Gajendra Moksha- An Elephant's Intense Bhakthi

[P.J.]

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Gajendra Moksha- An Elephant's Intense Bhakthi


The story of Gajendra Moksha tells about how the intense & non-verbal prayer of a desperate elephant caught by crocodile was answered by God.

Dhyaan dharey man sey mera karey na chit udaas
Samjhey mujhko har samay hardam apney paas |
Ghat ghat mein sansaar key vyaapak main bharpoor
Prem sey nitya sameep hoon, prem nahin to door ||

​

These lines belong to the Bhagvad Geeta in Hindi by Pandit RadheyShyam from Bareily.

Krishna says that man should meditate upon the Lord, not feel dejected and think of the Lord, as always being at hand.
Krishna claims that He is present in abundance in every atom of the world.



To those who have love (and faith) in their heart, God is close by, to the others He seems to be far away!

The following story ‘Gajendra Moksha’ is a part of the Shrimad Bhaagvad.

Gajendra was the King of elephants.



One hot day, he proceeded to the lake with his family to cool off in its fresh waters.



But from within the lake a crocodile appeared who attacked him and would not let go of him.
When the family and relatives saw ‘death’ coming close to Gajendra, and everyone realised that everything was lost, they left Gajendra alone.

The symbolism so far:

• Man is Gajendra
• The world, is the lake where he plays the game of life with family and others.
• The crocodile is ‘Death and Difficulties’ which attack man.
  
  

The Lesson:

• Neither family nor friend can liberate one from the clutch of death.
• God answers your prayers.
  
  

It is said that ‘Nirbal key bal Ram’



Which means that God is the Strength of the Weak!


A lot of us make preparations for a journey from which one is meant to return; yet we make none for death!
Most of us cry out to God when caught in hopeless situation.


It does not matter if you have the body or intellect of an animal, all you require is a loving heart and the conviction that God is closer than we can possibly believe!

The Lord rushed to Gajendra’s aid.

The latter offered the Lord a lotus flower.
And that is what Gajendra did!

Gajendra prayed:


‘Please help me O Lord! Save me from the clutches of Death!’



I am not asking you to save me from the clutch of the crocodile, or that I should survive this attack! I am aware that I not only have a body of an elephant but also a fat mind of an elephant! What is the use of keeping this life? I want to be liberated from my Ignorant Mind which hides the resplendent soul! I can only be saved by Your Grace!


This Story also explains 'Saranagathi' Thathwa, that Lord protects those devotees who sincerely pray and surrender to Him.



God attacked the crocodile and saved His Loved One.





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.





It is said that if one recites the Gajendra Prayer, one achieves liberation and freedom from frightening dreams!




Gajendra’s story is a recollection of “Maa kuru dhana jana yaouna garvam” line in Adhi Sankara’s Bhaja Govindham.
(Discourse by Guru Ramanujamji on 12 Th January 2010 at Narada Gana Shaba)

True Bhakti is ultimate surrender to the Lord.That is what Gajendra did.

Surrender to God is the Superbowl of devotion.

On surrender ,Sri.Ramana Maharishi says’ the feeling 'I am helpless myself, God alone is all powerful, and except by throwing myself completely on Him, there is no other means of safety for me'; surrender is another name for jnana or liberation.



Gajendra Moksha Stuti (Prayer)
AUM NAMO BHAGAWATE TASMAY YAT ETCCHIDATMAKAM
PURUSHAAYAA DIBIJAAY PARESHAAYAABHI DHEEMAHEE
YASMINNIDUM YETASCCHEDUM YENEDUM EEDUM SWAYAM
YOSMAAT PARASMAASCH PARAH TUMPRAPADYE SWAYAMBHOOWAM

Dal Sabzi for Aatman: Gajendra Moksha

Yahoo answers

 

[prasad1]

In words of Renukaji from another thread, and I agree with it.

It all finally boils down to the desire of humans..even a 10 in 1 would not be enough as long desire exists.

Many of us do not like to admit that God and His various aspects are purely for our "milking".

We sing praises tainted with desire ... yet we have the audacity to call that Bhakti.

Bhakti technically hardly exists...a harsh fact that many will never agree.

The Bhakti movement reached North India in the Delhi Sultanate and throughout the Mughal era contributed significantly to the characteristics of Hinduism as the religion of the general population under the rule of a Muslim elite. After their encounter with the expanding Islam religion, Bhakti proponents—who were traditionally called "saints"—"elaborated egalitarian doctrine that transcended the caste system and encouraged individuals to seek personal union with the divine." Its influence also spread to other religions during this period, and became an integral aspect of Hindu culture and society in the modern era.

 

[JR]

Bhakti is a true, intense and genuine feeling. Only who have it, will know it. It is unfortunate some think of it in materialistic sense.

Bhakti is having faith and reverence in the devatas for all that they are and all that they have endowed us with and showing one's thankfulness back to the devatas - that's all.

Many people, especially saints of the yore, did bhakti without expecting anything in return. So bhakti without expecting anything in return is true and real.

Even those who have desires, do not have mere fulfillment of desire as the goal, they see the limitations of their material existence as a limiting factor in their progress in bhakti, and thus want to fulfill some material desires (which are rather impediments to them being happy) and they see that such blockages having eliminated from their path, they can then without inhibitions reach the higher reality with higher goals such as betterment of one's personality, and realization of god.