TEXTS 34
yo sau grahah sa vai sadyah
paramascarya-rupa-dhrk
mukto devala-sapena
huhur gandharva-sattamah
pranamya sirasadhisam
uttama-slokam avyayam
agayata yaso-dhama
kirtanya-guna-sat-katham
SYNONYMS
yahhe who; asauthat; grahahbecame a crocodile; sahhe; vaiindeed; sadyahimmediately; paramavery nice; ascaryawonderful; rupa-dhrkpossessing the form (of his original Gandharva position); muktahwas delivered; devala-sapenaby the cursing of Devala Rsi; huhuhwhose name was formerly Huhu; gandharva-sattamahthe best of Gandharvaloka; pranamyaoffering his obeisances; sirasaby the head; adhisamunto the supreme master; uttama-slokamwho is worshiped by the choicest verses; avyayamwho is the supreme eternal; agayatahe began to chant; yasah-dhamathe glories of the Lord; kirtanya-guna-sat-kathamwhose transcendental pastimes and qualities are glorious.
TRANSLATION
The best of the Gandharvas, King Huhu, having been cursed by Devala Muni, had become a crocodile. Now, having been delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he assumed a very beautiful form as a Gandharva. Understanding by whose mercy this had happened, he immediately offered his respectful obeisances with his head and began chanting prayers just suitable for the transcendental Lord, the supreme eternal, who is worshiped by the choicest verses.
PURPORT
The story of how the Gandharva had become a crocodile will be described later. The curse by which the Gandharva took this position was actually a blessing, not a curse. One should not be displeased when a saintly person curses someone, for his curse, indirectly, is a blessing. The Gandharva had the mentality of an inhabitant of the celestial planetary system, and for him to become an associate of the Supreme Lord would have taken millions of long years. However, because he was cursed by Devala Rsi, he became a crocodile and in only one life was fortunate enough to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face and be promoted to the spiritual world to become one of the Lords associates. Similarly, Gajendra was also delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead when he was freed from the curse of Agastya Muni.

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