SB 8.3.31 · Srimad Bhagavatam

Devanagari

तं तद्वदार्तमुपलभ्य जगन्निवास: स्तोत्रं निशम्य दिविजै: सह संस्तुवद्भ‍ि: । छन्दोमयेन गरुडेन समुह्यमान- श्चक्रायुधोऽभ्यगमदाशु यतो गजेन्द्र: ॥ ३१ ॥

Verse text

taṁ tadvad ārtam upalabhya jagan-nivāsaḥ stotraṁ niśamya divijaiḥ saha saṁstuvadbhiḥ chandomayena garuḍena samuhyamānaś cakrāyudho ’bhyagamad āśu yato gajendraḥ

Synonyms

tam — unto him (Gajendra) ; tadvat — in 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 ; saṁstuvadbhiḥ — 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.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

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.”

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.