Gajendra Moksha Stuthi: AUM NAMO BHAGAWATE TASMAY YAT ETCCHIDATMAKAM PURUSHAAYAA DIBIJAAY PARESHAAYAABHI DHEEMAHEE YASMINNIDUM YETASCCHEDUM

YENEDUM EEDUM SWAYAM YOSMAAT PARASMAASCH PARAH TUMPRAPADYE SWAYAMBHOOWA

Gajendras Prayers of Surrender to Lord Vishnu shri-ganjendra uvacha om namo bhagavate tasmai yata etac chid-atmakam purushayadi-bijaya pareshayabhidhimahi Gajendra said: I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Person, Vasudeva om namo bhagavate vasudevaya!" #ecause of $im this material body acts due to the presence of spirit, and $e is therefore the root cause of everyone" $e is %orshipable for such e&alted persons as #rahma and Shiva, and $e has entered the heart of every living being" 'et me meditate upon $im" (Srimad-#hagavatam )"*"+, yasminn idam yatash chedam yenedam ya idam svayam yo -smat parasmach cha paras tam prapadye svayambhuvam .he Supreme Godhead is the supreme platform on %hich everything rests, the ingredient by %hich everything has been produced, and the person %ho has created and is the only cause of this cosmic manifestation" /onetheless, $e is different from the cause and the result" I surrender unto $im, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, %ho is self-sufficient in everything" ()"*"*, yah svatmanidam nija-mayayarpitam kvachid vibhatam kva cha tat tirohitam aviddha-drik sakshy ubhayam tad ikshate sa atma-mula -vatu mam parat-paraha .he Supreme Personality of Godhead, by e&panding $is o%n energy, keeps this cosmic manifestation visible and again sometimes renders it invisible" $e is both the supreme cause and the supreme result, the observer and the %itness, in all circumstances" .hus $e is transcendental to everything" 0ay that Supreme Personality of Godhead give me protection" ()"*"1, kalena pancatvam iteshu kritsnasho lokeshu paleshu cha sarva-hetushu tamas tadasid gahanam gabhiram yas tasya pare -bhivirajate vibhuhu

In due course of time, %hen all the causative and effective manifestations of the universe, including the planets and their directors and maintainers, are annihilated, there is a situation of dense darkness" 2bove this darkness, ho%ever, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I take shelter of $is lotus feet" ()"*"3, na yasya deva rishayah padam vidur jantuh punah ko -rhati gantum iritum yatha natasyakritibhir vicheshtato duratyayanukramanah sa mavatu 2n artist onstage, being covered by attractive dresses and dancing %ith different movements, is not understood by his audience4 similarly, the activities and features of the Supreme 2rtist cannot be understood even by the demigods or great sages, and certainly not by those %ho are unintelligent like animals" /either the demigods and sages nor the unintelligent can understand the features of the 'ord, nor can they e&press in %ords $is actual position" 0ay that Supreme Personality of Godhead give me protection" ()"*"5, didrikshavo yasya padam sumangalam vimukta-sanga munayah susadhavaha charanty aloka-vratam avranam vane bhutatma-bhutah suhridah sa me gatihi 6enunciants and great sages %ho see all living beings e7ually, %ho are friendly to everyone and %ho fla%lessly practice in the forest the vo%s of brahmacarya celibate student!, vanaprastha retired! and sannyasa renunciation! desire to see the all-auspicious lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead" 0ay that same Supreme Personality of Godhead be my destination" ()"*"8, 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 .he Supreme Personality of Godhead has no material birth, activities, name, form, 7ualities or faults" .o fulfill the purpose for %hich this material %orld is created and destroyed, $e comes in the form of a human being like 'ord 6ama or 'ord 9rishna by $is original internal potency" $e has immense potency, and in various forms, all free from material contamination, $e acts %onderfully" $e is therefore the Supreme #rahman" I offer my respects to $im" ()"*")-:, nama atma-pradipaya sakshine paramatmane namo giram viduraya manasash chetasam api I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the self-effulgent Supersoul, %ho is the %itness in everyone;s heart, %ho enlightens the individual soul and %ho cannot be reached by e&ercises of the mind, %ords or consciousness" ()"*"<=,

sattveno pratilabhyaya naishkarmyena vipashcita namah kaivalya-nathaya nirvana-sukha-samvide .he Supreme Personality of Godhead is reali>ed by pure devotees %ho act in the transcendental e&istence of bhakti-yoga" $e is the besto%er of uncontaminated happiness and is the master of the transcendental %orld" .herefore I offer my respects unto $im" ()"*"<<, namah shantaya ghoraya mudhaya guna-dharmine nirvisheshaya samyaya namo jnana-ghanaya cha I offer my respectful obeisances to 'ord Vasudev, %ho is all-pervading, to the 'ord;s fierce form as 'ord /risimhadeva, to the 'ord;s form as an animal 'ord Varahadeva!, to 'ord ?attatreya, %ho preached impersonalism, to 'ord #uddha, and to all the other incarnations" I offer my respectful obeisances unto the 'ord, %ho has no material 7ualities but %ho accepts the three 7ualities of goodness, passion and ignorance %ithin this material %orld" I also offer my respectful obeisances unto the impersonal #rahman effulgence" ()"*"<+, ksetra-jnaya namas tubhyam sarvadhyakshaya sakshine purushayatma-mulaya mula-prakritaye namaha I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto @ou, %ho are the Supersoul, the superintendent of everything, and the %itness of all that occurs" @ou are the Supreme Person, the origin of material nature and of the total material energy" @ou are also the o%ner of the material body" .herefore, @ou are the supreme complete" I offer my respectful obeisances unto @ou" ()"*"<*, sarvendriya-guna-drashtre sarva-pratyaya-hetave asata cchayayoktaya sad-abhasaya te namaha 0y 'ord, @ou are the observer of all the objectives of the senses" Aithout @our mercy, there is no possibility of solving the problem of doubts" .he material %orld is just like a shado% resembling @ou" Indeed, one accepts this material %orld as real because it gives a glimpse of @our e&istence" ()"*"<1, namo namas te -khila-karanaya nishkaranayadbhuta-karanaya sarvagamamnaya-maharnavaya namo -pavargaya parayanaya 0y 'ord, @ou are the cause of all causes, but @ou @ourself have no causes" .herefore @ou are the %onderful cause of everything" I offer my respectful obeisances unto @ou, %ho are the shelter of the Vedic kno%ledge contained in the shastras like the Pancharatras and Vedanta-sutra, %hich are @our

representations, and %ho are the source of the parampara system" #ecause it is @ou %ho can give liberation, @ou are the only shelter for all transcendentalists" 'et me offer my respectful obeisances unto @ou" ()"*"<3, gunarani-cchanna-chid-ushmapaya tat-kshobha-visphurjita-manasaya naishkarmya-bhavena vivarjitagama svayam-prakashaya namas karomi 0y 'ord, as the fire in arani %ood is covered, @ou and @our unlimited kno%ledge are covered by the material modes of nature" @our mind, ho%ever, is not attentive to the activities of the modes of nature" .hose %ho are advanced in spiritual kno%ledge are not subject to the regulative principles directed in the Vedic literature" #ecause such advanced souls are transcendental, @ou personally appear in their pure minds" .herefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto @ou" ()"*"<5, madrik prapanna-pashu-pashu-vimokshanaya muktaya bhuri-karunaya namo -layaya svamshena sarva-tanu-bhrin-manasi pratitapratyag-drishe bhagavate brihate /amaste Since an animal such as I has surrendered unto @ou, %ho are supremely liberated, certainly @ou %ill release me from this dangerous position" Indeed, being e&tremely merciful, @ou incessantly try to deliver me" #y @our partial feature as Paramatma, @ou are situated in the hearts of all embodied beings" @ou are celebrated as direct transcendental kno%ledge, and @ou are unlimited" I offer my respectful obeisances unto @ou, the Supreme Personality of Godhead" ()"*"<8, atmatma-japti-griha-vitta-janeshu saktair dushprapanaya guna-sanga-vivarjitaya muktatmabhih sva-hridaya paribhavitaya jnanatmane bhagavate nama ishvaraya 0y 'ord, those %ho are completely freed from material contamination al%ays meditate upon @ou %ithin the cores of their hearts" @ou are e&tremely difficult to attain for those like me %ho are too attached to mental concoction, home, relatives, friends, money, servants and assistants" @ou are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, uncontaminated by the modes of nature" @ou are the reservoir of all enlightenment, the supreme controller" I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto @ou" ()"*"<), yam dharma-kamartha-vimukti-kama bhajanta ishtam gatim apnuvanti kim chashisho raty api deham avyayam karotu me -dabhra-dayo vimokshanam 2fter %orshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, those %ho are interested in the four principles of religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation obtain from $im %hat they desire" Ahat then is to be said of other benedictionsB Indeed, sometimes the 'ord gives a spiritual body to such ambitious %orshipers" 0ay that Supreme Personality of Godhead, %ho is unlimitedly merciful, besto% upon me the benediction of liberation from this present danger and from the materialistic %ay of life" ()"*"<:,

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 Cnalloyed devotees, %ho have no desire other than to serve the 'ord, %orship $im in full surrender and al%ays hear and chant about $is activities, %hich are most %onderful and auspicious" .hus they al%ays merge in an ocean of transcendental bliss" Such devotees never ask the 'ord for any benediction" I, ho%ever, am in danger" .hus I pray to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, %ho is eternally e&isting, %ho is invisible, %ho is the 'ord of all great personalities, such as #rahma, and %ho is available only by transcendental bhakti-yoga" #eing e&tremely subtle, $e is beyond the reach of my senses and transcendental to all e&ternal reali>ation" $e is unlimited, $e is the original cause, and $e is completely full in everything" I offer my obeisances unto $im" ()"*"+=-+<, 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 .he Supreme Personality of Godhead creates $is minor parts and parcels, the jiva-tattva, beginning %ith 'ord #rahma, the demigods and the e&pansions of Vedic kno%ledge Sama, 6ig, @ajur and 2tharva Vedas! and including all other living entities, moving and nonmoving, %ith their different names and characteristics" 2s the sparks of a fire or the shining rays of the sun emanate from their source and merge into it again and again, the mind, the intelligence, the senses, the gross and subtle material bodies, and the continuous transformations of the different modes of nature all emanate from the 'ord and again merge into $im" $e is neither demigod nor demon, neither human nor bird nor beast" $e is not %oman, man or neuter, nor is $e an animal" $e is not a material 7uality, a fruitive activity, a manifestation or nonmanifestation" $e is the last %ord in the discrimination of Dnot this, or not that,E and $e is unlimited" 2ll glories to the Supreme Personality of Godhead" ()"*"++-+1, jijivishe naham ihamuya kim antar bahish chavritayebha-yonya icchami kalena na yasya viplavas tasyatma-lokavaranasya moksham

I do not %ish to live anymore after I am released from the attack of the crocodile" Ahat is the use of an elephant;s body covered e&ternally and internally by ignoranceB I simply desire eternal liberation from the covering of ignorance" .hat covering is not destroyed by the influence of time" ()"*"+3, so -ham vishva-srijam vishvam avishvan vishva-vedasam vishvatmanam ajam brahma pranato -smi param padam /o%, fully desiring release from material life, I offer my respectful obeisances unto that Supreme Person %ho is the creator of the universe, %ho is $imself the form of the universe and %ho is nonetheless transcendental to this cosmic manifestation" $e is the supreme kno%er of everything in this %orld, the Supersoul of the universe" $e is the unborn, supremely situated 'ord" I offer my respectful obeisances unto $im" ()"*"+5, yoga-randhita-karmano hridi yoga-vibhavite yogino yam prapashyanti yogesham tam nato -smy aham I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme, the Supersoul, the master of all mystic yoga, %ho is seen in the core of the heart by perfect mystics %hen they are completely purified and freed from the reactions of fruitive activity by practicing bhakti-yoga" ()"*"+8, namo namas tubhyam asahya-vegashakti-trayayakhila-dhi-gunaya prapanna-palaya duranta-shaktaye kad-indriyanam anavapya-vartmane 0y 'ord, @ou are the controller of formidable strength in three kinds of energy" @ou appear as the reservoir of all sense pleasure and the protector of the surrendered souls" @ou possess unlimited energy, but @ou are unapproachable by those %ho are unable to control their senses" I offer my respectful obeisances unto @ou again and again" ()"*"+), nayam veda svam atmanam yach-chaktyaham-dhiya hatam tam duratyaya-mahatmyam bhagavantam ito -smy aham I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by %hose illusory energy the jiva individual spirit soul!, %ho is part and parcel of God, forgets his real identity because of the bodily concept of life" I take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, %hose glories are difficult to understand" ()"*"+:,

.he 'ord no% replies to Gajendra!

ye mam stuvanty anenanga pratibudhya nishatyaye tesham pranatyaye chaham dadami vipulam gatim D0y dear devotee, unto those %ho rise from bed at the end of night and offer 0e the prayers offered by you, I give an eternal residence in the spiritual %orld at the end of their lives"E ()"1"+3,

he unpretentious village of 9rishnapuram, near 9ayamkulam, 9erala, is home to a stunning mural depicting the pastimes of 'ord Vishnu and the elephant Gajendra" In a small palace located near the old 9rishna temple ".his beautifull mural is one of the largest mural panels in 9erala" .he palace %as constructed during the reign of 9ing 0arthanda Varma" .he famous Gajendra 0oksha mural in 9rishnapuram, %hich measures fourteen feet by eleven feet, memoriali>es the pastimes of Visnu and Gajendra" In the mural, Garuda;s %ings are fanned out in flight as he carries the 'ord %ith great devotion" Ahile Garuda;s eyes smoulder %ith rage at the stubbornness of the crocodile, Vishnu;s countenance is filled %ith mercy and compassion as he puts an end to the suffering of Gajendra, by killing his crocodile attacker" Gajendra moksha (Sanskrit: , is Puranic legend from #hagavata Purana" 'ord Vishnu came do%n to earth to protect Gajendra(elephant, from the death clutches of 0akara (Frocodile," 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" .his mountain is kno%n as .rikuta" In a valley of .rikuta there is a nice garden named 6tumat, %hich %as constructed by Varuna, and in that area there is a very nice lake" Gnce a lordly elephant, leader of a herd, inhabiting that mountainous forest, roamed %ith his retinue of female ones, breaking through trees, bamboo clusters and clumps of cane" #y the mere odour of animal, even lions and tigers not to talk of the elephants, hyenas, rhinos, pythons, sarabhas, yaks, %olves, boars,

bisons, bears, porcupines, baboons, jackals, monkeys, all ran a%ay in fear, %hile the %eaker ones like the deer and the hares moved about joyously by the protective presence of that very animal" (+=-++," Gppressed by the heat of summer, dripping ichor and s%armed by bees settled on it for its sheer taste, tormented by thirst, accompanied by the %hole herd of bull and female elephants and the young ones, almost causing tremors in the mountain by their %eight, he smelt from afar the lotus pollen-filled bree>e on the lake, and %ith eyes tremulous in a state of rut, speedily approached the vicinity of the lake" (+*-+1," Plunging into it, he drank to his heart;s content the immaculate, s%eet ambrosial %ater, flavoured by the pollen of the golden lotuses, lilies, sucking it %ith his trunk and freely sho%ering on himself, and %ith his fatigue gone, e7ually offering mouthfuls and a liberal sprinkle of bath to his retinue of cubs and female elephants like a loving householder, una%are in his self importance of impending peril (+3-+5," .he Hlephant and the Frocodile .here, Gh kingI as ill luck %ould have it, a po%erful crocodile fiercely caught his leg, and the elephant, accidentally so caught una%are, himself of immense strength, accordingly tugged his best" .he co% J elephant and other chicken hearted ones seeing their leader in distress, just pulled forcibly, trumpeted in sorro%, unable to e&tricate him by pulling him holding from the rear" (+8-+)," 2s 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 ama>ement of even the celestials (+:," .hen by the long passage of time the strength of the elephant both mental and physical as %ell as his energy slo%ly ebbed4 and as the strength of the one pulled into the %ater diminished, that of the a7uatic animal increased" .hus %hen the elephant %as in a sad situation and despaired of his life, unable ever so long to free himself, thought of an idea" .hose of my ilk cannot save me, ho% can the female ones helpB Faught by the noose of Providence in the shape of the crocodile I shall seek $im the ultimate refuge" I seek refuge of the 'ord that protects the scared seeking $is refuge, for refuge from the po%erful serpent of ?eath that pursues ever so s%iftly, but yet itself runs a%ay in utter fear of the 'ord" (*=-**," $ere ends the second chapter .he 'ord Krees the .usker Sri Suka Spoke: $aving so resolved and %ith his mind at ease the elephant repeated the most noble prayers he had learned in a previous birth" (<, .he 'ord of elephants uttered: (/ote : .he te&t of Srimad #hagavatam here gives one of the most magnificent hymns addressed to Vishnu as the Supreme one, the 2lmighty %ho is e&tolled in multiform in the Cpanishads, Ithihasas and in the various Puranas" $ence the relevant Sanskrit slokas are also given here, %ith the Hnglish translation," Gajendra, in his previous life %as a great devotee called Indradyumna %ho %as also a great king" Gne day, 2gastya, a great sage came to visit the king" Indradyumna did not receive the Sage %ith the respect that the latter e&pected" .he enraged 2gastya cursed the king to become an elephant in his ne&t birth, as he sat heavy on his seat and did not rise to greet him" .he crocodile in its last life %as a king called $u$u in the Gandharva planet" Gnce %hile enjoying himself in the %aters, he pulled the leg of a sage" .he enraged sage cursed the king to become a crocodile in his ne&t life" .he repentant $u$u asked for pardon" .he Sage proclaimed that though he could not retrieve the curse, the crocodile %ould be liberated from the cycle of birth and death %hen Gajendra %ould be saved by the 'ord God $imself" Gajendra;s Prayers of Surrender to 'ord Vishnu