> > Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 8
> > Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
> > (for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)

> > Canto 8: 'Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations'

> > *****

> > Chapter Four: Gajendra Returns to the Spiritual World

> > *****

> > TEXT 1

> > srî-suka uvâca

> > tadâ devarsi-gandharvâ

> > brahmesâna-purogamâh

> > mumucuh kusumâsâram

> > samsantah karma tad dhareh

> > srî-sukah uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; tadâ--at that time (when Gajendra was delivered); deva-rsi-gandharvâh--the demigods, sages and Gandharvas; brahma-îsâna-purogamâh--headed by Lord Brahmâ and Lord Siva; mumucuh--showered; kusuma-âsâram--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.

> > *****

> > TEXT 2

> > nedur dundubhayo divyâ

> > gandharvâ nanrtur jaguh

> > rsayas câranâh siddhâs

> > tustuvuh purusottamam

> > neduh--vibrated; dundubhayah--kettledrums; divyâh--in the sky of the higher planetary system; gandharvâh--residents of Gandharvaloka; nanrtuh--danced; jaguh--and sang; rsayah--all the saintly sages; câranâh--the inhabitants of the Cârana planet; siddhâh--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

> > yo 'sau grâhah sa vai sadyah

> > paramâscarya-rûpa-dhrk

> > mukto devala-sâpena

> > hûhûr gandharva-sattamah

> > pranamya sirasâdhîsam

> > uttama-slokam avyayam

> > agâyata yaso-dhâma

> > kîrtanya-guna-sat-katham

> > yah--he who; asau--that; grâhah--became a crocodile; sah--he; vai--indeed; sadyah--immediately; parama--very nice; âscarya--wonderful; rûpa-dhrk--possessing the form (of his original Gandharva position); muktah--was delivered; devala-sâpena--by the cursing of Devala Rsi; hûhûh--whose name was formerly Hûhû; gandharva-sattamah--the best of Gandharvaloka; pranamya--offering his obeisances; sirasâ--by the head; adhîsam--unto the supreme master; uttama-slokam--who is worshiped by the choicest verses; avyayam--who is the supreme eternal; agâyata--he began to chant; yasah-dhâma--the glories of the Lord; kîrtanya-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.

> > *****

> > TEXT 5

> > so 'nukampita îsena

> > parikramya pranamya tam

> > lokasya pasyato lokam

> > svam agân mukta-kilbisah

> > sah--he (King Hûhû); anukampitah--being favored; îsena--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; agât--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

> > gajendro bhagavat-sparsâd

> > vimukto 'jnâna-bandhanât

> > prâpto bhagavato rûpam

> > pîta-vâsâs catur-bhujah

> > gajendrah--the King of the elephants, Gajendra; bhagavat-sparsât--because of being touched by the hand of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vimuktah--was immediately freed; ajnâna-bandhanât--from all kinds of ignorance, especially the bodily concept of life; prâptah--achieved; bhagavatah--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rûpam--the same bodily features; pîta-vâsâh--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.

> > *****

> > TEXT 7

> > sa vai pûrvam abhûd râjâ

> > pândyo dravida-sattamah

> > indradyumna iti khyâto

> > visnu-vrata-parâyanah

> > sah--this elephant (Gajendra); vai--indeed; pûrvam--formerly; abhût--was; râjâ--a king; pândyah--of the country known as Pândya; dravida-sat-tamah--the best of those born in Dravida-desa, South India; indradyumnah--by the name Mahârâja Indradyumna; iti--thus; khyâtah--celebrated; visnu-vrata-parâyanah--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

> > sa ekadârâdhana-kâla âtmavân

> > grhîta-mauna-vrata îsvaram harim

> > jatâ-dharas tâpasa âpluto 'cyutam

> > samarcayâm âsa kulâcalâsramah

> > sah--that Indradyumna Mahârâja; ekadâ--once upon a time; ârâdhana-kâle--at the time of worshiping the Deity; âtmavân--engaged in devotional service in meditation with great attention; grhîta--taken; mauna-vratah--the vow of silence (not talking with anyone); îsvaram--the supreme controller; harim--the Personality of Godhead; jatâ-dharah--with matted locks; tâpasah--always engaged in austerity; âplutah--always merged in love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead; acyutam--the infallible Lord; samarcayâm âsa--was worshiping; kulâcala-âsramah--he made his âsrama in Kulâcala (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

> > yadrcchayâ tatra mahâ-yasâ munih

> > samâgamac chisya-ganaih parisritah

> > tam vîksya tûsnîm akrtârhanâdikam

> > rahasy upâsînam rsis cukopa ha

> > yadrcchayâ--out of his own will (without being invited); tatra--there; mahâ-yasâh--very celebrated, well-known; munih--Agastya Muni; samâgamat--arrived; sisya-ganaih--by his disciples; parisritah--surrounded; tam--him; viksya--seeing; tûsnîm--silent; akrta-arhana-âdikam--without offering a respectful reception; rahasi--in a secluded place; upâsînam--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

> > tasmâ imam sâpam adâd asâdhur

> > ayam durâtmâkrta-buddhir adya

> > viprâvamantâ visatâm tamisram

> > yathâ gajah stabdha-matih sa eva

> > tasmai--unto Mahârâja Indradyumna; imam--this; sâpam--curse; adât--he gave; asâdhuh--not at all gentle; ayam--this; durâtmâ--degraded soul; akrta--without education; buddhih--his intelligence; adya--now; vipra--of a brâhmana; avamantâ--insulter; visatâm--let him enter; tamisram--darkness; yathâ--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.

> > *****

> > TEXTS 11-12

> > srî-suka uvâca

> > evam saptvâ gato 'gastyo

> > bhagavân nrpa sânugah

> > indradyumno 'pi râjarsir

> > distam tad upadhârayan

> > âpannah kaunjarîm yonim

> > âtma-smrti-vinâsinîm

> > hary-arcanânubhâvena

> > yad-gajatve 'py anusmrtih

> > srî-sukah uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; evam--thus; saptvâ--after cursing; gatah--left that place; agastyah--Agastya Muni; bhagavân--so powerful; nrpa--O King; sa-anugah--with his associates; indradyumnah--King Indradyumna; api--also; râjarsih--although he was a râjarsi; distam--because of past deeds; tat--that curse; upadhârayan--considering;

> > âpannah--got; kaunjarîm--of an elephant; yonim--the species; âtma-smrti--remembrance of one's identity; vinâsinîm--which destroys; hari--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; arcana-anubhâvena--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.

> > *****

> > TEXT 13

> > evam vimoksya gaja-yûtha-pam abja-nâbhas

> > tenâpi pârsada-gatim gamitena yuktah

> > gandharva-siddha-vibudhair upagîyamâna-

> > karmâdbhutam sva-bhavanam garudâsano 'gât

> > evam--thus; vimoksya--delivering; gaja-yûtha-pam--the King of the elephants, Gajendra; abja-nâbhah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whose navel sprouts a lotus flower; tena--by him (Gajendra); api--also; pârsada-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; upagîyamâna--were being glorified; karma--whose transcendental activities; adbhutam--all-wonderful; sva-bhavanam--to His own abode; garuda-âsanah--sitting on the back of Garuda; agât--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.

> > *****

> > TEXT 14

> > etan mahâ-râja taverito mayâ

> > krsnânubhâvo gaja-râja-moksanam

> > svargyam yasasyam kali-kalmasâpaham

> > duhsvapna-nâsam kuru-varya srnvatâm

> > etat--this; mahâ-râja--O King Parîksit; tava--unto you; îritah--described; mayâ--by me; krsna-anubhâvah--the unlimited potency of Lord Krsna (by which He can deliver a devotee); gaja-râja-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-nâsam--counteracting the causes of bad dreams; kuru-varya--O best among the Kurus; srnvatâm--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

> > yathânukîrtayanty etac

> > chreyas-kâmâ dvijâtayah

> > sucayah prâtar utthâya

> > duhsvapnâdy-upasântaye

> > yathâ--without deviation; anukîrtayanti--they chant; etat--this narration of the deliverance of Gajendra; sreyah-kâmâh--persons who desire their own auspiciousness; dvi-jâtayah--the twice-born (brâhmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas); sucayah--especially the brâhmanas, who are always clean; prâtah--in the morning; utthâya--after getting up from sleep; duhsvapna-âdi--beginning with sleeping badly at night; upasântaye--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.

> > *****

> > TEXT 16

> > idam âha harih prîto

> > gajendram kuru-sattama

> > srnvatâm sarva-bhûtânâm

> > sarva-bhûta-mayo vibhuh

> > idam--this; âha--said; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prîtah--being pleased; gajendram--unto Gajendra; kuru-sat-tama--O best of the Kuru dynasty; srnvatâm--hearing; sarva-bhûtânâm--in the presence of everyone; sarva-bhûta-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

> > srî-bhagavân uvâca

> > ye mâm tvâm ca saras cedam

> > giri-kandara-kânanam

> > vetra-kîcaka-venûnâm

> > gulmâni sura-pâdapân

> > srngânîmâni dhisnyâni

> > brahmano me sivasya ca

> > ksîrodam me priyam dhâma

> > sveta-dvîpam ca bhâsvaram

> > srîvatsam kaustubham mâlâm

> > gadâm kaumodakîm mama

> > sudarsanam pâncajanyam

> > suparnam patagesvaram

> > sesam ca mat-kalâm sûksmâm

> > sriyam devîm mad-âsrayâm

> > brahmânam nâradam rsim

> > bhavam prahrâdam eva ca

> > matsya-kûrma-varâhâdyair

> > avatâraih krtâni me

> > karmâny ananta-punyâni

> > sûryam somam hutâsanam

> > pranavam satyam avyaktam

> > go-viprân dharmam avyayam

> > dâksâyanîr dharma-patnîh

> > soma-kasyapayor api

> > gangâm sarasvatîm nandâm

> > kâlindîm sita-vâranam

> > dhruvam brahma-rsîn sapta

> > punya-slokâms ca mânavân

> > utthâyâpara-râtrânte

> > prayatâh susamâhitâh

> > smaranti mama rûpâni

> > mucyante te 'mhaso 'khilât

> > srî-bhagavân uvâca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; ye--those who; mâm--Me; tvâm--you; ca--also; sarah--lake; ca--also; idam--this; giri--hill (Trikûta Mountain); kandara--caves; kânanam--gardens; vetra--of cane; kîcaka--hollow bamboo; venûnâm--and of another kind of bamboo; gulmâni--clusters; sura-pâdapân--celestial trees; srngâni--the peaks; imâni--these; dhisnyâni--abodes; brahmanah--of Lord Brahmâ; me--of Me; sivasya--of Lord Siva; ca--also; ksîra-udam--the ocean of milk; me--My; priyam--very dear; dhâma--place; sveta-dvîpam--known as the white island; ca--also; bhâsvaram--always brilliant with spiritual rays; srîvatsam--the mark named Srîvatsa; kaustubham--the Kaustubha gem; mâlâm--garland; gadâm--club; kaumodakîm--known as Kaumodakî; mama--My; sudarsanam--Sudarsana disc; pâncajanyam--conchshell named Pâncajanya; suparnam--Garuda; pataga-îsvaram--the king of all birds; sesam--the resting place Sesa Nâga; ca--and; mat-kalâm--My expanded part; sûksmâm--very subtle; sriyam devîm--the goddess of fortune; mat-âsrayâm--all dependent upon Me; brahmânam--Lord Brahmâ; nâradam rsim--the great saint Nârada Muni; bhavam--Lord Siva; prahrâdam eva ca--as well as Prahlâda; matsya--the Matsya incarnation; kûrma--the Kûrma incarnation; varâha--the boar incarnation; adyaih--and so on; avataraih--by different incarnations; krtâni--done; me--My; karmâni--activities; ananta--unlimited; punyâni--auspicious, pious; sûryam--the sun-god; somam--the moon-god; hutâsanam--the fire-god; pranavam--the omkâra mantra; satyam--the Absolute Truth; avyaktam--the total material energy; go-viprân--the cows and brâhmanas; dharmam--devotional service; avyayam--never ending; dâksâyanîh--the daughters of Daksa; dharma-patnîh--bona fide wives; soma--of the moon-god; kasyapayoh--and of the great rsi Kasyapa; api--also; gangâm--the River Ganges; sarasvatîm--the River Sarasvatî; nandâm--the River Nandâ; kâlindîm--the River Yamunâ; sita-vâranam--the elephant Airâvata; dhruvam--Dhruva Mahârâja; brahma-rsîn--great rsis; sapta--seven; punya-slokân--extremely pious; ca--and; mânavân--human beings; utthâya--getting up; apara-râtra-ante--at the end of the night; prayatâh--being very careful; su-samâhitâh--with concentrated minds; smaranti--remember; mama--My; rûpâni--forms; mucyante--are delivered; te--such persons; amhasah--from sinful reactions; akhilât--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

> > ye mâm stuvanty anenânga

> > pratibudhya nisâtyaye

> > tesâm prânâtyaye câham

> > dadâmi vipulâm gatim

> > ye--those who; mâm--unto Me; stuvanti--offer prayers; anena--in this way; anga--O King; pratibudhya--getting up; nisa-atyaye--at the end of night; tesâm--for them; prâna-atyaye--at the time of death; ca--also; aham--I; dadâmi--give; vipulâm--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

> > srî-suka uvâca

> > ity âdisya hrsîkesah

> > prâdhmâya jalajottamam

> > harsayan vibudhânîkam

> > âruroha khagâdhipam

> > srî-sukah uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; iti--thus; âdisya--advising; hrsîkesah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Hrsîkesa; prâdhmâya--blowing; jala-ja-uttamam--the conchshell, the best of the aquatics; harsayan--pleasing; vibudha-anîkam--the host of demigods, headed by Lord Brahmâ and Lord Siva; âruroha--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.

> > Back to the running text