FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.4.7

स वै पूर्वमभूद् राजा पाण्ड्यो द्रविडसत्तम: । इन्द्रद्युम्न इति ख्यातो विष्णुव्रतपरायण: ॥ ७ ॥
sa vai pūrvam abhūd rājā
[sa vai poorvam abhood raajaa]
pāṇḍyo draviḍa-sattamaḥ
[paandyo dravida-sattamah]
indradyumna iti khyāto
[indradyumna iti khyaato]
viṣṇu-vrata-parāyaṇaḥ
[vishnu-vrata-paraayanah]
Word-for-word
saḥ — this elephant (Gajendra) vai — indeed pūrvam — formerly abhūt — was rājā — a king pāṇḍyaḥ — of the country known as Pāṇḍya draviḍa-sat-tamaḥ — the best of those born in Draviḍa-deśa, South India indradyumnaḥ — by the name Mahārāja Indradyumna iti — thus khyātaḥ — celebrated viṣṇu-vrata-parāyaṇaḥ — who was a first-class Vaiṣṇava, always engaged in the service of the Lord.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa vai pūrvam abhūd rājā
saḥ
this elephant (Gajendra)
vai
indeed
pūrvam
formerly
abhūt
was
rājā
a king
pāṇḍyo draviḍa-sattamaḥ
pāṇḍyaḥ
of the country known as Pāṇḍya
draviḍa-sat-tamaḥ
the best of those born in Draviḍa-deśa, South India
indradyumna iti khyāto
indradyumnaḥ
by the name Mahārāja Indradyumna
iti
thus
khyātaḥ
celebrated
viṣṇu-vrata-parāyaṇaḥ
viṣṇu-vrata-parāyaṇaḥ
who was a first-class Vaiṣṇava, always engaged in the service of the Lord.
This Gajendra had formerly been a Vaiṣṇava and the king of the country known as Pāṇḍya, which is in the province of Draviḍa [South India]. In his previous life, he was known as Indradyumna Mahārāja.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
This Gajendra had formerly been a Pāndya king, the best king in the southern states, name Indradyumna. He was dedicated to Viṣṇu.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Gajendra was previously Indradyumna, a Vaiṣṇava king of the Pāṇḍya country. Past devotional service quietly secured this rescue across lives. The bhakti you do today builds a safety net you may not recognize until a future crisis.
Reflection Questions
  • Which present devotional habits am I sowing for a future birth I cannot yet see?
  • What past life of practice might already be supporting the spiritual openings I notice in this one?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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