72 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 3

he will in due course of time remember the Supreme Personality of God-
head. As explained later, Gajendra was formerly King Indradyumna, and
somehow or other in his next life he became King of the elephants. Now
Gajendra was in danger, and although he was in a body other than that of
a human being, he remembered the stotra he had chanted in his previous
life. Yatate ca tato bhityah sarnsiddhau kuru-nandana. To enable one to
achieve perfection, Krsna gives one the chance to remember Him again.
This is proved here, for although the King of the elephants, Gajendra,
was put in danger, this was a chance for him to remember his previous
devotional activities so that he could immediately be rescued by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.

It is imperative, therefore, that all devotees in Krsna consciousness
practice chanting some mantra. Certainly one should chant the Hare
Krsna mantra, which is the mahd-mantra, or great mantra, and also one
should practice chanting cintémani-prakara-sadmasu or the Nrsitnha
strotra lito nrsimhah parato nrsirnho yato yato yami tato nrsimhah).
Every devotee should practice in order to chant some mantra perfectly so
that even though he may be imperfect in spiritual consciousness in this
life, in his next life he will not forget Krsna consciousness, even if he be-
comes an animal. Of course, a devotee should try to perfect his Krsna
consciousness in this life, for simply by understanding Krsna and His in-
structions, after giving up this body one can return home, back to God-
head. Even if there is some falldown, practice of Krsna consciousness
never goes in vain. For example, Ajdmila, in his boyhood, practiced
chanting the name of Narayana under the direction of his father, but
later, in his youth, he fell down and became a drunkard, woman-hunter,
rogue and thief. Nonetheless, because of chanting the name of Narayana
for the purpose of calling his son, whom he had named Narayana, he be-
came advanced, even though he was involved in sinful activities.
Therefore, we should not forget the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra
under any circumstances. It will help us in the greatest danger, as we

find in the life of Gajendra.
TEXT 2

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