Text 31
taṁ tadvad ārtam upalabhya jagan-nivāsaḥ
stotraṁ niśamya divijaiḥ saha saṁstuvadbhiḥ
chandomayena garuḍena samuhyamānaś
cakrāyudho ’bhyagamad āśu yato gajendraḥ
tam — unto him (Gajendra); tadvat — in that way; ārtam — who was very depressed (because of being attacked by the crocodile); upalabhya — understanding; jagat-nivāsaḥ — the Lord, who exists everywhere; stotram — the prayer; niśamya — hearing; divijaiḥ — the denizens of the heavenly planets; saha — with; saṁstuvadbhiḥ — who were offering their prayers also; chandomayena — with the speed He desired; garuḍena — by Garuḍa; samuhyamānaḥ — being carried; cakra — carrying His disc; āyudhaḥ — and other weapons, like the club; abhyagamat — arrived; āśu — immediately; yataḥ — where; gajendraḥ — the King of the elephants, Gajendra, was situated.
After understanding the awkward condition of Gajendra, who had offered his prayers, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who lives everywhere, appeared with the demigods, who were offering prayers to Him. Carrying His disc and other weapons, He appeared there on the back of His carrier, Garuḍa, with great speed, according to His desire. Thus He appeared before Gajendra.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura specifically hints that since Gajendra was in such a difficult position and was praying for the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the demigods, who could have immediately gone to his rescue, hesitated to go there. Since they considered Gajendra’s prayer to be directed toward the Lord, they felt offended, and this in itself was offensive. Consequently, when the Lord went there, they also went and offered prayers to the Lord so that their offense might be excused.