FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.4.11-12

श्रीशुक उवाच एवं शप्‍त्वा गतोऽगस्त्यो भगवान् नृप सानुग: । इन्द्रद्युम्नोऽपि राजर्षिर्दिष्टं तदुपधारयन् ॥ ११ ॥ आपन्न: कौञ्जरीं योनिमात्मस्मृतिविनाशिनीम् । हर्यर्चनानुभावेन यद्गजत्वेऽप्यनुस्मृति: ॥ १२ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca
[shree-shuka uvaacha]
evaṁ śaptvā gato ’gastyo
[evam shaptvaa gato ’gastyo]
bhagavān nṛpa sānugaḥ
[bhagavaan nripa saanugah]
indradyumno ’pi rājarṣir
[indradyumno ’pi raajarshir]
diṣṭaṁ tad upadhārayan
[dishtam tad upadhaarayan]
āpannaḥ kauñjarīṁ yonim
[aapannah kaunjareem yonim]
ātma-smṛti-vināśinīm
[aatma-smriti-vinaashineem]
hary-arcanānubhāvena
[hary-archanaanubhaavena]
yad-gajatve ’py anusmṛtiḥ
[yad-gajatve ’py anusmritih]
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said evam — thus śaptvā — after cursing gataḥ — left that place agastyaḥ — Agastya Muni bhagavān — so powerful nṛpa — O King sa-anugaḥ — with his associates indradyumnaḥ — King Indradyumna api — also rājarṣiḥ — although he was a rājarṣi diṣṭam — because of past deeds tat — that curse upadhārayan — considering āpannaḥ — got kauñjarīm — of an elephant yonim — the species ātma-smṛti — remembrance of one’s identity vināśinīm — which destroys hari — the Supreme Personality of Godhead arcana-anubhāvena — because of worshiping yat — that gajatve — in the body of an elephant api — although anusmṛtiḥ — the opportunity to remember his past devotional service.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-śuka uvāca
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
evaṁ śaptvā gato ’gastyo
evam
thus
śaptvā
after cursing
gataḥ
left that place
bhagavān nṛpa sānugaḥ
agastyaḥ
Agastya Muni
indradyumno ’pi rājarṣir
diṣṭaṁ tad upadhārayan
āpannaḥ kauñjarīṁ yonim
ātma-smṛti-vināśinīm
hary-arcanānubhāvena
bhagavān
so powerful
nṛpa
O King
sa-anugaḥ
with his associates
indradyumnaḥ
King Indradyumna
api
also
rājarṣiḥ
although he was a rājarṣi
diṣṭam
because of past deeds
tat
that curse
upadhārayan
considering
āpannaḥ
got
kauñjarīm
of an elephant
yonim
the species
yad-gajatve ’py anusmṛtiḥ
ātma-smṛti
remembrance of one’s identity
vināśinīm
which destroys
hari
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
arcana-anubhāvena
because of worshiping
yat
that
gajatve
in the body of an elephant
api
although
anusmṛtiḥ
the opportunity to remember his past devotional service.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī 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.

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 ’nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇaḥ ( Bhāg. 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 Kṛṣṇa 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 arranges 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 therefore adhere to devotional service, and the Lord Himself will very soon see to one’s promotion to the spiritual world. A devotee should not be disturbed by unfortunate circumstances, but must continue his regular program, depending on the Lord for everything. The word upadhārayan, “considering,” is very significant in this verse. This word indicates that a devotee knows what is what; he understands what is happening in material, conditional life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King! After Agastya had cursed King Indradyumna, the sage left that place along with his disciples. The King accepted the curse as his fate. He obtained the body of an elephant, which generally destroys memory of the Lord, but because of devotional service he remembered his past life. The King understood that it was his bad destiny. Yad means yasya: he had memory of his past life, even as an elephant.
Related verses
The king welcomes Agastya's curse as the Lord's will, and devotional memory survives even his elephant birth. A devotee accepts every event as the Lord's arrangement. That acceptance keeps the seed of bhakti viable through any transformation.
Reflection Questions
  • Which unwelcome event in my life have I not yet accepted as the Lord's arrangement?
  • What practice keeps devotional memory alive in me even during difficult chapters?
📝 My note

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