Text 12] | Gajendra Returns to the Spiritual World 131

$ri-Sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; evam—thus; saptvad —
after cursing; gatah—left that place; agastyah—Agastya Muni;
bhagavan—so powerful; nrpa—O King; sa-anugah—with his asso-
ciates; indradyumnah—King Indradyumna; api—also; rdjarsih—al-
though he was a rdjarsi; distam—because of past deeds; tat—that curse;
upadhérayan—considering; Gpannah—got; kaufjarim—of an
elephant; yonim—the species; dtma-smrti—remembrance of one’s iden-
tity; vindsinim—which destroys; hari—the Supreme Personality of God-
head; arcana-anubhdvena—because of worshiping; yat—that; gajatve
—in the body of an elephant; api—although; anusmrtih—the oppor-
tunity to remember his past devotional service.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, after Agastya Muni
had thus cursed King Indradyumna, the Muni left that place along
with his disciples. Since the King was a devotee, he accepted
Agastya Muni’s curse as welcome because it was the desire of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, although in his next
life he got the body of an elephant, because of devotional service
he remembered how to worship and offer prayers to the Lord.

PURPORT

This is the unique position of a devotee of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Although the King was cursed, he welcomed the curse because
a devotee is always aware that nothing can happen without the desire of
the Supreme Lord. Although the King was not at fault, Agastya Muni
cursed him, and when this happened the King considered it to be due to
his past misdeeds. Tat te ’nukampam susamiksamanah (Bhag. 10.14.8).
This is a practical example of how a devotee thinks. He regards any
reverses in life as blessings of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Therefore, instead of being agitated by such reverses, he continues his
activities of devotional service, and Krsna takes care of him and enables
him to be promoted to the spiritual world, back to Godhead. If a devotee
has to suffer the reactions of his past misdeeds, the Supreme Lord ar-
ranges for him to be given only a token of these reactions, and very soon
he is freed from all the reactions of material contamination, One should
