Text 30] Gajendra’s Prayers of Surrender 115
whose description; nirvisesam—not directed to any particular person
(but to the Supreme, although he did not know who the Supreme is);
brahmd-ddayah—the demigods, beginning with Brahma, Siva, Indra
and Candra; vividha—varieties; linga-bhida—with separate forms;
abhimaénah—considering themselves separate authorities; na—not;
ete—all of them; yadé—when; upasasrpuh—approached; _nikhila-
atmakatvat —because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Super-
soul of everyone; fatra—there; akhila—of the universe; amara-
mayah—consisting of the demigods (who are only external parts of the
body); harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can take away
everything; Gvirdsit—appeared (before the elephant).
TRANSLATION

Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: When the King of the
elephants was describing the supreme authority, without mention-
ing any particular person, he did not invoke the demigods, headed
by Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Indra and Candra. Thus none of them
approached him. However, because Lord Hari is the Supersoul,
Purusottama, the Personality of Godhead, He appeared before
Gajendra.

PURPORT

From the description of Gajendra, he apparently was aiming at the
supreme authority although he did not know who the supreme authority
is. He conjectured, “There is a supreme authority who is above every-
thing.” Under the circumstances, the Lord’s various expansions, such as
Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Candra and Indra, all thought, “‘Gajendra is not
asking our help. He is asking the help of the Supreme, who is above all of
us.” As Gajendra has described, the Supreme Lord has various parts and
parcels, including the demigods, human beings and animals, all covered
by separate forms. Although the demigods are in charge of maintaining
different aspects of the universe, Gajendra thought that they were un-
able to rescue him. Harim vind naiva mrtim taranti: no one can rescue
anyone from the dangers of birth, death, old age and disease. It is only
the Supreme Personality of Godhead who can rescue one from the
dangers of material existence. Therefore an intelligent person, to get free
from this dangerous existence, approaches the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, not any demigod. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.20),
