॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Wednesday, 1 February 2023 VIII.03 - Gajendra's ardent and desperate prayer to Bhagavan Sri Hari brings Him on Gauda double quick and Gajendra is released.
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जजाप परमं जाप्यं प्राग्जन्मन्यनुशशिक्षितम्
T: Gajendra recollected his past birth and the prayer he had been initiated into...
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय and began to pray most ardently to Bhagavan.
There are many very beautiful verses in this chapter. They cover the entire gamut of Sanatana Dharma and state how the Lord is in supreme control and that the ultimate goal of all existence is to secure liberation. I shall quote only three verses. We should remember as we read each word that Gajendra is most helpless and in the throes of death. Remembering the Lord in one's final moment is considered the fruit of the ultimate grace of the Lord Himself!
दिदृक्षवो यस्य पद्ं सुमङ्गलं विमुक्तसङ्गा मुनयः सुसाधवः।
चरन्त्यलोकव्रतमव्रणं वने भूतात्मभूताः सुहृदः स मे गतिः ॥
T: "Ascetics and great sages who see all living beings equally, who are friendly to everyone and who ardently and strictly practise the vows of abstinence and detachment, roaming the forests in total harmony with all existence engaged in complete surrender to Bhagavan - the Lord whom they pray to is my only succour and saviour!"
So Gajendra, till a moment ago the wanton and reckless king of the jungle enjoying everything heedless of others, now remembers the correct path to be led trodden in life!
मादृक्प्रपन्नपशुपाशविमोक्षणाय मुक्ताय भूरिकरुणाय नमोऽलयाय ।
स्वांशेन् सर्वतनुभृन्मनसि प्रतीतप्रत्यग्दृशे भगवते बृहते नमस्ते ॥
T: "Dear Lord! You release hapless and ignorant souls in bondage just as animals are freed from fetters. You are Yourself totally free and the source of all liberation, full of eternal compassion and readiness to come quickly to any devotee's help! Indeed You alone pervade every being through an atom of Yourself, but are seen as individual souls in various stages of existence! Oh Lord, Infinite, and Ever-expanding, my Bhagavan! My prayers!"
जिजीविषे नाहमिहामुया किमन्तर्बहिश्चावृतयेभयोन्या ।
इच्छामि कालेन न यस्य विप्लवस्तस्यात्मलोकावरणस्य मोक्षम् ॥
सोऽहं विश्वसृजं विश्वमविश्वं विश्ववेदसम् । विश्वात्मानमजं ब्रह्म प्रणतोऽस्मि परं पदम् ॥
T: "Oh, Lord! I do not wish to live anymore after I am released from the attack of the crocodile. What is the use of an elephant’s body covered externally and internally by ignorance through Maya? I simply desire eternal liberation from the covering of ignorance. That covering is not destroyed by the entrapment of Time."
"Therefore, I now pray to the Creator, the Lord present in everything and everywhere. the Lord to be attained, Unborn, Eternal, I surrender to that Ultimate Succour!"
Sage Shuka narrates how Bhagavan Sri Hari heard this prayer and instantly arrived. He rode Garuda, and was surrounded by all the gods, and carried His famous Sudarshana Chakra and other weapons.
सोऽन्त:सरस्युरुबलेन गृहीत आर्तो दृष्ट्वा गरुत्मति हरिं ख उपात्तचक्रम् ।
उत्क्षिप्य साम्बुजकरं गिरमाह कृच्छ्रान्नारायणाखिलगुरो भगवन् नमस्ते ॥
T: Gajendra, caught in the deadly jaws of the crocodile and wracked by deathly distress, saw Bhagavan Sri Hari arriving on Garuda. Gajendra at once picked up a lotus in his trunk, and raised it to the Lord in prayer, “O my Lord, Narayana, master of the universe, O Supreme Bhagavan, I offer my respectful obeisances to You!”
Bhagavan alighted from Garuda, went swiftly and in one movement pulled Gajendra as well as the crocodile out of the water. He then cut off the crocodile's mouth and jaws in full view of all the gods with His Sudarshana Chakra and released Gajendra!
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
