Gajendra Moksha

Vishnu Saving Gajendra

Gajendra Moksha (Sanskrit: गजेन्द्रमोक्षः) or The Liberation of Gajendra is a Puranic legend from the 8th Skandha of the Bhagavata Purana, one of the most sacred books in Hinduism. It is one of the famous exploits of the god Vishnu. In this episode, Vishnu came down to earth to protect Gajendra, the elephant, from the clutches of Makara, the Crocodile, and with Vishnu's help, Gajendra achieved moksha, or salvation. Gajendra then attained a form like that of the god (Sarupya Mukti) and went to Vaikuntha with Vishnu.

This story was narrated by Sri Suka to Emperor Parikshit at Parikshit's request.

Plot

There was once an elephant named Gajendra who lived in a garden called Rtumat which was created by Varuna. This garden was located on Mount Trikuta, the "Three-Peaked Mountain." Gajendra ruled over all the other elephants in the herd. On a hot day, he proceeded with his herd to a lake to cool off in its fresh waters. Suddenly a crocodile living in the lake attacked Gajendra and caught him by the leg. Gajendra tried for a long time to escape from the crocodile's clutches. All his family, relatives and friends gathered around to help him, but in vain. The crocodile simply wouldn't let go. When they realised that ‘death’ had come close to Gajendra, they left him alone. He trumpeted in pain and helplessness until he was hoarse. As the struggle was seemingly endless (it is believed that the crocodile held Gajendra's foot for over a thousand years), and when he had spent his last drop of energy, Gajendra called to the god Vishnu to save him, holding a lotus up in the air as an offering.

Hearing his devotee's call and prayer, Lord Vishnu rushed to the scene. As Gajendra sighted the Lord coming, he lifted the lotus with his trunk. Seeing this, the Lord was pleased and with his Sudharshana Chakra Vishnu separated the crocodile's head from its body, and Gajendra prostrated himself before the Lord. Vishnu informed Gajendra that he, in one of his previous births, had been the celebrated King Indradyumna, a devotee of Vishnu, but due to his disrespect to the great Sage Agastya, he had been cursed to be reborn as an elephant.

Because Indradyumna had been devoted to the God, Lord Vishnu had him born as Gajendra and made him realize that there is something called Kaivalya which is beyond Svarga and Urdhva Loka, the realm of the gods. Indradyumna could attain Moksha finally when he (as Gajendra) left all his pride and doubt and totally surrendered himself to Vishnu.

The prayer made by Gajendra on this occasion became a famous hymn in praise of Vishnu called the Gajendra Stuti.

शुक्लांबरधरं विष्णुं शशि वर्णं चतुर्भुजं ।
प्रसन्न वदनं ध्यायेत सर्व विघ्नोपशान्तये॥

Previous Births

Gajendra Moksha print

Gajendra, in his previous life, was Indradyumna, a great king who was devoted to Vishnu. One day, Agastya, a great rishi (sage) came to visit the king, but Indradyumna remained sitting on his seat, refusing to rise up to receive the sage with the respect. Agastya was irate and noticed that the mighty king, despite the greatness of his good deeds, still had traces of Ahamkara, or egoism, and he revealed to the king that, in his next birth, he would be born as an elephant and in that form he would learn the hard way that the self must be renounced and surrendered to the Lord.

The crocodile in its previous birth had been a Gandharva king called Huhu. The sage Devala came to visit the king, and when the two of them were bathing and Devala was offering prayers to Surya (the Sun god), the king pulled the sage's leg for fun. The sage was furious and cursed the king to become a crocodile in his next life. The repentant king begged the sage's pardon. Devala explained that, while he could not reverse the curse, the crocodile would be liberated from the cycle of birth and death when Vishnu himself visited the earth in his full form, answering the prayer of a pious soul.

The tale of Gajendra is an integral theme in Vaishnavism and has great symbolic value: Gajendra is the man, the crocodile is sin, and the muddy water of the lake is Saṃsāra.

Location

It is believed that this incident has happened in Kabisthalam, where there is a Gajendra Varadha Temple.

Shree Gajendra Moksha Stotra

The Gajendra Moksha Mantra grants the power to face difficulties and escape from them.^[1]

References

1. "Gajendra Moksha". archive.org. Retrieved 30 July 2015.

External links

Gajendra Moksha (pdf) English translation

Bhāgavata Purāṇa: English translation of the Gajendra story