Have you ever heard the story of the liberation of Gajendra, the super strong elephant? This story of Gajendra Moksha teaches us about faith, hope, and how even the biggest problems can be solved. The Gajendra Moksha Stotram is a sacred hymn from the ancient Hindu scripture, the Bhagavata Purana. It recounts the story of Gajendra, the elephant king, who was caught in the clutches of a crocodile while bathing in a lake. In his moment of distress, Gajendra fervently prayed to Lord Vishnu for help, offering beautiful verses of praise and surrender.
Lord Vishnu, hearing Gajendra’s sincere prayers, rushed to his aid, riding his mount Garuda. He swiftly freed Gajendra from the grip of the crocodile, thus granting him moksha (liberation) from the cycle of birth and death.
The Story of Gajendra Moksha
Once upon a time, in a beautiful place with mountains called Mount Trikuta, there lived a strong and amazing elephant named Gajendra. He was the king of all the elephants and lived happily with his family in a peaceful place called Ritumat.
One day, Gajendra went to a nearby lake to pick some lotus flowers. He loved offering these flowers to a kind god named Vishnu. But suddenly, a giant crocodile jumped out of the water and grabbed Gajendra’s leg with its sharp teeth! Gajendra tried his best to fight back, but the crocodile was too strong. Even his elephant friends were scared and couldn’t help him.
Feeling scared and alone, Gajendra remembered Lord Vishnu. He held a lotus flower high in the air and prayed with all his heart for help. Lord Vishnu heard Gajendra’s prayer and rushed to save him on his giant bird, Garuda. He saw the fight and used his special weapon to defeat the crocodile and set Gajendra free!
Gajendra was so happy to be free! Lord Vishnu then told him a secret: in a past life, Gajendra had been a king who forgot to be kind. As punishment, he was reborn as an elephant. But because Gajendra never forgot his faith in Vishnu, he was now free from this cycle of being reborn again and again.
The prayer Gajendra said during his struggle became a famous chant. It reminds everyone that even in difficult times, believing in something good can bring us hope and freedom.
Gajendra’s Past Life Trouble
In his former life as King Indradyumna, Gajendra committed a grave act of disrespect towards the revered sage Agastya. The king, consumed by his royal pride, failed to show the sage the proper reverence and respect. This offense against a sage, who symbolizes wisdom and divine knowledge, angered Agastya. Consequently, Agastya cursed King Indradyumna to be reincarnated as an elephant, ultimately leading to Gajendra’s unfortunate situation.
Who is The Crocodile Attacked Gajendra
The crocodile in Gajendra Moksha, known as Huhu in its previous life, belonged to the celestial Gandharvas, renowned for their musical prowess. During a sacred ceremony led by the wise sage Devala, Huhu made a joke and pulled the sage’s leg. This made the sage very upset, so he cursed Huhu. The curse said that Huhu would be born again as a crocodile, but also assured that he would be freed by Lord Vishnu.
The Powerful Gajendra Moksha Stotra
The prayer Gajendra said during his struggle became a famous chant called the Gajendra Moksha Stotra. This chant is a reminder that even in difficult times, faith in God can bring us hope and freedom. The Gajendra Moksha Stotram is revered for its devotional content and profound philosophical teachings. It emphasizes the power of surrender, faith, and devotion to the Supreme Being, who grants liberation to those who seek refuge in Him.
Gajendra Moksha Storta
श्री शुक उवाच –
एवं व्यवसितो बुद्ध्या समाधाय मनो हृदि ।
जजाप परमं जाप्यं प्राग्जन्मन्यनुशिक्षितम ॥१॥
गजेन्द्र उवाच –
ऊं नमो भगवते तस्मै यत एतच्चिदात्मकम ।
पुरुषायादिबीजाय परेशायाभिधीमहि ॥२॥
यस्मिन्निदं यतश्चेदं येनेदं य इदं स्वयं ।
योस्मात्परस्माच्च परस्तं प्रपद्ये स्वयम्भुवम ॥३॥
यः स्वात्मनीदं निजमाययार्पितं
क्वचिद्विभातं क्व च तत्तिरोहितम ।
अविद्धदृक साक्ष्युभयं तदीक्षते
स आत्म मूलोsवत् मां परात्परः ॥४॥
कालेन पंचत्वमितेषु कृत्स्नशो
लोकेषु पालेषु च सर्व हेतुषु ।
तमस्तदाऽऽऽसीद गहनं गभीरं
यस्तस्य पारेsभिविराजते विभुः ॥५॥
न यस्य देवा ऋषयः पदं विदु-
र्जन्तुः पुनः कोsर्हति गन्तुमीरितुम ।
यथा नटस्याकृतिभिर्विचेष्टतो
दुरत्ययानुक्रमणः स मावतु ॥६॥
दिदृक्षवो यस्य पदं सुमंगलम
विमुक्त संगा मुनयः सुसाधवः ।
चरन्त्यलोकव्रतमव्रणं वने
भूतात्मभूता सुहृदः स मे गतिः ॥७॥
न विद्यते यस्य न जन्म कर्म वा
न नाम रूपे गुणदोष एव वा ।
तथापि लोकाप्ययसम्भवाय यः
स्वमायया तान्यनुकालमृच्छति ॥८॥
तस्मै नमः परेशाय ब्रह्मणेsनन्तशक्तये ।
अरूपायोरुरूपाय नम आश्चर्य कर्मणे ॥९॥
नम आत्म प्रदीपाय साक्षिणे परमात्मने ।
नमो गिरां विदूराय मनसश्चेतसामपि ॥१०॥
सत्त्वेन प्रतिलभ्याय नैष्कर्म्येण विपश्चिता ।
नमः कैवल्यनाथाय निर्वाणसुखसंविदे ॥११॥
नमः शान्ताय घोराय मूढाय गुण धर्मिणे ।
निर्विशेषाय साम्याय नमो ज्ञानघनाय च ॥१२॥
क्षेत्रज्ञाय नमस्तुभ्यं सर्वाध्यक्षाय साक्षिणे ।
पुरुषायात्ममूलाय मूलप्रकृतये नमः ॥१३॥
सर्वेन्द्रियगुणद्रष्ट्रे सर्वप्रत्ययहेतवे ।
असताच्छाययोक्ताय सदाभासाय ते नमः ॥१४॥
नमो नमस्तेsखिल कारणाय
निष्कारणायाद्भुत कारणाय ।
सर्वागमान्मायमहार्णवाय
नमोपवर्गाय परायणाय ॥१५॥
गुणारणिच्छन्न चिदूष्मपाय
तत्क्षोभविस्फूर्जित मानसाय ।
नैष्कर्म्यभावेन विवर्जितागम-
स्वयंप्रकाशाय नमस्करोमि ॥१६॥
मादृक्प्रपन्नपशुपाशविमोक्षणाय
मुक्ताय भूरिकरुणाय नमोsलयाय ।
स्वांशेन सर्वतनुभृन्मनसि प्रतीत-
प्रत्यग्दृशे भगवते बृहते नमस्ते ॥१७॥
आत्मात्मजाप्तगृहवित्तजनेषु सक्तै-
र्दुष्प्रापणाय गुणसंगविवर्जिताय ।
मुक्तात्मभिः स्वहृदये परिभाविताय
ज्ञानात्मने भगवते नम ईश्वराय ॥१८॥
यं धर्मकामार्थविमुक्तिकामा
भजन्त इष्टां गतिमाप्नुवन्ति ।
किं त्वाशिषो रात्यपि देहमव्ययं
करोतु मेsदभ्रदयो विमोक्षणम् ॥१९॥
एकान्तिनो यस्य न कंचनार्थ
वांछन्ति ये वै भगवत्प्रपन्नाः ।
अत्यद्भुतं तच्चरितं सुमंगलं
गायन्त आनन्द समुद्रमग्नाः ॥२०॥
तमक्षरं ब्रह्म परं परेश-
मव्यक्तमाध्यात्मिकयोगगम्यम ।
अतीन्द्रियं सूक्ष्ममिवातिदूर-
मनन्तमाद्यं परिपूर्णमीडे ॥२१॥
यस्य ब्रह्मादयो देवा वेदा लोकाश्चराचराः ।
नामरूपविभेदेन फल्ग्व्या च कलया कृताः ॥२२॥
यथार्चिषोsग्नेः सवितुर्गभस्तयो
निर्यान्ति संयान्त्यसकृत् स्वरोचिषः ।
तथा यतोsयं गुणसंप्रवाहो
बुद्धिर्मनः खानि शरीरसर्गाः ॥२३॥
स वै न देवासुरमर्त्यतिर्यंग
न स्त्री न षण्डो न पुमान न जन्तुः ।
नायं गुणः कर्म न सन्न चासन
निषेधशेषो जयतादशेषः ॥२४॥
जिजीविषे नाहमिहामुया कि-
मन्तर्बहिश्चावृतयेभयोन्या ।
इच्छामि कालेन न यस्य विप्लव-
स्तस्यात्मलोकावरणस्य मोक्षम ॥२५॥
सोsहं विश्वसृजं विश्वमविश्वं विश्ववेदसम ।
विश्वात्मानमजं ब्रह्म प्रणतोsस्मि परं पदम् ॥२६॥
योगरन्धित कर्माणो हृदि योगविभाविते ।
योगिनो यं प्रपश्यन्ति योगेशं तं नतोsस्म्यहम् ॥२७॥
नमो नमस्तुभ्यमसह्यवेग-
शक्तित्रयायाखिलधीगुणाय ।
प्रपन्नपालाय दुरन्तशक्तये
कदिन्द्रियाणामनवाप्यवर्त्मने ॥२८॥
नायं वेद स्वमात्मानं यच्छ्क्त्याहंधिया हतम् ।
तं दुरत्ययमाहात्म्यं भगवन्तमितोsस्म्यहम् ॥२९॥
श्री शुकदेव उवाच –
एवं गजेन्द्रमुपवर्णितनिर्विशेषं
ब्रह्मादयो विविधलिंगभिदाभिमानाः ।
नैते यदोपससृपुर्निखिलात्मकत्वात
तत्राखिलामरमयो हरिराविरासीत् ॥३०॥
तं तद्वदार्त्तमुपलभ्य जगन्निवासः
स्तोत्रं निशम्य दिविजैः सह संस्तुवद्भि : ।
छन्दोमयेन गरुडेन समुह्यमान –
श्चक्रायुधोsभ्यगमदाशु यतो गजेन्द्रः ॥३१॥
सोsन्तस्सरस्युरुबलेन गृहीत आर्त्तो
दृष्ट्वा गरुत्मति हरिम् ख उपात्तचक्रम ।
उत्क्षिप्य साम्बुजकरं गिरमाह कृच्छा –
नारायणाखिलगुरो भगवन्नमस्ते ॥३२॥
तं वीक्ष्य पीडितमजः सहसावतीर्य
सग्राहमाशु सरसः कृपयोज्जहार ।
ग्राहाद् विपाटितमुखादरिणा गजेन्द्रं
सम्पश्यतां हरिरमूमुच दुस्त्रियाणाम् ॥३३॥
– श्री गजेन्द्र कृत भगवान का स्तवन
The story of Gajendra Moksha teaches us that no matter what problems we face, we should never give up hope. If we believe in something good, it can help us overcome any challenge.
