Gajendra Moksha (Srimad Bhagavatam) Part 3

shriishuka uvaaca –

tadaa deva-RRishi-gandharvaa brahma-iishaanapura-augamaaH |

mumucuH kusuma-asaaraM shaMsantaH karma taddharaH || 1 ||

neduRdundubhayo divyaa gandharvaa nanRRuturjaguH |

RRiayaashcaaraNaaH siddhaastuShTuvuH puruShottamam || 2 ||

yo.sau graahaH sa vai sadya paramaashcharya-ruupa-dhRRik |

mukto deva-laashapena hUUhuu-gandharva-sattamaH || 3 ||

praNamyaa shirasaadhiiShamuttama-shlokamavyayam |

aagaayata yashodhaamaa kiirtanlya-guNa-satkatham || 4 ||

so.anukampiiita iiShena parikramyaa praNamyaa tamaM |

lokasya pashyato lokaM svamaagaaM-mukta-kilbiShaH || 5 ||

gajendraH bhagavat-sparshaadvimukto.agyaana-bandhanaat |

praapto bhagavato ruupaM piitavaasaa-chatur-bhujaH || 6 ||

sa vai puurvamabhuud-rraajaa paMDyo draviDa-sattamaH |

indra-dyumna iti khyaaTo viiShNu-vrata-paraaYaNaH || 7 ||

sa ekaadaa.aaraadhanakaala aatmavaan |

gRhiiTa-maunavrataM-iishvaram hariM |

JaTaa-dharastaapa aapluta.ochyuta-

-stamarcayaamaasa kula-achala-aashramaH || 8 ||

yadRRichchayaa tatra mahaa-yashaa muniaH |

samaagamac-chiShya-gaNaiH parishRRitaH |

taM viikShya tUUShNiiM-akRtaa-araNaa-diikaM

rahasyupasiinam-RRishi-chukopa ha || 9 ||

tasmaa imaM shaapamadaadaa-saadhu-

-rayaM duRaatmaa.akRita-buddhiritra |

vipraa-avamantaa visataa tamiisraM

yathaa gajaH stabdhamatiH sa eva || 10 ||

shriishuka uvaaca –

evaM shaptvaa gato.agastyo bhagavaan RRnupa saanugaH |

indra-dyumno.api raajaa-RRishirdiShTaa tadupadhaarayan || 11 ||

aapaM-naH kauMjariiM yoniiM-aatma-smRRiti-naashiniiM |

harayarchanaa-anubhaavena yad-gajvatve.api anusmRRitiH || 12 ||

evaM vimokShya gaja-yUUtha-pama-abja-naabha-

-stenaapi paarishadataaM gamitena yuktaH |

gandharva-siddha-vibudhaiRanugiimaan

karmaa.adbhutaM svabhuvanaM garuDaa-sano.agaaat || 13 ||

evaM mahaaraaja taverito mayaa |

KRRiShNaanubhaavo gajaraaja-mokShaNaM |

svargyaM yashasyaM kali-kalmaSha-apahaM |

duHsvapanaashaM kuruvarya shRRiNvataaM || 14 ||

athaanukiirtayantyetaich-shreyaskaamaa dvijaatayaH |

shucayaH praatarutthaa-ya duHsvaanaa-.dyupashaantaye || 15 ||

idamaaha hariH priito gajendraM kurusatattama |

shRRiNvataaM sarvabhuutaanaaM sarvabhuutamayo vibhuH || 16 ||

shriibhagavaan-uvaaca –

ye maan tvaan cha sarachedaM giri-kandara-kaananaM |

vetra kiicaka veNuuNaam gulmaani sura-paadapaan || 17 ||

shRRuMgAaNiimaani dhiiShyaani brahmaNo me shivasya ca |

kshiiradoM me priyaM dhaama shveta-diipaM ca bhaasvaram || 18 ||

shriivatsaM kaustubhaM maalaaM gadaaM kaumodakiiM mama |

sudarshanaM paancajanyaM suparNaM patagea-shvaram || 19 ||

sheShaM ca matkalaaM sūkShMaa shriiyam deviiM madaa-shrayaam |

brahmaaNaM naaramada-RRiShim dhruvam prahlaadam-iva ca || 20 ||

matsya-kuurma-varaahaadairavatāiraiH kRitaani me |

karmaaNya-ananta-puNyāni suuryaM somaM hutāshanam || 21 ||

praNavaM satyam-avyaktaM go-piīāandha-armaM-avyayam |

daaKShāyaNiiM dharma-patniiM soma-kaashyapayorapi || 22 ||

gangaaM sarasvatiiM nandaaM kaalindiiM sita-varaNaaM |

dhruvam brahmaRRiShiiM-sapta puNya-shlokaaMshca maanavaaM || 23 ||

utthaa-aapara-raatraaM te prayataaH susamaahitaaH |

smaranti mama ruupaaNi mucyante te.aMhaso.akhilaat || 24 ||

ye maan stuvantyaneNaaMga pratyibudhhyaa niishaatyaye |

teShaanaa praNaatyaye chaa-haM dadaami vipulaaM matim || 25 ||

shriishuka uvaaca –

ityaadiishya HRRiShiiKeShaH praadhyaamya jalajottamam |

harShayanvibhudhaaniikaam-aaruroha kagaadhipam || 26 ||

raajamanuditam-etaa tetaaH hareH karmaaghanaashanam |

gajendra-mokShaNaM divyaM raivatam tvaMtaraM shRRiNu || 27 ||

English Translation

Shri Shuka said:

Then the gods, sages, and Gandharvas, with Brahma, Shiva, and Skanda,

Showered flowers, praising the deeds of that Lord. || 1 ||

The divine drums resounded, Gandharvas sang in various meters,

The sages and accomplished ones praised the Supreme Person Purushottama. || 2 ||

That crocodile, assuming a wondrous form, was immediately recognized,

Freed from the curse of the gods, the best of Gandharvas named Huhu. || 3 ||

Bowing his head to the Lord, whose glories are imperishable,

He sang the fame-bestowing, virtuous narrative. || 4 ||

He, being compassionately regarded by the Lord, circumambulated and bowed to Him,

Viewing his own world while freed from all sins. || 5 ||

Gajendra, freed from the bonds of ignorance by the touch of the Lord,

Attained the form of the Lord—yellow-garmented, four-armed. || 6 ||

He had previously been the king Indradyumna, the best of the Dravidas,

Known as Indradyumna, devoted to the vow of Vishnu. || 7 ||

Once, when engaged in worship, he was self-controlled,

Observing the vow of silence, worshipping the Lord Hari,

Matted-haired, ascetic, bathing in the holy waters, unfailing,

He performed worship at the hermitage on the mountain. || 8 ||

By chance, the great-souled sage Agastya arrived there,

Accompanied by his disciples and surrounded,

Seeing him deep in meditation, performing no hospitality,

The sage became angry and cursed him. || 9 ||

"Since you, wicked in soul, have acted improperly toward a good guest,

May you become a crocodile, entering into darkness,

Just as this elephant with firm mind." || 10 ||

Shri Shuka said:

Thus cursed, the Lord Agastya went away, followed by the king,

Indradyumna also received the curse, which he then fulfilled. || 11 ||

"Born as a crocodile, you shall lose memory of the Self,

And even in elephant form, you shall not remember," said Agastya,

"But by the power of worshipping Hari, you shall remember in elephant form." || 12 ||

Thus liberating the king of elephants from the crocodile's grasp,

Attained by the grace of the Lord,

The Gandharvas, Siddhas, and wise ones sang,

And the Lord, with Garuda, went to His wondrous abode. || 13 ||

Thus, O great king, the liberation of the elephant king has been narrated to you by me,

The story of Krishna, which is heavenly, glorious,

Destroying the sins of Kali, removing bad dreams,

Which the noble should always hear. || 14 ||

Therefore, twice-born desiring the highest good, pure ones,

Rising at dawn, for the removal of bad dreams, should recite this. || 15 ||

Hari, pleased, said to Gajendra, the best of elephants:

"Whoever remembers all these beings at dawn and dusk—

The thickets on the mountain slopes, the thorny plants, the clumps of reeds and bamboo || 17 ||

The antlers that grow anew, which are dear to Me and to Shiva,

The ocean of milk, My beloved abode, and the bright white island || 18 ||

The Shrivatsa, Kaustubha, garland, mace Kaumodaki of Mine,

The discus Sudarshana, conch Panchajanya, Garuda, the lord of birds || 19 ||

The serpent Shesha, the subtle energies, Sri Devi who supports Me,

Brahma, Narada the sage, Dhruva, Prahlada, and others || 20 ||

My deeds performed through the avataras of Fish, Tortoise, Boar, and others,

Of infinite merit, the sun, the moon, and the fire || 21 ||

The Pranava, Truth, the Unmanifest, the imperishable refuge for cows and Brahmins,

Dakshayani, the wife of Dharma, and even for Soma and Kashyapa || 22 ||

Ganga, Sarasvati, Nanda, Kalindi, and the clear-born (Sitavarana),

Dhruva, the seven sages, the virtuous verses, and the sages || 23 ||

Arising before dawn, when the night has ended, properly focused,

Who remember My forms, they are freed from all sins." || 24 ||

"And those who praise Me with every limb, thinking of Me at the break of day,

To them at the end of life I give vast intelligence." || 25 ||

Shri Shuka said:

Having thus spoken, Lord Hrishikesha, having accepted the best offering of the elephant,

Making the Gandharvas and other beings rejoice, mounted the king of birds. || 26 ||

This story that destroys the mountain of sins of Hari,

The divine liberation of Gajendra, O Parikshit, hear from me. || 27 ||