Shloka 5
Trikūṭa Mountain, Ṛtumat Garden, and the Beginning of Gajendra’s Crisis
सिद्धचारणगन्धर्वैर्विद्याधरमहोरगै: । किन्नरैरप्सरोभिश्च क्रीडद्भिर्जुष्टकन्दर: ॥ ५ ॥
siddha-cāraṇa-gandharvair vidyādhara-mahoragaiḥ kinnarair apsarobhiś ca krīḍadbhir juṣṭa-kandaraḥ
The mountain’s caves were thronged with the denizens of the higher realms—Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, Mahoragas (serpents), Kinnaras, and Apsarās—who came there to sport; thus every cavern was alive with heavenly beings.
As ordinary men may play in the salty ocean, the inhabitants of the higher planetary systems go to the Ocean of Milk. They float in the Ocean of Milk and also enjoy various sports within the caves of Trikūṭa Mountain.
FAQs
They are celestial classes of beings—Siddhas are perfected mystics, Gandharvas are heavenly musicians, and Apsarās are divine dancers—described here as frequenting the holy caves of that region.
Śukadeva describes a sacred mountainous region whose caves are inhabited and visited by many celestial beings; it sets the divine atmosphere for the Gajendra narrative.
It reminds us that holy places and sacred environments elevate consciousness—keeping uplifting company and surroundings supports devotion and inner purification.