SB8.4Summary

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.

SB8.4.3-4

TEXTS 3–4

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

SB8.4.6

TEXT 6

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

SB8.4.8

TEXT 8

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.

SB8.4.9

TEXT 9

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.

SB8.4.10

TEXT 10

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

SB8.4.15

TEXT 15

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.

SB8.4.17-24

TEXTS 17–24

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.

SB8.4.25

TEXT 25

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.

SB8.4.26

TEXT 26

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.”