SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 8

S'rî S'uka said: 'There was a very big mountain countless of miles high, o King, known as Trikûtha ['three peaks'] surrounded by an ocean of milk [or plant-juice see 5.20: 18].

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: My dear King, there is a very large mountain called Trikûtha. It is ten thousand yojanas [eighty thousand miles] high. Being surrounded by the ocean of milk, it is very beautifully situated. (Vedabase)

Text 2-3:

With its three peaks all around as wide as it was long was it as an island, lush with trees, creepers and shrubs and the sounds of waterfalls in all directions, standing radiant against the sky. It was composed of silver, iron and gold, with more peaks on all sides full of precious stone and minerals.

The length and breadth of the mountain are of the same measurement [eighty thousand miles]. Its three principal peaks, which are made of iron, silver and gold, beautify all directions and the sky. The mountain also has other peaks, which are full of jewels and minerals and are decorated with nice trees, creepers and shrubs. The sounds of the waterfalls on the mountain create a pleasing vibration. In this way the mountain stands, increasing the beauty of all directions. (Vedabase)

Text 4

At its foot, always washed dark green by the waves of the sea all around, was the earth green with emerald stones.

The ground at the foot of the mountain is always washed by waves of milk that produce emeralds all around in the eight directions [north, south, east, west and the directions midway between them]. (Vedabase)

Text 5

The perfected, the venerable, the heavenly singers, the ones of knowledge and the great of the world of snakes, the ones of superpower, the dancing girls and the sportive enjoyed there the valleys.

The inhabitants of the higher planets - the Siddhas, Câranas, Gandharvas, Vidyâdharas, serpents, Kinnaras and Apsarâs - go to that mountain to sport. Thus all the caves of the mountain are full of these denizens of the heavenly planets. (Vedabase)

Text 6

The glens resounding with the sounds of the singers made the stout lions of envy roar out for a mate.

Because of the resounding vibrations of the denizens of heaven singing in the caves, the lions there, being very proud of their strength, roar with unbearable envy, thinking that another lion is roaring in that way. (Vedabase)

Text 7

The dales harbored great numbers of all thinkable jungle animals and the gardens maintained by the enlightened there were beautifully decorated with all types of trees and chirping birds.

The valleys beneath Trikûtha Mountain are beautifully decorated by many varieties of jungle animals, and in the trees, which are maintained in gardens by the demigods, varieties of birds chirp with sweet voices. (Vedabase)

Text 8

In the rivers and lakes full of crystal clear water, were from the by gems glittering sand beaches the damsels of the godly bathing, enriching the air and the water with the fragrance of their bodies.

Trikûtha Mountain has many lakes and rivers, with beaches covered by small gems resembling grains of sand. The water is as clear as crystal, and when the demigod damsels bathe in it, their bodies lend fragrance to the water and the breeze, thus enriching the atmosphere. (Vedabase)

Text 9-13:

In one valley was there of the great soul, the mighty personality of Varuna, a garden with the name Ritumat which was a sporting place of the sura ladies. It was everywhere in honor of the divine most beautifully tended with flowers and fruits and mandâra and pârijâta, pâthala, as'oka and campaka trees. There were fruits like cûtas, piyâlas, panasas, mangoes, âmrâtakas, kramukas and pomegranates as also coconut and date trees. There stood madhukas, palm trees, tamâlas, asanas, arjunas, arishthas, udumbaras, plakshas, banyans, kims'ukas and sandelwood trees. Also were there found picumarda flowers, kovidâra fruits, sarala- and sura-dâru trees, grapes, sugar cane, bananas, jambu, badarî, akhsa, abhaya and âmalakî fruits.

In a valley of Trikûtha Mountain there was a garden called Ritumat. This garden belonged to the great devotee Varuna and was a sporting place for the damsels of the demigods. Flowers and fruits grew there in all seasons. Among them were mandâras, pârijâtas, pâtalas, as'okas, campakas, cûtas, piyâlas, panasas, mangos, âmrâtakas, kramukas, coconut trees, date trees and pomegranates. There were madhukas, palm trees, tamâlas, asanas, arjunas, arishthas, udumbaras, plakshas, banyan trees, kims'ukas and sandalwood trees. There were also picumardas, kovidâras, saralas, sura-dârus, grapes, sugarcane, bananas, jambu, badarîs, akhsas, abhayas and âmalakîs. (Vedabase)

Text 14-19

In that garden there was a very large lake full of shining golden lotuses surrounded by bilva, kapittha, jambîra, bhallâtaka and other trees and of the great beauty of the kumuda, kahlâra, utpala and s'atapatra flowers were the bees intoxicated humming along with the most melodious songs of the birds. It was crowded with swans and kârandavas, cakrâvakas, flocks of water chickens, koyashthis and dâtyûhas all making their noises. The water, surrounded by kadamba, vetasa, nala, nîpa and vañjulaka flowers, did, agitated by the movements of the fish and tortoises stir the lotuses of which the pollen falling from them covered the surface. The kundas, kurubakas, as'okas, s'irîshas, kûthajas, ingudas, kubjakas, svarna-yûthîs, nâgas, punnâgas, jâtîs, mallikâs, s'atapatras and the mâdhavî-latâs and jâlakâs and other trees growing on the banks adorned it in all seasons abundantly.

In that garden there was a very large lake filled with shining golden lotus flowers and the flowers known as kumuda, kahlara, utpala and s'atapatra, which added excellent beauty to the mountain. There were also bilva, kapittha, jambîra and bhallâtaka trees. Intoxicated bumblebees drank honey and hummed with the chirping of the birds, whose songs were very melodious. The lake was crowded with swans, kârandavas, cakrâvakas, cranes, and flocks of water chickens, dâtyûhas, koyashthis and other murmuring birds. Because of the agitating movements of the fish and tortoises, the water was decorated with pollen that had fallen from the lotus flowers. The lake was surrounded by kadamba flowers, vetasa flowers, nalas, nîpas, vañjulakas, kundas, kurubakas, as'okas, s'irîshas, kûthajas, ingudas, kubjakas, svarna-yûthîs, nâgas, punnâgas, jâtîs, mallikâs, s'atapatras, jâlakâs and mâdhavî-latâs. The banks were also abundantly adorned with varieties of trees that yielded flowers and fruits in all seasons. Thus the entire mountain stood gloriously decorated. (Vedabase)

Text 20:

Once did on that mountain the leader of the elephants living in that forest in the company of his wives wander there breaking through many thickets full of thorns, creepers and all kinds of trees and plants.

The leader of the elephants who lived in the forest of the mountain Trikûtha once wandered toward the lake with his female elephants. He broke many plants, creepers, thickets and trees, not caring for their piercing thorns. (Vedabase)

Text 21:

Just the smell of him made the lions and other predators and fiery beasts, the other elephants, the rhinoceroses and the big snakes as also the white and black camarî deer all flee in fear.

Simply by catching scent of that elephant, all the other elephants, the tigers and the other ferocious animals, such as lions, rhinoceroses, great serpents and black and white sarabhas, fled in fear. The camarî deer also fled. (Vedabase)

Text 22:

Because of his mercy could the foxes, boars, buffaloes, bears, porcupines, gopucchas and other deer, the wolves, monkeys and other small animals like rabbits and others, roam unafraid.

By the mercy of this elephant, animals like the foxes, wolves, buffalos, bears, boars, gopucchas, porcupines, monkeys, rabbits, the other deer and many other small animals loitered elsewhere in the forest. They were not afraid of him. (Vedabase)

Text 23-24:

He perspiring, with saliva dripping and surrounded by nectar drinking bees, made, followed by the other he and she elephants and the young in their midst, all around the mountain the earth tremble. From a distance smelling the dust of the lotus flowers carried by the breeze was he, with his company obsessed in being thirsty of an intoxicated vision, hurrying for the bank of that lake.

Surrounded by the herd's other elephants, including females, and followed by the young ones, Gajapati, the leader of the elephants, made Trikûtha Mountain tremble all around because of the weight of his body. He was perspiring, liquor dripped from his mouth, and his vision was overwhelmed by intoxication. He was being served by bumblebees who drank honey, and from a distance he could smell the dust of the lotus flowers, which was carried from the lake by the breeze. Thus surrounded by his associates, who were afflicted by thirst, he soon arrived at the bank of the lake. (Vedabase)

Text 25:

Entering its pellucid, cool water drank he to his fill from the nectarean lotusdust mixture and was he relieved of all fatigue taking a good bath in it.

The King of the elephants entered the lake, bathed thoroughly and was relieved of his fatigue. Then, with the aid of his trunk, he drank the cold, clear, nectarean water, which was mixed with the dust of lotus flowers and water lilies, until he was fully satisfied. (Vedabase)

Text 26:

Sucking the water in with his trunk and spraying it over him inspired he his wives and children to bathe as well. Thus engaged took he, like a concerned householder all too attached to his family, under the influence of the external energy no heed of any possible danger.

Like a human being who lacks spiritual knowledge and is too attached to the members of his family, the elephant, being illusioned by the external energy of Krishna, had his wives and children bathe and drink the water. Indeed, he raised water from the lake with his trunk and sprayed it over them. He did not mind the hard labor involved in this endeavor. (Vedabase)

Text 27:

He like anyone else resorting under the divine ordination then met with the fate that his foot, o King, there and then was captured by a mighty and angry crocodile [- of mâyâ], whereupon the elephant with all the strength he had in him strenuously tried to free himself from the dangerous position he had landed in.

By the arrangement of providence, O King, a strong crocodile was angry at the elephant and attacked the elephant's leg in the water. The elephant was certainly strong, and he tried his best to get free from this danger sent by providence. (Vedabase)

Text 28:

The wives, who saw that their leader was attacked and captured by that force, began, daunted, to cry over the danger, while the other elephants trying from behind trying to free him, couldn't manage either.

Thereafter, seeing Gajendra in that grave condition, his wives felt very, very sorry and began to cry. The other elephants wanted to help Gajendra, but because of the crocodile's great strength, they could not rescue him by grasping him from behind. (Vedabase)

Text 29:

With the elephant and the crocodile this way fighting, pulling one another in and out of the water, passed a thousand years in which they both stayed alive, and that, o King, was something which by the immortals was considered most wonderful.

O King, the elephant and the crocodile fought in this way, pulling one another in and out of the water, for one thousand years. Upon seeing the fight, the demigods were very surprised. (Vedabase)

Text 30:

In the time thereafter lost Gajendra, the elephant king, because of the exhaust of for years of prolonged fighting being pulled into the water [to elsewhere thus], more and more his strength while on the contrary the crocodile that was at home in the water all together became more frantic, strong and powerful.

Thereafter, because of being pulled into the water and fighting for many long years, the elephant became diminished in his mental, physical and sensual strength. The crocodile, on the contrary, being an animal of the water, increased in enthusiasm, physical strength and sensual power. (Vedabase)

Text 31:

When he, Gajendra, in his life, this way by providence having run into this form of danger, found himself unable to save himself from such a helpless condition, had he to think for a long time and reached he thereupon this decision:

When the King of the elephants saw that he was under the clutches of the crocodile by the will of providence and, being embodied and circumstantially helpless, could not save himself from danger, he was extremely afraid of being killed. He consequently thought for a long time and finally reached the following decision. (Vedabase)

Text 32:

'When all these relatives aren't able to deliver me as an elephant from my distress, and I from my wives neither may expect to be freed from the tight grip of the crocodile [of passion], must even [a stout elephant as] I, as good as anybody else, take shelter of that [Supreme of the Lord] which is the transcendental and the refuge of the exalted [compare 7.9: 18].

The other elephants, who are my friends and relatives, could not rescue me from this danger. What then to speak of my wives? They cannot do anything. It is by the will of providence that I have been attacked by this crocodile, and therefore I shall seek shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always the shelter of everyone, even of great personalities. (Vedabase)

Text 33:

Against the so very strong serpent of death [time, see B.G. 11: 32], which with its fearful force chases someone endlessly, will He who is someone's Controller, protect him who, afraid of death, is of surrender; I will seek my refuge with Him who is the actual shelter of everyone and for whom even death itself runs scared.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly not known to everyone, but He is very powerful and influential. Therefore, although the serpent of eternal time, which is fearful in force, endlessly chases everyone, ready to swallow him, if one who fears this serpent seeks shelter of the Lord, the Lord gives him protection, for even death runs away in fear of the Lord. I therefore surrender unto Him, the great and powerful supreme authority who is the actual shelter of everyone. (Vedabase)