early in the morning, and fully concentrate their minds with great attention upon My form; your form; this lake; this mountain; the caves; the gardens; the cane plants; the bamboo plants; the celestial trees; the residential quarters of Me, Lord Brahma and Lord Siva; the three peaks of Trikuta Mountain, made of gold, silver and iron; My very pleasing abode [the ocean of milk]; the white island, Svetadvipa, which is always brilliant with spiritual rays; My mark of Srivatsa; the Kaustubha gem; My Vaijayanti garland; My club, Kaumodaki; My Sudarsana disc and Pancajanya conchshell; My bearer, Garuda, the king of the birds; My bed, Sesa Naga; My expansion of energy the goddess of fortune; Lord Brahma; Narada Muni; Lord Siva; Prahlada; My incarnations like Matsya, Kurma and Varaha; My unlimited all-auspicious activities, which yield piety to he who hears them; the sun; the moon; fire; the mantra omkara; the Absolute Truth; the total material energy; the cows and brahmanas; devotional service; the wives of Soma and Kasyapa, who are all daughters of King Daksa; the Rivers Ganges, Sarasvati, Nanda and Yamuna [Kalindi]; the elephant Airavata; Dhruva Maharaja; the seven rsis; and the pious human beings.
TEXT 25
TEXT
ye mam stuvanty anenanga
pratibudhya nisatyaye
tesam pranatyaye caham
dadami vipulam gatim
SYNONYMS
ye--those who; mam--unto Me; stuvanti--offer prayers; anena--in this way; anga--O King; pratibudhya--getting up; nisa-atyaye--at the end of night; tesam--for them; prana-atyaye--at the time of death; ca--also; aham--I; dadami--give; vipulam--the eternal, unlimited; gatim--transferral to the spiritual world.
TRANSLATION
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.
TEXT 26
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
ity adisya hrsikesah
pradhmaya jalajottamam
harsayan vibudhanikam
aruroha khagadhipam
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti--thus; adisya--advising; hrsikesah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Hrsikesa; pradhmaya--blowing; jala-ja-uttamam--the conchshell, the best of the aquatics; harsayan--pleasing; vibudha-anikam--the host of demigods, headed by Lord Brahma and Lord Siva; aruroha--got up; khaga-adhipam--on the back of Garuda.
TRANSLATION
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: After giving this instruction, the Lord, who is known as Hrsikesa, bugled with His Pancajanya conchshell, in this way pleasing all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma. Then He mounted the back of His carrier, Garuda.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Fourth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "Gajendra Returns to the Spiritual World."