SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 8

S'rî S'uka said: 'Thereafter [when Gajendra was freed] showered the godly, the rishis and the heavenly singers headed by Brahmâ and S'iva, flowers in praise of that feat of the Lord.

S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: When the Lord delivered Gajendra, King of the elephants, all the demigods, sages and Gandharvas, headed by Brahmâ and S'iva, praised this activity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and showered flowers upon both the Lord and Gajendra. (Vedabase)

Text 2

The sky vibrated of the kettledrums, the Gandharvas sang and danced and the saints, the venerable ones and the perfected offered prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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 Câranaloka and Siddhaloka offered prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Purushottama. (Vedabase)

Text 3-4:

He, Hûhû, a singer of heaven who by a curse of sage Devala, had become that crocodile, appeared that very moment as a most wonderfully beautiful Gandharva indeed, who, offering obeisances with his head to the Supreme Eternal Master Hailed in the Verses, began to chant the glories of His transcendental pastimes and qualities.

The best of the Gandharvas, King Hûhû, 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. (Vedabase)

Text 5

He being favored by the Lord circumambulated Him offering his respects, and with everybody watching went he, being delivered from all sin, back to his own abode.

Having been favored by the causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and having regained his original form, King Hûhû circumambulated the Lord and offered his obeisances. Then, in the presence of all the demigods, headed by Brahmâ, he returned to Gandharvaloka. He had been freed of all sinful reactions. (Vedabase)

Text 6

Gajendra was by the touch of the Supreme Lord instantly freed from the ignorance of being bound and had achieved the selfsame form with four arms and yellow garments [sârûpya-mukti, see also 3.29: 13].

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 sârûpya-mukti, in which he achieved the same bodily features as the Lord, being dressed in yellow garments and possessing four hands. (Vedabase)

Text 7

He in fact before had, born as the best of Dravida-des'a, been the king of Pândya and was, sworn to Vishnu always being on the transcendental path, thus known as Indradyumna.

This Gajendra had formerly been a Vaishnava and the king of the country known as Pândya, which is in the province of Dravida [South India]. In his previous life, he was known as Indradyumna Mahârâja. (Vedabase)

Text 8

He had, when the time had come for his penance, with the greatest care taken to the vow of silence and was, with matted locks doing his austerity in Kulâcala [the Malaya hills] where he had his âs'rama, one day worshipping the Infallible Lord, immersed in love for the Supreme Controller.

Indradyumna Mahârâja retired from family life and went to the Malaya Hills, where he had a small cottage for his âs'rama. 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. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Out of his own will arrived at the spot the renown Âgastya surrounded by his disciples and seeing him silent, sitting alone in meditation without offering a respectful reception, it so happened that the rishi became very angry.

While Indradyumna Mahârâja was engaged in ecstatic meditation, worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the great sage Âgastya Muni arrived there, surrounded by his disciples. When the Muni saw that Mahârâja 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. (Vedabase)

Text 10

He then gave him this curse: 'This degraded soul so unfriendly and inapt of mind before me as an insult to the brahminical, let him enter the darkness as a dull minded elephant indeed.'

Âgastya Muni then spoke this curse against the King: This King Indradyumna is not at all gentle. Being low and uneducated, he has insulted a brâhmana. May he therefore enter the region of darkness and receive the dull, dumb body of an elephant. (Vedabase)

Text 11-12

S'rî S'uka said: 'After thus condemning him left the so powerful Âgastya from there with his associates, o King, leaving Indradyumna thinking that the curse despite of his elevated position was a result of his past deeds. When he got born as an elephant was the remembrance of his identity destroyed, but because he worshiped the Lord offering prayers, got he despite of that elephant's body the chance to remember his past.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: My dear King, after Âgastya Muni had thus cursed King Indradyumna, the Muni left that place along with his disciples. Since the King was a devotee, he accepted Âgastya 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. (Vedabase)

Text 13

When the Lord of the Lotus navel thus had delivered the king of the elephants, returned He accompanied by him, who was awarded the position of being His associate, together with the Gandharvas, the perfected and the sages - who all praised Him for His wonderful deeds - to His own abode sitting on the back of Garuda.

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 sârûpya-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. (Vedabase)

Text 14

This what I described to you, o King, about the unlimited potency of Lord Krishnain delivering the devotee Gajendra, promotes those who hear of it to the heavenly spheres and increases their reputation as a devotee; it takes away the contaminations of Kali-yuga [see 1.17: 24-25] and drives away the bad dreams, o best of the Kurus.

My dear King Parîkshit, I have now described the wonderful power of Krishna, 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. (Vedabase)

Text 15

To counteract the troubles of having had a bad night do people out for the blessing, especially the pure of the twice-born, faithfully recite this story when they rise in the morning.

Therefore, after getting up from bed in the morning, those who desire their own welfare - especially the brâhmanas, kshatriyas, vais'yas and in particular the brâhmana Vaishnavas - should chant this narration as it is, without deviation, to counteract the troubles of bad dreams. (Vedabase)

Text 16

This is what the All-pervading Great Lord being pleased in the presence of everyone has said to Gajendra, o best of the Kuru dynasty.

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. (Vedabase)

Text 17-24:

The Supreme Lord said: 'Those who, when they get up at the end of the night, with care concentrating do 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 bamboos, the groups of trees, these peaks and the abodes of Me and those of Lord Brahmâ and Lord S'iva; as also this ocean of milk and 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, and the other avatâras; the countless of all My auspicious deeds; the deities of the sun, the moon and the fire; the omkâra mantra, the Absolute Truth and the total material energy; the cows, the brahmins and the eternal dharma; the daughters of Daksha, the dutiful wives of the moongod, Kas'yapa and 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 - are delivered from all their worries.

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 Brahmâ and Lord S'iva; the three peaks of Trikûtha Mountain, made of gold, silver and iron; My very pleasing abode [the ocean of milk]; the white island, S'vetadvîpa, which is always brilliant with spiritual rays; My mark of S'rîvatsa; the Kaustubha gem; My Vaijayantî garland; My club, Kaumodakî; My Sudars'ana disc and Pâñcajanya conchshell; My bearer, Garuda, the king of the birds; My bed, S'esha Nâga; My expansion of energy the goddess of fortune; Lord Brahmâ; Nârada Muni; Lord S'iva; Prahlâda; My incarnations like Matsya, Kûrma and Varâha; My unlimited all-auspicious activities, which yield piety to he who hears them; the sun; the moon; fire; the mantra omkâra; the Absolute Truth; the total material energy; the cows and brâhmanas; devotional service; the wives of Soma and Kas'yapa, who are all daughters of King Daksha; the Rivers Ganges, Sarasvatî, Nandâ and Yamunâ [Kâlindî]; the elephant Airâvata; Dhruva Mahârâja; the seven rishis; and the pious human beings. (Vedabase)

Text 25:

Those offering Me prayers this way, my best, rising at the end of the night, will I, also at the time of their death, grant the greater destination.'

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. (Vedabase)

Text 26:

S'rî S'uka said: 'Hrishîkes'a, thus having given his address, mounting the back of Garuda then blew on the best one of the sea [His conch] to the pleasure of the host of divine lordships.'

S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: After giving this instruction, the Lord, who is known as Hrishîkes'a, bugled with His Pâñcajanya conchshell, in this way pleasing all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmâ. Then He mounted the back of His carrier, Garuda. (Vedabase)