Hi!!!! Today's story is called the Gajendra Moksha and was narrated to the Grandson of the Pandavas, Emperor Parikshit. It was narrated by the son of Vedavyasa and Parikshit's great-grandfather, Shuka. It is about an elephant called Gajendra (the king of the elephants) and how he was saved by Lord Vishnu. Let's go…
There once lived a great king called Indradyumna. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu.
One day, sage Agastya, one of the saptarishi, came to visit King Indradyumna on a scorching summer's day. He walked into the golden palace and saw that Indradyumna had closed his eyes and sat on his throne. He didn't realise that Indradyumna was actually asleep!!!! Agastya thought that Indradyumna had paid no heed to him, so he shouted, "INDRADYUMNA!!!!! HAVE YOU NOT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I STAND IN YOUR PRESENCE?!?!" Indradyumna woke up with a start and said, " Oh Maharishi, please accept my-" But, Agastya interrupted him, "I CURSE YOU!!!!! IN YOUR NEXT LIFE, MAY YOU BE BORN AS AN ELEPHANT!!!!!!!" So, Agastya stormed out of the palace, leaving Indradyumna to wallow in self-pity.
Meanwhile, on another side of the country, a gandharva was swimming in a pool with his family. Sage Devala was passing by when the gandharva splashed some water onto him, just for fun. Devala was enraged!!!!! He shouted, "YOU FOOLISH GANDHARVA!!!! HOW INSOLENT ARE YOU?!?!?!? IN YOUR NEXT LIFE, YOU SHALL BE BORN AS A CROCODILE!!!! THEN, YOU MAY SPLASH WATER ON OTHER BEINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and stomped off, leaving the gandharva and his family to squander in despondency.
Time passed. Indradyumna and the gandharva were both born as the elephant and the crocodile. Their fates had been sealed.
As time went by, Indradyumna ascended to the throne. But, it wasn't the throne he sat on in his previous life. He became the King of the Elephants. He led his huge tribe down waterways and forests, until they reached a huge lake. It had frolicking fish and dancing doves, brilliant birds and brave bugs, all living life to the fullest.
Gajendra and his troupe settled down over there. They lived their lives very piously.
One day, Gajendra's tribe had gone out of the waters to look for bananas and let him dance in the water. But, it took a turn for the worse.
Suddenly, a crocodile pounced onto Gajendra's leg and tried to rip off his foot!!! The crocodile was none other than the cursed gandharva, who had forgotten everything of his past life. He bit into the grey, leathery skin of Gajendra. He roared in pain and tried to whack the crocodile off. But it wouldn't budge!!! It had latched itself onto Gajendra, who tried in vain to kill the crocodile.
Hearing his pleas, Gajendra's tribe came rushing back and tried to help him. But to no avail!!! When they realised that death had come close to Gajendra, they left him alone. They realised that Gajendra would not be able to survive, even with their help. They left him and continued travelling, making Gajendra fight his own war.
Days passed. Gajendra hadn't the slightest bit of hope, but he still tried to vanquish the crocodile. But, the crocodile had no sign of stopping. It wanted a feast - elephant for dinner. Gajendra knew that the crocodile wouldn't give up, but he too didn't give up. He wanted to fight for his life. But, the crocodile had the upper hand (well, claw).
Gajendra trumpeted in pain and helplessness until he was hoarse. As the struggle was seemingly endless and when he had spent his last drop of energy, Gajendra remembered his past life and called upon his deity, Lord Vishnu, to come save him. He held a lotus up in offering and prayed to Lord Vishnu.
Hearing his devotee's earnest calls, Vishnu rushed to the scene. He saw the plight that Gajendra was in and helped him out. He threw the Sudarshan Chakra at the crocodile and chopped his head off. KKKCCCHHHAAAKKK!!!!!! Gajendra bowed down to Lord Vishnu, who saw him die. He proclaimed, "Hello, Gajendra. You have proved to be the best of devotees. Come with me," Vishnu lifted Gajendra up into the sky, and as they got higher, Gajendra's body soon fell down to the Earth. His soul, which was in the form of Indradyumna, clutched on to Vishnu, as they flew to heaven.
Thus, Vishnu gave Gajendra moksha, or enlightenment, and saved his devotee.
The story is symbolic of Vishnu’s readiness to save mankind, just as he saved the elephant from the jaws of the crocodile. In the moment of our utter surrender, Vishnu rushes to our aid, destroys death, and liberates our souls.
Fun Fact Nº 1: This story is said to have taken place in Tirupati, on the Tirumala Hills.
Fun Fact Nº 2; While flying to Heaven, Gajendra composed a shloka about Vishnu. This shloka is very famed and is called the Gajendra Stuti. Here it is:
There once lived a great king called Indradyumna. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu.
One day, sage Agastya, one of the saptarishi, came to visit King Indradyumna on a scorching summer's day. He walked into the golden palace and saw that Indradyumna had closed his eyes and sat on his throne. He didn't realise that Indradyumna was actually asleep!!!! Agastya thought that Indradyumna had paid no heed to him, so he shouted, "INDRADYUMNA!!!!! HAVE YOU NOT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I STAND IN YOUR PRESENCE?!?!" Indradyumna woke up with a start and said, " Oh Maharishi, please accept my-" But, Agastya interrupted him, "I CURSE YOU!!!!! IN YOUR NEXT LIFE, MAY YOU BE BORN AS AN ELEPHANT!!!!!!!" So, Agastya stormed out of the palace, leaving Indradyumna to wallow in self-pity.
Meanwhile, on another side of the country, a gandharva was swimming in a pool with his family. Sage Devala was passing by when the gandharva splashed some water onto him, just for fun. Devala was enraged!!!!! He shouted, "YOU FOOLISH GANDHARVA!!!! HOW INSOLENT ARE YOU?!?!?!? IN YOUR NEXT LIFE, YOU SHALL BE BORN AS A CROCODILE!!!! THEN, YOU MAY SPLASH WATER ON OTHER BEINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and stomped off, leaving the gandharva and his family to squander in despondency.
Time passed. Indradyumna and the gandharva were both born as the elephant and the crocodile. Their fates had been sealed.
As time went by, Indradyumna ascended to the throne. But, it wasn't the throne he sat on in his previous life. He became the King of the Elephants. He led his huge tribe down waterways and forests, until they reached a huge lake. It had frolicking fish and dancing doves, brilliant birds and brave bugs, all living life to the fullest.
Gajendra and his troupe settled down over there. They lived their lives very piously.
One day, Gajendra's tribe had gone out of the waters to look for bananas and let him dance in the water. But, it took a turn for the worse.
Suddenly, a crocodile pounced onto Gajendra's leg and tried to rip off his foot!!! The crocodile was none other than the cursed gandharva, who had forgotten everything of his past life. He bit into the grey, leathery skin of Gajendra. He roared in pain and tried to whack the crocodile off. But it wouldn't budge!!! It had latched itself onto Gajendra, who tried in vain to kill the crocodile.
Hearing his pleas, Gajendra's tribe came rushing back and tried to help him. But to no avail!!! When they realised that death had come close to Gajendra, they left him alone. They realised that Gajendra would not be able to survive, even with their help. They left him and continued travelling, making Gajendra fight his own war.
Days passed. Gajendra hadn't the slightest bit of hope, but he still tried to vanquish the crocodile. But, the crocodile had no sign of stopping. It wanted a feast - elephant for dinner. Gajendra knew that the crocodile wouldn't give up, but he too didn't give up. He wanted to fight for his life. But, the crocodile had the upper hand (well, claw).
Gajendra trumpeted in pain and helplessness until he was hoarse. As the struggle was seemingly endless and when he had spent his last drop of energy, Gajendra remembered his past life and called upon his deity, Lord Vishnu, to come save him. He held a lotus up in offering and prayed to Lord Vishnu.
Hearing his devotee's earnest calls, Vishnu rushed to the scene. He saw the plight that Gajendra was in and helped him out. He threw the Sudarshan Chakra at the crocodile and chopped his head off. KKKCCCHHHAAAKKK!!!!!! Gajendra bowed down to Lord Vishnu, who saw him die. He proclaimed, "Hello, Gajendra. You have proved to be the best of devotees. Come with me," Vishnu lifted Gajendra up into the sky, and as they got higher, Gajendra's body soon fell down to the Earth. His soul, which was in the form of Indradyumna, clutched on to Vishnu, as they flew to heaven.
Thus, Vishnu gave Gajendra moksha, or enlightenment, and saved his devotee.
The story is symbolic of Vishnu’s readiness to save mankind, just as he saved the elephant from the jaws of the crocodile. In the moment of our utter surrender, Vishnu rushes to our aid, destroys death, and liberates our souls.
Fun Fact Nº 1: This story is said to have taken place in Tirupati, on the Tirumala Hills.
Fun Fact Nº 2; While flying to Heaven, Gajendra composed a shloka about Vishnu. This shloka is very famed and is called the Gajendra Stuti. Here it is:
ಶುಕ್ಲಾಮ್ ಭರಧರಂ ವಿಷ್ಣುಮ್ ಶಶಿ ವರಣಂ ಚತುರ್ಭುಜಂ ।
ಪ್ರಸನ್ನ ವದನಂ ಧ್ಯಾಯೇತ್ ಸರ್ವ ವಿಗ್ನೋಪಾ ಶಾಂತಯೇ ।।
शुक्लाम बाराधरम विष्णुम शशि वरणम चतुर्भुजम् ।
प्रसन्न वदनाम् ध्यायेत् सर्व विघ्नोप शन्थये ।।
śuklāṃbaradharaṃ viṣṇuṃ śaśi varṇaṃ caturbhujaṃ |
prasanna vadanaṃ dhyāyēta sarva vighnōpaśāntayē ||
(Not to be confused with the one dedicated to Lord Ganesha)
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