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2024-04-27, 6:13 AM |
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Chapter
4: Gajendra
Returns to the
Spiritual World
(1) S'rî
S'uka said: 'Thereafter [when
Gajendra was freed] the gods, the
rishis and the heavenly singers headed by Brahmâ and
S'iva, showered flowers to praise that accomplishment of the
Lord. (2) The
sky vibrated because of the kettledrums, the Gandharvas sang and danced
and the saints, the venerable ones and the perfected ones offered
prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (3-4)
That very moment the crocodile assumed
the most wonderful form of Hûhû,
the
best
of
the Gandharvas
who, now that he was freed from a curse pronounced by sage Devala,
with
his
head bowed down began offering
his obeisances to the Supreme
Eternal Master Hailed
in the Verses and then chanted
the
glories
of His transcendental pastimes and qualities. (5) Enjoying
the
Lord
His grace he circumambulated Him while offering his respects,
whereupon he
being freed from all sin before the eyes of everyone returned
to his abode.
(6) Gajendra
was because of
the touch of the Supreme Lord instantly freed from the ignorance of
his state of bondage and acquired the form of the Lord with four arms
and
yellow garments [sârûpya-mukti,
see
also
3.29: 13]. (7) In
his
former
life
he
had
been
born
as
the
best
of Dravida-des'a, the king of
Pândya. Known as
Indradyumna he swore by Vishnu
as his ultimate resort. (8)
[In that life] he, when the time to do penance had arrived, with the
greatest care had taken the vow
of silence and performed with
matted locks his austerities in Kulâcala [the Malaya
hills] where he had his âs'rama. One day worshiping the
Infallible Lord, he was immersed in his love for the Supreme
Controller. (9) The
renown Âgastya surrounded by his disciples then on his own initiative arrived there and saw him sitting silently alone in meditation without
offering him a respectful welcome. The rishi got very angry
about it. (10) He
then cursed him by saying: 'This degraded
soul so unfriendly and indifferent of mind despises [me as] a brahmin.
May he enter the darkness as a dull-minded elephant.'
(11-12) S'rî S'uka said: 'After thus condemning
him, the so very powerful Âgastya departed together with his
associates
oh King, leaving Indradyumna thinking that the curse despite of his
royal position was his fate. When he got born as
an elephant the remembrance of his identity was destroyed, but because
he worshiped the Lord by offering prayers, he nevertheless in that
elephant's body managed to remember [his past devotion]. (13) After the
Lord of the Lotus navel thus had delivered the king of the
elephants and He for His wonderful deeds was praised by the Gandharvas, the
perfected ones and
the sages, he
[after first having given a declaration] returned to His heavenly abode sitting on
the
back of Garuda in
the
company
of
him
who
was
awarded the position
of being His associate.
(14) What I have described to you oh
great King, concerning the belief in Lord Krishna that delivered King
Gajendra, promotes those who hear about it to the heavenly spheres and
increases their reputation. It takes away the darkness of the
immorality of Kali-yuga [see 1.17: 24-25] and
drives away the result of sleepiness oh best of the Kurus. (15) To put first of all an end to the [bad]
consequences of
sleepiness, twice-born souls who
are motivated
for this blessing rise early in the morning, purify themselves and
faithfully chant this story.
(16) This is what the
All-pervading Great Lord, pleased in the presence of everyone said to
Gajendra oh best of the Kuru dynasty. (17-24) The Supreme Lord
said: 'Those will be delivered from all their worries who, when they
get up at the end of the night, by carefully
concentrating their minds remember My forms - the forms of Me and you,
the forms
of the lake, this hill, these caves and gardens, those of the cane and
the bamboos, the groups of trees, these peaks and the abodes of Me as
also
those of Lord Brahmâ and Lord S'iva; this ocean of milk, this
white
island with its brilliant luster so dear to Me, My
S'rîvatsa mark, Kaustubha jewel, [Vaijayantî] garland,
Kaumodakî
club,
Sudars'ana
disc
and
Pâñcajanya
conch;
Garuda,
Ananta
S'esha,
My
subtle
plenary
portion the Goddess of Fortune, all who depend on Me, Lord
Brahmâ, Nârada rishi, S'iva and Prahlâda; My
Matsya incarnation, Kûrma, Varâha, the other avatâras
and
the
countless
number of all My auspicious deeds; the deities of the sun, the
moon and the fire, the Omkâra mantra, the Absolute Truth
and that what is not manifest [of the universe]; the cows, the
brahmins, the eternal
dharma, the daughters of Daksha, the dutiful wives of the moon god and
Kas'yapa, as also the Ganges, the Sarasvatî, the Nandâ and
the Yamunâ, Airâvata [Indra's elephant], Dhruva, the seven
so very pious sages and the human beings. (25) My
best one, they who offer Me
prayers this way when they
rise at the end of the night, I will grant the greater destination when they expire their last breath.'
(26) S'rî S'uka
said: 'After having declared this, Hrishîkes'a, to
the pleasure of the host of demigods blew on His conch, the best
one of the sea, and climbed on the back of Garuda.'
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