GAJENDRA MOKSHAM - गजेन्द्र मोक्षम्

SUBHASHITHANI:264

Gajendra Mokshaa is a legend from the eighth Skandha of the Srimad Bhagavatham. This story reconfirms the power of faith and surrender to Lord Shri Hari. It has great symbolic value: Gajendra signifies the man ( Jiva ), the crocodile represents sin ( Punya and papaa)  , and the muddy water of the lake is Saṃsāra. The Lotus and its offering signifies the Soul and complete surrender to the Lord( Atma nivedanam ). The story of Gajendra moksha has inspired many alwars and acharyas, and great sahitya karthas like Purandara dasa and saint Thyagaraja ; verses from their works form part of this blog.

भगवन्तं गुणाध्यक्षमक्षरं पुष्करेक्षणम ।

शरण्यं शरणं भक्त्या प्रपद्ये भक्तवत्सलम ।।

नमस्ते पुण्डरीकाक्ष भक्तनामभयप्रद ।

अब्रह्मण्य नमस्तेsस्तु त्राहि मां शरणागतं II
Oh!Bhagavaan, repository of all auspicious qualities, lotus-eyed, ever affectionate to the devotees, I surrender to you. I pray to you, one who offers asylum to those who seek your protection; pray save me from this difficulty , the one who has surrendered to you . ( Gajendra to Maha Vishnu )

न मामिमे ज्ञातय आतुरं गजा:

कुत: करिण्य: प्रभवन्ति मोचितुम् ।
ग्राहेण पाशेन विधातुरावृतो-
ऽप्यहं च तं यामि परं परायणम् ॥ ३२ ॥ ŚB 8.2.32

na mām ime jñātaya āturaṁ gajāḥ
kutaḥ kariṇyaḥ prabhavanti mocitum
grāheṇa pāśena vidhātur āvṛto
’py ahaṁ ca taṁ yāmi paraṁ parāyaṇam

The other elephants, who are my friends and relatives, could not rescue me from this danger. What then to speak of my wives? They cannot do anything. It is by the will of providence that I have been attacked by this crocodile, and therefore I shall seek shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always the shelter of everyone, even of great personalities.

य: कश्चनेशो बलिनोऽन्तकोरगात्
प्रचण्डवेगादभिधावतो भृशम् ।
भीतं प्रपन्नं परिपाति यद्भ‍या-
न्मृत्यु: प्रधावत्यरणं तमीमहि ॥ ३३ ॥ ŚB 8.2.33

yaḥ kaścaneśo balino ’ntakoragāt
pracaṇḍa-vegād abhidhāvato bhṛśam
bhītaṁ prapannaṁ paripāti yad-bhayān
mṛtyuḥ pradhāvaty araṇaṁ tam īmahi

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly not known to everyone, but He is very powerful and influential. Therefore, although the serpent of eternal time, which is fearful in force, endlessly chases everyone, ready to swallow him, if one who fears this serpent seeks shelter of the Lord, the Lord gives him protection, for even death runs away in fear of the Lord. I therefore surrender unto Him, the great and powerful supreme authority who is the actual shelter of everyone.(Gajendra's prayer )

गजेन्द्ररक्षात्वरितं भवन्तं ग्राहैरिवाहं विषयैर्विकृष्टः ।

 अपारविज्ञानदयानुभाव माप्तं सतामष्टभुजं प्रपद्ये ॥Vedanta Desika

Gajendra rakshaatvaritam bhavantam graahairivaaham vishayairvikrushtah I

Apaara vigyaana dayaanu bhavam aaptam sataam ashta bhujam prapadhye II

Assailed and torn apart by sense organs and dragged towards them on all sides as if by vicious crocodiles , I pray and surrender  ,for help preferred promptly as in the case of Gajendra, to you , the lord with eight hands, who is the embodiment of all knowledge, mercy, and glory and one who is always ready to protect your devotees.

மீன் அமர் பொய்கை நாள் மலர் கொய்வான்*

வேட்கையினோடு சென்று இழிந்த

கான் அமர் வேழம் கை எடுத்து அலறக்* கரா

அதன் காலினைக் கதுவ*

ஆனையின் துயரம் தீரப் புள் ஊர்ந்து*சென்று

நின்று ஆழி தொட்டானை* 

தேன் அமர் சோலை மாட மாமயிலைத்*

திருவல்லிக்கேணிக் கண்டேனே*2.3.9 பெரிய திருமொழி

விளக்கம்:-
மீன்கள் இருக்கும் குளத்தில் நாள்தோறும் புதிய மலர்களை பறிப்பவன் (கஜேந்திர யானை) , ஆசையோடு சென்று (பூ பறிக்க ஒரு நாள் குளத்தில்) இறங்க, காட்டில் வாழும் (அந்த கஜேந்திர) யானை தும்பிக்கை தூக்கி அலறும்படி, முதலை அதன் காலினை கவ்வ,
யானையின் துயரம் தீர்க்க கருட வாகனத்தில் சென்று (அங்கே) நின்று (முதலை அழியும் படி) சக்கரத்தை செலுத்தியவனை, தேன் (நிறைந்திருக்கும்) சோலைகளும், (விளக்கேற்றும் அழகான) மாடங்களும் (உள்ள) திரு மயிலை (அருகில் உள்ள) திருவல்லிக்கேணியில் கண்டேனே.

Aneyu karedare adimula bandante
Ajamilanu karedare narayananu bandante
Adaviyalli dhruvaraya karedare vasudeva bandante
Sabheyalli draupadi karedare srikrishna bandante
Ninna dasara dasanu na karedare
Enna palisabeku purandara vitthala--Purandara dasa

नक्राक्रान्ते करीन्द्रे मुकुळित नयने मूल मूलेतिखिन्ने
नाहं नाहं नचाहं न च भवति पुनस्तादृशो मादृशेषु
इत्येवं त्यक्तहस्ते सपदि सुरगणे भाव शून्ये समस्ते
मूलं यत्प्रादुरासीत् स दिशतु भगवान् मङ्गळं सन्ततं नः ॥Nadadur Ammal

When caught by a crocodile , the Lord of the elephants, with half closed eyes , called out

 ”o! Primal being “  piteously , Not I, Not I ,There is no such amongst us ,saying thus when deserted by the entire host of heartless Devas –He who was the primal root , may that lord always  show  us auspiciousness.

श्रीगजेन्द्र उवाच ||

ओं नमो भगवते तस्मै यत एतच्चिदात्मकम
पुरुषायादिबीजाय परेशायाभिधीमहि ||SB 8.3.2

Om Namo Bhagawathe Thasmai Yathayetha Chidhathmakam
Purushaa Yaadhi Bheejaaya Paresayaabhi Dheemahi ||

Salutations to the all powerful divine God denoted by “OM”, Due to whom the body and mind are made conscious, And he also exists within them in the form of the seed for the spirit.

तं वीक्ष्य पीडितमज: सहसावतीर्य
सग्राहमाशु सरस: कृपयोज्जहार ।
ग्राहाद् विपाटितमुखादरिणा गजेन्द्रं
संपश्यतां हरिरमूमुचदुच्छ्रियाणाम् ॥ ३३ ॥SB 8.3.33

taṁ vīkṣya pīḍitam ajaḥ sahasāvatīrya
sa-grāham āśu sarasaḥ kṛpayojjahāra
grāhād vipāṭita-mukhād ariṇā gajendraṁ
saṁpaśyatāṁ harir amūmucad ucchriyāṇām

Thereafter, seeing Gajendra in such an aggrieved position, the unborn Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, immediately got down from the back of Garuḍa by His causeless mercy and pulled the King of the elephants, along with the crocodile, out of the water. Then, in the presence of all the demigods, who were looking on, the Lord severed the crocodile’s mouth from its body with His disc. In this way He saved Gajendra, the King of the elephants.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH