Gajendra Moksham

The story of Gajendra begins with the elephant's earlier life.

Indradyumna was a great king who ruled the land around present-day Puri, in Odisha; it is said that he built the temple of Sri Jagannātha. One day, as the king sat in deep meditation, the sage Agastya came to his kingdom and went to see him, seeking hospitality. The king was so absorbed in his meditation that he did not notice the sage. Offended, Agastya cursed him to be reborn as an elephant. In the same way, a Gandharva named Hūhū, who had tried to disturb the penance of the sage Devala, was cursed by him to become a crocodile.

Many years passed. King Indradyumna was reborn as Gajendra, an elephant who led a great herd on Mount Trikūṭa. Every day Gajendra went to a lake on the mountain and offered a lotus to the Lord. One day, as he stood in the lake, a crocodile seized his leg. It was none other than the cursed Hūhū.

Crying out in pain, Gajendra raised the lotus he had just plucked for the Lord and called upon Him as Ādimūlam, the Primal Cause, pleading for help. All the gods heard his cry, but when they heard him call upon the Ādimūlam, they did not come, for they knew that title was not theirs. The moment Sriman Nārāyaṇa heard His devotee's call, He did not even wait for Garuḍa, but set out at once with all speed; Garuḍa caught up and carried Him to Mount Trikūṭa, where the Sudarshana Chakram had already flown ahead, before the Lord had even released it.

The Chakram slew the crocodile and freed Hūhū from his curse, and Gajendra was granted moksham. It is said that the lotus the Lord holds is the very lotus Gajendra offered Him that day.