evaṁ gajendram upavarṇita-nirviśeṣaṁ
evaṁ gajendram upavarṇita-nirviśeṣaṁ
brahmādayo vividha-liṅga-bhidābhimānāḥ
naite yadopasasṛpur nikhilātmakatvāt
tatrākhilāmara-mayo harir āvirāsīt
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus, when the devatās who identify themselves by characteristic marks, did not come to rescue Gajendra who described the Lord beyond material perception, the Lord himself, the personification of all devatās, appeared, since he is the ātmā of all beings.
The devatās like Brahmā, appointed by the Lord to protect the righteous, did not come because they were unable to protect Gajendra who described the non-material form of the Lord (nirviśeṣam). They identified themselves with various characteristics, like having a swan carrier or Airāvata as a carrier, or being a creator or king of heaven. They thought, “Gajendra has not praised us at all, but rather belittled us, calling us minor expansions (verse 22). So let the Supreme Lord whom he praised come for him. But he will not appear immediately. We know is hard to attain by his nature. Therefore the elephant will die.” When they showed such indifference out of false identity, the Lord at that moment appeared there, since he knows the minds of all beings. The Lord is all devatās. The devatās did not know that just as the leaves are watered by watering the root of a tree, so by praising Viṣṇu all devatās are praised.
|| 8.3.31 ||
taṁ tadvad ārtam upalabhya jagan-nivāsaḥ
stotraṁ niśamya divijaiḥ saha saṁstuvadbhiḥ
chandomayena garuḍena samuhyamānaś
cakrāyudho 'bhyagamad āśu yato gajendraḥ
Realizing that Gajendra was suffering in this way and hearing his prayer, the shelter of the universe, carried by Garuḍa, traveling at desired speed and carrying his weapons, immediately came to the place where Gajendra was struggling while the devatās praised him.
The devatās also accompanied him with praise, in order to absolve themselves for their offensive thinking. Chandomayena means “at the speed desired.” Yataḥ means “where.”
|| 8.3.32 ||
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