Canto 8: Withdrawal of the Cosmic CreationsChapter 3: Gajendra's Prayers of Surrender

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.3.31

taḿ tadvad ārtam upalabhya jagan-nivāsaḥ

stotraḿ niśamya divijaiḥ saha saḿstuvadbhiḥ

chandomayena garuḍena samuhyamānaś

cakrāyudho 'bhyagamad āśu yato gajendraḥ

SYNONYMS

tam — unto him (Gajendra); tadvatin that way; ārtam — who was very depressed (because of being attacked by the crocodile); upalabhya — understanding; jagat-nivāsaḥ — the Lord, who exists everywhere; stotram — the prayer; niśamya — hearing; divijaiḥ — the denizens of the heavenly planets; saha — with; saḿstuvadbhiḥ — who were offering their prayers also; chandomayena — with the speed He desired; garuḍena — by Garuḍa; samuhyamānaḥ — being carried; cakra — carrying His disc; āyudhaḥ — and other weapons, like the club; abhyagamat — arrived; āśu — immediately; yataḥ — where; gajendraḥ — the King of the elephants, Gajendra, was situated.

TRANSLATION

After understanding the awkward condition of Gajendra, who had offered his prayers, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who lives everywhere, appeared with the demigods, who were offering prayers to Him. Carrying His disc and other weapons, He appeared there on the back of His carrier, Garuḍa, with great speed, according to His desire. Thus He appeared before Gajendra.

PURPORT

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura specifically hints that since Gajendra was in such a difficult position and was praying for the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the demigods, who could have immediately gone to his rescue, hesitated to go there. Since they considered Gajendra's prayer to be directed toward the Lord, they felt offended, and this in itself was offensive. Consequently, when the Lord went there, they also went and offered prayers to the Lord so that their offense might be excused.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness