There was a great mountain, celebrated by the name Trikuta, (which was)
encircled by the ocean of milk rich in mineral wealth and was ten
thousand Yojanas (or eighty thousand miles) high, O Pariksit! Wide to
the same extent (as its height) on all sides, it stood illuminating the
ocean (around), the (four) cardinal points as well as the sky with (its)
three (principal) peaks of silver, steel and gold (respectively), and
lending charm to all the quarters with (its) other peaks rendered
picturesque by (their wealth of) precious stones and minerals (of
diverse colours), by (their) trees, creepers and shrubs of various
description as well as by the murmuring sound of the water of their
cascades. With its foot being (constantly) washed by the waves of the
ocean on every side, the mountain made the lowlands (enclosing it) look
dark green (as if covered by turf) by its emeralds scattered on all
sides (by the corrosive action of the waves). Its caves were frequented
by sporting Siddhas (a class of demigods endowed with mystic powers from
their very birth), Caranas (celestial bards), Gandharvas (celestial
musicians), Vidyadharas (celestial artistes) and great Nagas
(serpent-demons) having a human face and serpent-like body) as well as
by Kinnaras (another class of celestial musicians with a human figure
and the head of a horse or vice versa ), and Apsaras (celestial nymphs).
There haughty lions roared in indignation aroused by the suspected
presence of another lion, with their face turned towards the part where
the caves echoed with the music (of the Kinnaras etc.). The mountain
looked charming with (its) valleys infested by herds of wild beasts of
various description. And birds sweetly warbled in (its) celestial
gardens rich in a variety of trees. It was adorned with rivers and lakes
of limpid water and banks carpeted with the sands of gems and fanned by
breezes charged with drops of water scented with the fragrance lent to
it by the bathing of celestial ladies.
In a (particular) valley of that mountain there existed a garden
belonging to the glorious and high-souled Varuna (the god of water),
which bore the name of Rtuman and was the sporting-ground of celestial
ladies. On all sides it was graced with celestial trees ever full of
flowers and fruits and was fenced with Mandaras (acacias), Parijatas
(coral trees), Patalas, Asokas and Campakas, different species of
mangoes, Priyalas and Panasas (bread-fruit trees) as well as with
Amratakas (hog-plum trees), Kramukas (arecas) and cocoanut-trees,
date-palms and Bijapuras (citrons), Madhukas, Salas, Palmyras, Tamalas,
Asanas, Arjunas, Aristas (soap-berries), Udumbaras, Plaksas, banyan
trees, Kimsukas and sandal-trees, Nimba-trees, Kovidaras, Saralas (a
species of pine trees), deodars, vines, sugar-canes, plantains and
rose-apples, plum-trees, Aksas, the yellow myrobalan and myrobalan
trees, Bilvas (wood-apples), Kapitthas and Jambiras (lemons), as well as
by Bhallatakas (the marking-nut trees) and so on. In that garden there
existed a very extensive lake studded with splendid golden lotuses. It
looked grand with the splendour of lilies and lotuses of various species
(such as Utpalas, Kalharas and Satapatras) and was resonant with the
humming of intoxicated bees as well as by sweetly warbling birds. It was
swarmed by swans and Karandavas (a variety of ducks) as well as by
Cakravakas (ruddy geese) and cranes, and resounded with the noise of
swarms of water-fowls, Koyastis (paddy-birds) and Catakas. Its water was
overlaid with the pollen of lotuses shaking with the movements of
fishes and tortoises and was hemmed in with Kadambas, canes, Nalas (a
species of reeds), Nipas (a variety of Kadambas) and Vanjulas. It looked
most charming with its Kundas (a species of jasmine), Kurbakas (red
amaranths), Asokas, Sirisas, Kutajas, Ingudis, Kubjakas, Swarnayuthis
(yellow jasmines), Nagas, Punnagas and Jatis, Mallikas and Satapatras,
Madhavis (spring-flowers), Jalakas etc., as well as with other trees
growing on its margin and bearing flowers and fruits during all the
seasons.
In that garden, one day, the leader of a herd of elephants, that had its
abode in the forest of that mountain, was roaming about with (a number
of) female elephants, breaking (its) thorny trees and a large thicket
consisting of various types of bamboos (such as Kicakas) and canes.
Perceiving it by scent alone, lions and (other) leaders of elephants,
tigers and other beasts of prey, including rhinoceroses, and even huge
serpents, black and white Sarabhas (eight-footed animals, now extinct,
represented as stronger than the lion and the elephant) and Camaris
(female yaks) took to flight out of fear. The weaker animals, viz.,
wolves, boars, bisons, bears, porcupines, baboons, hyenas and monkeys as
well as antelopes, hares etc., fearlessly roamed about elsewhere
(outside the range of its sight) by its sufferance. Surrounded by
(other) elephants (of its herd) and female elephants (too) and followed
by their youngs, the elephant, that was emitting temporal fluid (all
along) and was consequently being dogged by swarms of black-bees that
fed on that fluid, was shaking the mountain on every side by its (huge)
weight. Scenting from a long distance the breeze blowing from the
lake-charged as it was with the pollen of lotuses-and accompanied by its
herd, which was (likewise) oppressed with thirst , the elephant now
swiftly made to the vicinity of the lake, afflicted as it was by heat,
its eyes rolling under the influence of that temporal fluid. Making its
way into the lake, bathing itself with its water, and thus relieved of
fatigue, it drank to its satisfaction the clear and nectar-like water
perfumed with the pollen of golden and blue lotuses with the tip of its
proboscis. Spraying the female elephants as well as their youngs with
drops of water drawn by its own trunk and making them drink it, full of
compassion (as it was for its herd), like a householder, the proud
elephant, infatuated by the deluding potency of the eternal Lord, did
not foresee the (impending) peril.
Directed by destiny, O protector of men, some very powerful alligator
indignantly seized the elephant by the foot in that lake. Thus fallen
into adversity by the will of Providence that mighty elephant struggled
to the utmost of its strength (to shake off the enemy`s hold).
Perceiving the leader of their herd being thus forcibly dragged by the
mighty foe, and unable to help itself, the female elephants, whose mind
was (greatly) perplexed, (merely) shrieked; while the other elephants,
even though they tried (their utmost) to help their leader (from
behind), could not liberate it. While the lord of elephants and the
alligator were thus contending and pulling each other, the one outside
and the other inside, both remaining alive, a thousand years rolled by, O
ruler of the earth. The gods (too) looked upon this (event) as
(something) strange.
After this (due to lack of nourishment, however,) there came about a
great depletion of spirit, strength and vitality of the king of
elephants, as it was being dragged in water for (such) a long time and
was now languishing; while in the case of the alligator (that had its
abode in water and derived its nourishment from water) all this
(strength etc.), turned out to be otherwise (come to be redoubled). When
the lord of elephants, that looked upon the body (alone) as itself,
unexpectedly came to face with this danger to life and felt (absolutely)
powerless, and incapable of liberating itself (from the hold of its
enemy), it pondered for a long time and presently arrived at the
following conclusion. (The elephant said to itself,) ``These, my kith
and kin, have no power to extricate me, fallen in distress (as I am);
how (then) can the female elephants do it? (Therefore,) entrapped as I
am in the snare of Providence in the shape of the alligator, even I (a
beast) flee (for protection) to the Supreme, the ultimate refuge (of
all). Whosoever being the almighty Lord Protects on every side a
suppliant very much afraid of the powerful serpent in the form of Death,
possessed of terrible speed and advancing in every direction, and from
fear of whom Death (himself) runs to and fro (to devour living beings),
let as approach Him as our asylum.``
Sri Sukadeva Goswami resumed:
Having thus resolved by force of reason and steadied the mind in the region of the heart, the king of elephants proceeded (mentally) to repeat the (following) excellent prayer (worth repeating again and again), learnt by heart in its previous incarnation (as king Indradyumna).
Having thus resolved by force of reason and steadied the mind in the region of the heart, the king of elephants proceeded (mentally) to repeat the (following) excellent prayer (worth repeating again and again), learnt by heart in its previous incarnation (as king Indradyumna).
The king of elephants (mentally) prayed:
We mentally offer (our) salutation to that all-powerful supreme Lord-denoted by the mystical syllable OM-because of whom (animated by whom) this (psycho-physical) organism appears as conscious and who enters the (various) bodies (as their causes) in the shape of Prakrti (primordial Matter ) and Purusa (the Spirit). I (mentally) approach (for protection) that self-existent Lord in whom (as its ground) this universe rests, from whom it has emanated, by whom and by whose instrumentality it is brought into existence, (nay,) who Himself constitutes this universe, and (yet) who is beyond the phenomenal existence as well as its unmanifest Cause (Prakrti). May that self-revealed Lord protect me-He who transcends (reveals) even the revealing agencies (the eye, mind and so on), and who because of His unobstructed vision regards as a (disinterested) witness this aforesaid universe, projected (evolved) in His own Self by His creative energy, both when sometimes (at the time of creation) it becomes manifest, and when at other times it likewise gets screened from view (at the time of dissolution being merged in Prakrti). (At the time of final dissolution) when (all) the (fourteen) spheres and (the bodies of) their guardians (Brahma and others) are reduced to the state of (their causes,) the five (gross) elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether) and all the causes (viz., the five gross elements, the five subtle elements, the five senses of perception, the five organs of action, the mind, the ego and the Mahat-tattva or the principle of Cosmic Intelligence) get dissolved (into their ultimate Cause, Prakrti or primordial Matter) by lapse of time (to the extent of two Parardhas, the lifetime of Brahma), impenetrable (incomprehensible) and fathomless darkness (ignorance in the shape of the Unmanifest) prevails at that time. May that all-pervading Lord protect me, who sheds His lustre all round (even) beyond that darkness, nay, whose reality (even) gods and seers cannot comprehend-any more than an ordinary spectator can discover the identity of an actor acting differently in diverse appearances-much less can any (other ordinary and ignorant) creature know or describe it, His course of conduct being hard to fathom. He alone is my refuge, whose most auspicious nature (even) contemplative souls that have completely shaken off (all) attachment and are identified with, and benevolently disposed towards, (all) created beings and exceedingly pious (in character) are eager to perceive, for which they scrupulously observe in the woods (away from the bustle of worldly life) sacred vows (of continence etc.), beyond the capacity of the ordinary people. Hail, hail to that all perfect supreme Lord of infinite potencies and wonderful activity, devoid of form, yet possessed of innumerable forms, for whom there is neither birth (brought about by past Karma) nor actions (inspired by the sense of doership), neither name nor form (when He is conceived of as devoid attributes), and in whom there is neither merit or demerit, nevertheless who assumes (all) these from time to time (according to the exigencies of time) by His own Maya (will-power) for the destruction and creation of the world. Salutations to the supreme spirit who is revealed by His own Self (requires no other light to reveal Himself) and stands as the witness (of all)! Greetings to Him who is entirely beyond (the ken of) speech and mind and the (diverse) faculties of mind! (My) bow to Him who is attainable by a wise man through purity of mind acquired by means of cessation from worldly activity (and by means of devotional practices), who is the Lord (Bestower) of final beatitude and (also) constitutes the realization of the bliss of final beatitude. Hail to Him who having adopted the characteristics of the (three) modes of Prakrti, (severally) appears as serene, dreadful and infatuated, but who is (really) destitute of (all) difference and uniform (in every respect). Hail to Him who is wisdom crystallized (as distinguished from Prakrti, which, though undifferentiated and uniform like Him, is devodid of consciousness). (My) bow to You, the Knower of (all) psycho-physical organisms, the Ruler and Witness of all! Salutations to the Source of all Jivas (embodied souls) as well as of Prakrti (the ultimate cause of the universe), because existent before them all. (My) greetings to You, the Perceiver of all the senses of perception as well as of their objects, the Source of all (the varieties of) cognitions, who are indicated (even as a material body by its reflection) by the phenomenal existence (in the shape of the psycho-physical organism) as well as by Nescience (the root of all phenomena) inasmuch as it is You who are reflected in the shape of existence (in every phenomena). Hail, hail to You, the Cause of all (effects), Yours If without a cause, and a wondrous cause (in the sense that unlike other causes You remain unchanged even though assuming the form of the universe). Salutations to You, constituting the great ocean to which all Tantras (such as the Pancaratra) and Vedas (like so many streams) are directed, the embodiment of final beatitude, the refuge of the great! I bow to the Lord, who is the fire of Consciousness hidden in the Aranis (pieces of wood used for kindling fire by attrition) of the Gunas (the modes of Prakrti), whose creative will is aroused when the equilibrium of the Gunas is disturbed, and who reveals Himself of His own accord to (the mind of) those (enlightened souls) who have kept at a distance (the injunctions and interdictions of) the Sastras by dint of contemplation on the truth of the Spirit.
We mentally offer (our) salutation to that all-powerful supreme Lord-denoted by the mystical syllable OM-because of whom (animated by whom) this (psycho-physical) organism appears as conscious and who enters the (various) bodies (as their causes) in the shape of Prakrti (primordial Matter ) and Purusa (the Spirit). I (mentally) approach (for protection) that self-existent Lord in whom (as its ground) this universe rests, from whom it has emanated, by whom and by whose instrumentality it is brought into existence, (nay,) who Himself constitutes this universe, and (yet) who is beyond the phenomenal existence as well as its unmanifest Cause (Prakrti). May that self-revealed Lord protect me-He who transcends (reveals) even the revealing agencies (the eye, mind and so on), and who because of His unobstructed vision regards as a (disinterested) witness this aforesaid universe, projected (evolved) in His own Self by His creative energy, both when sometimes (at the time of creation) it becomes manifest, and when at other times it likewise gets screened from view (at the time of dissolution being merged in Prakrti). (At the time of final dissolution) when (all) the (fourteen) spheres and (the bodies of) their guardians (Brahma and others) are reduced to the state of (their causes,) the five (gross) elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether) and all the causes (viz., the five gross elements, the five subtle elements, the five senses of perception, the five organs of action, the mind, the ego and the Mahat-tattva or the principle of Cosmic Intelligence) get dissolved (into their ultimate Cause, Prakrti or primordial Matter) by lapse of time (to the extent of two Parardhas, the lifetime of Brahma), impenetrable (incomprehensible) and fathomless darkness (ignorance in the shape of the Unmanifest) prevails at that time. May that all-pervading Lord protect me, who sheds His lustre all round (even) beyond that darkness, nay, whose reality (even) gods and seers cannot comprehend-any more than an ordinary spectator can discover the identity of an actor acting differently in diverse appearances-much less can any (other ordinary and ignorant) creature know or describe it, His course of conduct being hard to fathom. He alone is my refuge, whose most auspicious nature (even) contemplative souls that have completely shaken off (all) attachment and are identified with, and benevolently disposed towards, (all) created beings and exceedingly pious (in character) are eager to perceive, for which they scrupulously observe in the woods (away from the bustle of worldly life) sacred vows (of continence etc.), beyond the capacity of the ordinary people. Hail, hail to that all perfect supreme Lord of infinite potencies and wonderful activity, devoid of form, yet possessed of innumerable forms, for whom there is neither birth (brought about by past Karma) nor actions (inspired by the sense of doership), neither name nor form (when He is conceived of as devoid attributes), and in whom there is neither merit or demerit, nevertheless who assumes (all) these from time to time (according to the exigencies of time) by His own Maya (will-power) for the destruction and creation of the world. Salutations to the supreme spirit who is revealed by His own Self (requires no other light to reveal Himself) and stands as the witness (of all)! Greetings to Him who is entirely beyond (the ken of) speech and mind and the (diverse) faculties of mind! (My) bow to Him who is attainable by a wise man through purity of mind acquired by means of cessation from worldly activity (and by means of devotional practices), who is the Lord (Bestower) of final beatitude and (also) constitutes the realization of the bliss of final beatitude. Hail to Him who having adopted the characteristics of the (three) modes of Prakrti, (severally) appears as serene, dreadful and infatuated, but who is (really) destitute of (all) difference and uniform (in every respect). Hail to Him who is wisdom crystallized (as distinguished from Prakrti, which, though undifferentiated and uniform like Him, is devodid of consciousness). (My) bow to You, the Knower of (all) psycho-physical organisms, the Ruler and Witness of all! Salutations to the Source of all Jivas (embodied souls) as well as of Prakrti (the ultimate cause of the universe), because existent before them all. (My) greetings to You, the Perceiver of all the senses of perception as well as of their objects, the Source of all (the varieties of) cognitions, who are indicated (even as a material body by its reflection) by the phenomenal existence (in the shape of the psycho-physical organism) as well as by Nescience (the root of all phenomena) inasmuch as it is You who are reflected in the shape of existence (in every phenomena). Hail, hail to You, the Cause of all (effects), Yours If without a cause, and a wondrous cause (in the sense that unlike other causes You remain unchanged even though assuming the form of the universe). Salutations to You, constituting the great ocean to which all Tantras (such as the Pancaratra) and Vedas (like so many streams) are directed, the embodiment of final beatitude, the refuge of the great! I bow to the Lord, who is the fire of Consciousness hidden in the Aranis (pieces of wood used for kindling fire by attrition) of the Gunas (the modes of Prakrti), whose creative will is aroused when the equilibrium of the Gunas is disturbed, and who reveals Himself of His own accord to (the mind of) those (enlightened souls) who have kept at a distance (the injunctions and interdictions of) the Sastras by dint of contemplation on the truth of the Spirit.
(My) bow to the Lord of boundless compassion who is not only ever free
(Himself) but is also capable of finally undoing the cords (of
ignorance) binding the beast-like (ignorant) souls akin to me fallen at
His mercy, nay, who knows no weariness (in doing this work)! (My
greetings to You, the almighty and infinite Lord, who by a part of Your
being appear as the Inner Controller in the mind of all embodied souls!
Hail to the all-powerful Lord Who, being entirely free from attachment
to the objects of senses, is (consequently) unattainable by those
attached to their body, children, friends, house, wealth and kinsmen and
Who, being consciousness itself, is constantly contemplated upon by
emancipated souls in their own heart. May that Lord of unbounded mercy
bring about my complete deliverance (from the clutches of this monster
as well as from the bondage of worldly existence), by worshipping Whom
those seeking religious merit, objects of sensuous enjoyment, (worldly)
riches and final beatitude attain their desired goal, nay, Who grants
them other (unexpected) boons (too) as well as an undecaying (divine)
body (in which they sport with Him). I glorify that imperishable,
all-pervading, (most) subtle (mysterious), infinite and absolutely
perfect Supreme, the (very) First principle, the Ruler (even) of the
greatest (Brahma, Siva and so on), Who, though unmanifest (to those who
do not worship Him) is attainable (by His worshippers) through Yoga
(concentration of mind) directed towards the supreme Spirit (Himself),
Who is beyond the (range of the material) senses and (though near at
hand, being our very self) appears as though exceedingly remote (being
veiled by His deluding potency), and from whom people exclusively
devoted to Him, (nay,) even those who have sought shelter in the Lord do
not seek any boon (in the shape of religious merit and so on), but are
immersed in an ocean of bliss while singing His most marvellous and
highly auspicious stories.
The Lord by whose minutest ray (all) the gods with Brahma as their head,
the (four) Vedas and (both) the animate and inanimate worlds have been
created with an infinite variety of names and forms and from whom, the
self-luminous One, this phenomenal world-which is (nothing but) a
modification of the three Gunas, consisting as it does of the intellect,
the mind, the (ten) Indriyas (the five senses of perception and the
five organs of action), the bodies with which a Jiva is invested in the
course of its mundane existence-emanates and into Whom it returns in the
same way as flames emanate again and again from fire and rays from the
sun, and then return (into the fire and the sun respectively)-that Lord
is, really speaking, neither a god nor a demon nor a human being nor
again an animal; He is neither a female nor a male nor a person of
neither sex nor is He an asexual creature, He is neither an attribute
nor an action, neither an effect nor a cause. He is that which remains
(as the basis of negation) after everything else has been negated, and
(yet) constitutes all. May He reveal Himself (for bringing about my
release)! I do not long to survive (by being extricated from the grip of
this alligator); what have I to do here (in this mortal world) with
this elephant-life, enveloped as it is with ignorance in and out? I (for
my part only) seek the lifting of the veil (of ignorance) that screens
the light (knowledge) of the Spirit, and the tearing of which is not
possible by (the destructive influence of) time (but by spiritual
enlightenment alone). Such as I am, I (simply) bow to that all-pervading
Spirit which not only creates the universe but (also) constitutes the
universe, (nay), which toys with the universe and is the Soul (Inner
Controller) of the universe, which is devoid of birth (etc.), and is the
supreme goal (of all). (Again), I do homage to that Master of Yoga
(supernatural Powers) whom Yogis, (mystics or those practising
concentration of mind), that have burnt the (entire stock of) their
Karma (past actions) by means of Devotion, directly perceive in their
heart purified through (the practice of) Yoga (concentration of mind).
Hail, hail to You of endless potency, the protector of those who have
taken refuge in You, the force (in the shape of passion etc.,) of whose
threefold energy (in the form of the three Gunas-Sattva, Rajas and
Tamas) is irresistible, who manifest Yourself as the objects of all the
senses of perception and whose (very) path is unattainable by those
whose senses are directed towards the (outside) world. I have sought
that Lord whose glory cannot be easily surpassed and due to whose Maya
(deluding potency) this Jiva is unable to know its own self (essential
character), obscured (as it is) by the ego-sense (a product of that
Maya).
Sri Sukadeva Goswami continued:
When these (aforementioned) gods, Brahma (the creator) and others, who are identified with their respective distinctive forms, did not approach the king of the elephants, that had referred to (glorified) the Lord as devoid of any particular form as aforesaid, Sri Hari, (who had taken His descent from the loins of Harimedha through his wife, Harini and) who embodies all the gods (in His person) because of His being the Soul of all, manifested Himself on that (very) spot. Finding the elephant distressed like that and having heard the hymn (mentally recited by it and reproduced in the preceding verses), the Lord who wields the discus (Sudarsana) as His (characteristic) weapon and is the Abode of the universe, forthwith arrived where the king of the elephants was, being swiftly borne (on his back) by Garuda (the king of the birds)-possessed of a speed that depends on his will-and accompanied by celestial beings who were duly extolling Him. Beholding Sri Hari (mounted) on (the back of) Garuda in the air with the discus uplifted (in one of His arms), and holding up its trunk with a lotus (plucked by way of an offering), the elephant, (that had been) seized inside the lake by the mighty alligator and felt (much) distressed, uttered with (great) difficulty (on account of pain) the words ``Hail to You, O Lord Narayana, the Preceptor of the universe!`` Perceiving the elephant afflicted and alighting all at once (from the back of Garuda) out of (extreme) compassion, the birthless Sri Hari speedily pulled the king of the elephants (by its trunk) along with the alligator out of the lake and, (even) while the gods stood looking on, extricated it from (the hold of) the alligator, whose jaws had been rent open with the discus.
When these (aforementioned) gods, Brahma (the creator) and others, who are identified with their respective distinctive forms, did not approach the king of the elephants, that had referred to (glorified) the Lord as devoid of any particular form as aforesaid, Sri Hari, (who had taken His descent from the loins of Harimedha through his wife, Harini and) who embodies all the gods (in His person) because of His being the Soul of all, manifested Himself on that (very) spot. Finding the elephant distressed like that and having heard the hymn (mentally recited by it and reproduced in the preceding verses), the Lord who wields the discus (Sudarsana) as His (characteristic) weapon and is the Abode of the universe, forthwith arrived where the king of the elephants was, being swiftly borne (on his back) by Garuda (the king of the birds)-possessed of a speed that depends on his will-and accompanied by celestial beings who were duly extolling Him. Beholding Sri Hari (mounted) on (the back of) Garuda in the air with the discus uplifted (in one of His arms), and holding up its trunk with a lotus (plucked by way of an offering), the elephant, (that had been) seized inside the lake by the mighty alligator and felt (much) distressed, uttered with (great) difficulty (on account of pain) the words ``Hail to You, O Lord Narayana, the Preceptor of the universe!`` Perceiving the elephant afflicted and alighting all at once (from the back of Garuda) out of (extreme) compassion, the birthless Sri Hari speedily pulled the king of the elephants (by its trunk) along with the alligator out of the lake and, (even) while the gods stood looking on, extricated it from (the hold of) the alligator, whose jaws had been rent open with the discus.
Sri Sukadeva Goswami resumed:
Applauding the aforesaid feat of Lord Sri Hari, the gods, Rsis (seers) and Gandharvas (present there), headed by Brahma (the creator) and Lord Siva, discharged (from the air) a shower of flowers (on the person of the Lord by way of felicitation). Heavenly drums sounded; the Gandharvas (celestial musicians) danced and sang (songs of praise); while Rsis, Caranas (celestial bards) and Siddhas (a class of demigods endowed with mystic powers from their very birth) glorified the supreme Person. That which was (till now) an alligator due to the curse of the sage Devala has been (in his previous incarnation) the foremost of the Gandharvas, Huhu (by name). Redeemed (from that curse by the Lord), it forthwith assumed a really most wonderful form. Bowing with his head (bent low), he hymned the supreme immortal Lord of excellent renown, the Abode of (all) glory, whose (innumerable) virtues and sacred stories (alone) are worth celebrating. (Thus) favoured by the Lord, he had (all) his sins washed away; and, walking round Him (as a token of reverence) from left to right and greeting Him, he returned to his home (the realm of the Gandharvas) while the (whole) assembly (of gods and seers present there) stood gazing (with wonder).
Applauding the aforesaid feat of Lord Sri Hari, the gods, Rsis (seers) and Gandharvas (present there), headed by Brahma (the creator) and Lord Siva, discharged (from the air) a shower of flowers (on the person of the Lord by way of felicitation). Heavenly drums sounded; the Gandharvas (celestial musicians) danced and sang (songs of praise); while Rsis, Caranas (celestial bards) and Siddhas (a class of demigods endowed with mystic powers from their very birth) glorified the supreme Person. That which was (till now) an alligator due to the curse of the sage Devala has been (in his previous incarnation) the foremost of the Gandharvas, Huhu (by name). Redeemed (from that curse by the Lord), it forthwith assumed a really most wonderful form. Bowing with his head (bent low), he hymned the supreme immortal Lord of excellent renown, the Abode of (all) glory, whose (innumerable) virtues and sacred stories (alone) are worth celebrating. (Thus) favoured by the Lord, he had (all) his sins washed away; and, walking round Him (as a token of reverence) from left to right and greeting Him, he returned to his home (the realm of the Gandharvas) while the (whole) assembly (of gods and seers present there) stood gazing (with wonder).
Freed for ever from the bondage of ignorance through the touch of the
Lord, the leader of (the herd of) elephants (in his turn) attained a
form similar to the Lord`s, being clad in yellow and endowed with four
arms. Indeed the elephant was in its previous birth a Pandya king, known
by the name of Indradyumna, the foremost of the people of the Dravida
country (now known by the name of Tamilnadu), and devoted to the worship
of Lord Visnu. The monarch, who had turned an ascetic, wearing matted
locks on his head, and having his hermitage on the Kulacala mountain,
nay, who had taken a vow of silence and subjugated his mind (too) once
proceeded to worship the almighty and immortal Lord Sri Hari with due
ceremony at the hour appointed for devotions, having finished his bath
(beforehand). By chance there arrived on the spot the sage Agastya of
surpassing glory, accompanied by hosts of (his) pupils. Finding him mute
(lacking even in polite words) and waiting upon the Lord in seclusion,
and perceiving that the king had neglected to offer (him) water to wash
his hands with and other articles of worship (to which he was entitled
as a venerable newcomer), the sage grew indignant as the story goes. On
Indradyumna he pronounced the following imprecation:``This impious,
evil-minded and uncultured fellow has insulted a Brahmana (in me) at
this moment. Let him (therefore) be steeped in blinding ignorance; and
since he is dull minded like an elephant, let him be born as an
elephant.``
Sri Sukadeva Goswami continued:
Having cursed Indradyumna as aforesaid, the glorious Agastya went his way along with his followers, O Pariksit! Taking the curse to be a freak of (his own) destiny, the royal sage Indradyumna too entered the womb of an elephant, that obliterates the consciousness of the Self. It was by virtue of (his) adoration of Sri Hari that God-remembrance was awakened in him at the right moment even in the body of an elephant. Having thus liberated once for all the leader of the herd of elephants and accompanied even by that elephant-(immediately) transformed into the state of a divine attendant-and taking His seat on (the back of) Garuda (the king of birds), Lord Sri Hari (who has a lotus sprung from His navel) withdrew to His transcendent realm (Vaikuntha), His feat (viz., the deliverance of the elephant) being celebrated by Gandharvas, Siddhas and gods. The glory of Sri Krsna (Lord Sri Hari), O great king, has (thus) been narrated to you by me in the form of the aforementioned deliverance of the king of elephants, (the story of) which leads to heaven, is conductive to renown, wipes out the impurities of the Kali age and eliminates (the possibility of) bad dreams in the case of those who listen to this story. O chief of the Kurus! Rising (early) in the morning, and getting purified, members of the twice-born classes, seeking (their own) welfare, duly recite this story for neutralizing (the evil effects of) a bad dream and so on. Full of joy, the all-pervading Sri Hari, who embodies all created beings, told the (quondam) king of elephants as follows, I jewel of the Kurus, all living beings (present there) listening.
Having cursed Indradyumna as aforesaid, the glorious Agastya went his way along with his followers, O Pariksit! Taking the curse to be a freak of (his own) destiny, the royal sage Indradyumna too entered the womb of an elephant, that obliterates the consciousness of the Self. It was by virtue of (his) adoration of Sri Hari that God-remembrance was awakened in him at the right moment even in the body of an elephant. Having thus liberated once for all the leader of the herd of elephants and accompanied even by that elephant-(immediately) transformed into the state of a divine attendant-and taking His seat on (the back of) Garuda (the king of birds), Lord Sri Hari (who has a lotus sprung from His navel) withdrew to His transcendent realm (Vaikuntha), His feat (viz., the deliverance of the elephant) being celebrated by Gandharvas, Siddhas and gods. The glory of Sri Krsna (Lord Sri Hari), O great king, has (thus) been narrated to you by me in the form of the aforementioned deliverance of the king of elephants, (the story of) which leads to heaven, is conductive to renown, wipes out the impurities of the Kali age and eliminates (the possibility of) bad dreams in the case of those who listen to this story. O chief of the Kurus! Rising (early) in the morning, and getting purified, members of the twice-born classes, seeking (their own) welfare, duly recite this story for neutralizing (the evil effects of) a bad dream and so on. Full of joy, the all-pervading Sri Hari, who embodies all created beings, told the (quondam) king of elephants as follows, I jewel of the Kurus, all living beings (present there) listening.
The Lord said:
Rising at the close of the third watch of the night (that immediately following midnight), nay purified and fully composed (in mind), they who remember Me and yourself as well as this lake, the yonder mountain (Trikuta) with (its) caves and the forest (clothing it), the clusters of canes and bamboos, (both) of the hollow and solid types, the celestial trees (comprised in this forest), these (three) peaks (of trikuta mountain), the realms of Brahma (the creator), Lord Siva and Myself, the ocean of milk and the resplendent (transcendent) Swetadwipa, each being My favourite abode, Srivatsa (the curl of hair on My breast), the Kaustubha gem (on my bosom) as well as My garland of sylvan flowers or My necklace of pearls (known by the name of Vaijayanti), My mace, Kaumodaki, (My discus) Sudarsana, (My conch) Pancajanya, (My mount) Garuda (possessed of beautiful wings), the king of birds, Sesa (the serpent-god), who is my subtle emanation, Goddess Sri (Laksmi, the goddess presiding over beauty and prosperity), who has Her abode in Me (on My very bosom), Brahma (the creator), the sage Narada, Lord Siva (the Source of prosperity) as well as (My eminent devotee) Prahlada, the (numerous) deeds performed through My (various) descents such as the (divine) Fish, Tortoise and Boar, (the very stories of) which yield an inexhaustible store of merit (to the listeners), the sun-god, the moon-god, the god of fire (the consumer of oblations), Pranava (the mystical syllable OM), truth, the Unmanifest (primordial Matter), the cow and the Brahmanas, the immortal religion (the cult of devotion to the Lord), the daughters of Daksa who are the wives of Dharma (the god of piety) as well as of the moon-god and Kasyapa, the (rivers) Ganga, Saraswati, Nanda (Alakananda) and Kalindi (Yamuna), the white elephant (Airavata, the mount of Indra, the lord of paradise), (My immortal devotee) Dhruva, the seven Brahmana sages and men of sacred renown (such as Nala, Yudhisthira and Janaka), (that are all) My (glorious) manifestations, are actually freed from all sin. And to them who, waking at the close of night (the commencement of the period known as the Brahma Muhurta, which extends over two hours and twenty-four minutes before sunrise), extol Me by means of this hymn (mentally recited by you), O dear one, I vouchsafe unclouded memory (of Myself) at the moment of death.
Rising at the close of the third watch of the night (that immediately following midnight), nay purified and fully composed (in mind), they who remember Me and yourself as well as this lake, the yonder mountain (Trikuta) with (its) caves and the forest (clothing it), the clusters of canes and bamboos, (both) of the hollow and solid types, the celestial trees (comprised in this forest), these (three) peaks (of trikuta mountain), the realms of Brahma (the creator), Lord Siva and Myself, the ocean of milk and the resplendent (transcendent) Swetadwipa, each being My favourite abode, Srivatsa (the curl of hair on My breast), the Kaustubha gem (on my bosom) as well as My garland of sylvan flowers or My necklace of pearls (known by the name of Vaijayanti), My mace, Kaumodaki, (My discus) Sudarsana, (My conch) Pancajanya, (My mount) Garuda (possessed of beautiful wings), the king of birds, Sesa (the serpent-god), who is my subtle emanation, Goddess Sri (Laksmi, the goddess presiding over beauty and prosperity), who has Her abode in Me (on My very bosom), Brahma (the creator), the sage Narada, Lord Siva (the Source of prosperity) as well as (My eminent devotee) Prahlada, the (numerous) deeds performed through My (various) descents such as the (divine) Fish, Tortoise and Boar, (the very stories of) which yield an inexhaustible store of merit (to the listeners), the sun-god, the moon-god, the god of fire (the consumer of oblations), Pranava (the mystical syllable OM), truth, the Unmanifest (primordial Matter), the cow and the Brahmanas, the immortal religion (the cult of devotion to the Lord), the daughters of Daksa who are the wives of Dharma (the god of piety) as well as of the moon-god and Kasyapa, the (rivers) Ganga, Saraswati, Nanda (Alakananda) and Kalindi (Yamuna), the white elephant (Airavata, the mount of Indra, the lord of paradise), (My immortal devotee) Dhruva, the seven Brahmana sages and men of sacred renown (such as Nala, Yudhisthira and Janaka), (that are all) My (glorious) manifestations, are actually freed from all sin. And to them who, waking at the close of night (the commencement of the period known as the Brahma Muhurta, which extends over two hours and twenty-four minutes before sunrise), extol Me by means of this hymn (mentally recited by you), O dear one, I vouchsafe unclouded memory (of Myself) at the moment of death.
Sri Sukadeva went on:
Having spoken thus and blowing His excellent conch (Pancajanya) and (thereby) delighting the host of gods, Sri Hari (The Controller of the senses) mounted Garuda (the king of birds).
Having spoken thus and blowing His excellent conch (Pancajanya) and (thereby) delighting the host of gods, Sri Hari (The Controller of the senses) mounted Garuda (the king of birds).
Source: Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana by C. L. Goswami, M. A., Shastri
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