GAJENDRA MOKSHA - LYRICS AND MEANING

Gajendra moksha (Sanskrit: गजेन्द्रमोक्षः) is Puranic legend from Bhagavata Purana. Lord Vishnu came down to earth to protect Gajendra(elephant) from the death clutches of Makara (Crocodile).

In the midst of the ocean of milk, there is a very high and beautiful mountain that has an altitude of ten thousand yojanas, or eighty thousand miles. This mountain is known as Trikuta. In a valley of Trikuta there is a nice garden named Rtumat, which was constructed by Varuna, and in that area there is a very nice lake.

Once a lordly elephant, leader of a herd, inhabiting that mountainous forest, roamed with his retinue of female ones, breaking through trees, bamboo clusters and clumps of cane. By the mere odour of animal, even lions and tigers not to talk of the elephants, hyenas, rhinos, pythons, sarabhas, yaks, wolves, boars, bisons, bears, porcupines, baboons, jackals, monkeys, all ran away in fear, while the weaker ones like the deer and the hares moved about joyously by the protective presence of that very animal. (20-22).

Oppressed by the heat of summer, dripping ichor and swarmed by bees settled on it for its sheer taste, tormented by thirst, accompanied by the whole herd of bull and female elephants and the young ones, almost causing tremors in the mountain by their weight, he smelt from afar the lotus pollen-filled breeze on the lake, and with eyes tremulous in a state of rut, speedily approached the vicinity of the lake. (23-24). Plunging into it, he drank to his heart’s content the immaculate, sweet ambrosial water, flavoured by the pollen of the golden lotuses, lilies, sucking it with his trunk and freely showering on himself, and with his fatigue gone, equally offering mouthfuls and a liberal sprinkle of bath to his retinue of cubs and female elephants like a loving householder, unaware in his self importance of impending peril (25-26).

The Elephant and the Crocodile

There, Oh king! as ill luck would have it, a powerful crocodile fiercely caught his leg, and the elephant, accidentally so caught unaware, himself of immense strength, accordingly tugged his best. The cow – elephant and other chicken hearted ones seeing their leader in distress, just pulled forcibly, trumpeted in sorrow, unable to extricate him by pulling him holding from the rear. (27-28).

As the noble elephant and the crocodile so fought one pulling in and the other out, a thousand years elapsed, both yet alive and alert to the amazement of even the celestials (29).

Then by the long passage of time the strength of the elephant both mental and physical as well as his energy slowly ebbed; and as the strength of the one pulled into the water diminished, that of the aquatic animal increased. Thus when the elephant was in a sad situation and despaired of his life, unable ever so long to free himself, thought of an idea. Those of my ilk cannot save me, how can the female ones help? Caught by the noose of Providence in the shape of the crocodile I shall seek Him the ultimate refuge. I seek refuge of the Lord that protects the scared seeking His refuge, for refuge from the powerful serpent of Death that pursues ever so swiftly, but yet itself runs away in utter fear of the Lord. (30-33).

Gajendra moksha

Here ends the second chapter
The Lord Frees the Tusker
Sri Suka Spoke: Having so resolved and with his mind at ease the elephant repeated the most noble prayers he had learned in a previous birth. (1)

The Lord of elephants uttered:
(Note : The text of Srimad Bhagavatam here gives one of the most magnificent hymns addressed to Vishnu as the Supreme one, the Almighty who is extolled in multiform in the Upanishads, Ithihasas and in the various Puranas. Hence the relevant Sanskrit slokas are also given here, with the English translation).

Gajendra, in his previous life was a great devotee called Indradyumna who was also a great king. One day, Agastya, a great sage came to visit the king. Indradyumna did not receive the Sage with the respect that the latter expected. The enraged Agastya cursed the king to become an elephant in his next birth, as he sat heavy on his seat and did not rise to greet him.
The crocodile in its last life was a king called HuHu in the Gandharva planet. Once while enjoying himself in the waters, he pulled the leg of a sage. The enraged sage cursed the king to become a crocodile in his next life. The repentant HuHu asked for pardon. The Sage proclaimed that though he could not retrieve the curse, the crocodile would be liberated from the cycle of birth and death when Gajendra would be saved by the Lord God Himself.

shri-ganjendra uvacha
om namo bhagavate tasmai
yata etac chid-atmakam
purushayadi-bijaya
pareshayabhidhimahi ll1ll

yasminn idam yatash chedam
yenedam ya idam svayam
yo ‘smat parasmach cha paras
tam prapadye svayambhuvam ll2ll

yah svatmanidam nija-mayayarpitam
kvachid vibhatam kva cha tat tirohitam
aviddha-drik sakshy ubhayam tad ikshate
sa atma-mula ‘vatu mam parat-paraha ll3ll

yah svatmanidam nija-mayayarpitam
kvachid vibhatam kva cha tat tirohitam
aviddha-drik sakshy ubhayam tad ikshate
sa atma-mula ‘vatu mam parat-paraha ll4ll

na yasya deva rishayah padam vidur
jantuh punah ko ‘rhati gantum iritum
yatha natasyakritibhir vicheshtato
duratyayanukramanah sa mavatu ll5ll

didrikshavo yasya padam sumangalam
vimukta-sanga munayah susadhavaha
charanty aloka-vratam avranam vane
bhutatma-bhutah suhridah sa me gatihi ll6ll

na vidyate yasya cha janma karma va
na nama-rupe guna-dosha eva va
tathapi lokapyaya-sambhavaya yaha
sva-mayaya tany anukalam ricchati

tasmai namah pareshaya
brahmane ‘nanta-shaktaye
arupayoru-rupaya
nama ashcarya-karmane ll7ll

nama atma-pradipaya
sakshine paramatmane
namo giram viduraya
manasash chetasam api ll8ll

sattveno pratilabhyaya
naishkarmyena vipashcita
namah kaivalya-nathaya
nirvana-sukha-samvide ll9ll

namah shantaya ghoraya
mudhaya guna-dharmine
nirvisheshaya samyaya
namo jnana-ghanaya cha ll10ll

ksetra-jnaya namas tubhyam
sarvadhyakshaya sakshine
purushayatma-mulaya
mula-prakritaye namaha ll11ll

sarvendriya-guna-drashtre
sarva-pratyaya-hetave
asata cchayayoktaya
sad-abhasaya te namaha ll12ll

namo namas te ‘khila-karanaya
nishkaranayadbhuta-karanaya
sarvagamamnaya-maharnavaya
namo ‘pavargaya parayanaya ll13ll

gunarani-cchanna-chid-ushmapaya
tat-kshobha-visphurjita-manasaya
naishkarmya-bhavena vivarjitagama
svayam-prakashaya namas karomi ll14ll

madrik prapanna-pashu-pashu-vimokshanaya
muktaya bhuri-karunaya namo ‘layaya
svamshena sarva-tanu-bhrin-manasi pratita-
pratyag-drishe bhagavate brihate Namaste ll15ll

atmatma-japti-griha-vitta-janeshu saktair
dushprapanaya guna-sanga-vivarjitaya
muktatmabhih sva-hridaya paribhavitaya
jnanatmane bhagavate nama ishvaraya ll16ll

yam dharma-kamartha-vimukti-kama
bhajanta ishtam gatim apnuvanti
kim chashisho raty api deham avyayam
karotu me ‘dabhra-dayo vimokshanam ll17ll

ekantino yasya na kanchanartham
vanchanti ye vai bhagavat-prapannaha
aty-adbhutam tach-charitam sumangalam
gayanta ananda-samudra-magnaha

tam aksharam brahma param paresham
avyaktam adhyatmika-yoga-gamyam
atindriyam sukshmam ivatiduram
anantam adyam paripurnam ide ll18ll

yasya bramadayo deva
veda lokash characharaha
nama-rupa-vibhedena
phalgvya cha kalaya kritaha

yatharchisho ‘gneh savitur gabhastayo
niryanti samyanty asakrit sva-rochishaha
tatha yato ‘yam guna-sampravaho
buddhir manah khani sharira-sargaha

sa vai na devasura-martya-tiryan
na stri na sandho na puman na jantuhu
nayam gunah karma na san na casan
nishedha-shesho jayatad ashesaha ll19ll

jijivishe naham ihamuya kim
antar bahish chavritayebha-yonya
icchami kalena na yasya viplavas
tasyatma-lokavaranasya moksham ll20ll

so ‘ham vishva-srijam vishvam
avishvan vishva-vedasam
vishvatmanam ajam brahma
pranato ‘smi param padam ll21ll

yoga-randhita-karmano
hridi yoga-vibhavite
yogino yam prapashyanti
yogesham tam nato ‘smy aham ll22ll

namo namas tubhyam asahya-vega-
shakti-trayayakhila-dhi-gunaya
prapanna-palaya duranta-shaktaye
kad-indriyanam anavapya-vartmane ll23ll

nayam veda svam atmanam
yach-chaktyaham-dhiya hatam
tam duratyaya-mahatmyam
bhagavantam ito ‘smy aham ll24ll