[Advaita-l] Gajendra Moksham

[KAMESWARARAO MULA]

Dear Friends,


Bammera Pothana (Parama Bhagavatottama) Andhra Mahaa Bhagavatam : 8th Skandam : Poem 90
Lavokkintayu ledu dhairyamu vilolambayye branamulun
tavul dappenu murchavachhe danuvun dassen sramambayyedin
neeve tappa nitah paramberuga mannipandagun deenunin
rave eeswara kavave varada samrakshinchu bhadratmaka


 

There are couple of  poems from the epic of “Gajendra moksham”. When peoples  emotional intelligence becomes zero , eyes filled with tears whenever we  heard this poem. 


The whole story of Gajendra Moksham is how the Elephant King gets “moksham”, The story starts with the Elephant King leading his herd and moving across the thick forest towards the river for quenching their thirst. It is described very graciously that, as the herd moved, the Elephant King glowed with pride, and all the animals in the jungle get scared, as if the Earth shook during Pralaya, destruction of Universe. This is to show that the Elephant King was no mean guy, very strong, majestic, in his prime and proud too. When they start having water from the river, a crocodile gets a hold of the leg of the Gajendra. Even after a rough battle with it, Gajendra starts succumbing to the strong crocodile. Then he prays to Vishnu who saves him ultimately.
What Pothana (and Veda Vyasa) have depicted in this episode,  who lived with pride and did not care anyone, in times of distress, if prays to the God Vishnu, just by taking any of His thousand names, He will come to the rescue without a second thought. 


 

“There is no strength remaining in my muscles. All the courage I vested has drained off. Living tissues across my limbs, arms, are all dying. I am about to faint. My body is tired. It is demanding me to put excessive efforts to sustain further. There is no one for me; You are the only One I have! I surrender totally unto You! Please have mercy on me! O Vishnu, the Savior of distressed! Is it not time yet for You to come? Will not You save me, my Lord? O Protector of all beings, kindly come and rescue me with Your Divine grace!! ”

 

When Sri Vishnu hears his devotee Gajendra calling him, he runs to save him. This poem describes how he rushed to the aid of Gajendra. 



sirikiM jeppaDu SaMKa cakra yugamuM cEdOyi saMdhiMpa DE
parivAraMbunu jIra DaBragapatin manniMpaDA karNikAM
tara dhammillamu cakkanottaDu vivAda prOddhita SrI kuchO
pari cElAMcalamaina vIDaDu hari gajaprANA vanOtsAhi yai 

 
Vishnu, in his eagerness to save the life of Gaja, does not tell his wife(siri), does not take his sankham and chakram, does not call any of his servents, does not listen to garuda, does not leave the saree of lakshmi that is in his hands.
The moral of the story was  a prayer should be like this that Gajendra's artanadam reaches the vishnu's mind, there by rushing vishnu without any second thought
Sri Guru Padaravindarpana MastuKameswara