Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/09/srimadh-bagawatham-gajendra-moksham_30.html
Why did Perumal rush to the spot? He is
omnipresent and therefore present even in the teeth of the crocodile. Why
couldn’t He have made the crocodile’s teeth shatter? When Prahaladan was thrown
in the fire Perumal helped Prahaladan without appearing before him. Perumal
made the fire cool to touch, He shatterred the fangs of the snakes which tried
to bite Prahaladan. Similarly when Draupadi was in distress, He didn’t appear
at Hastinapuram but protected her from His distant abode of Dwaraka. Similarly,
couldn’t Perumal have protected Gajendran without making an appearance?
Perumal would have helped Gajendran from
His eternal abode of Sri Vaikuntham but Gajendran didn’t call the Lord for
protection. Draupadi had called Him to protect her from being humiliated and
the Lord had appeared as her clothes. Prahaladan had informed his father about
the omnipresence of the Lord and mentioned that the Lord was also in the pillar
pointed by Hiranyakashipu. To prove Prahaladan’s words, the Lord appeared from
the pillar pointed by Hiranyakashipu.
Now gajendran called to the Lord not for protection but to offer the
golden lotus bloom! Gajendran didn’t call Perumal asking Him to rescue him from
the crocodile but Gajendran only wanted Perumal to accept the lotus bloom.
Gajendran had kept the lotus bloom fresh with love by repeatedly dipping it in
water. Gajendran didn’t worry about his feet stuck in the crocodile’s mouth,
nor did he pay heed to the excrutiating pain but his mind was preoccupied in
keeping the lotus fresh for Perumal. Hence, to reciprocate Gajendran’s love
perumal had to come in person to accept the lotus. He rushed to the spot to
show Gajendran His immense love for Gajendran. If He manifested suddenly in
front of Gajendran it won’t express His love properly. If Perumal freed
Gajendran by shattering the teeth of the crocodile again it won’t serve
Gajendran’s request as He wouldn’t have accepted the lotus from Gajendran.
The manner in which Perumal rushed to
Gajendran’s aid is described below which reveals His affection for Gajendran.
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Paramapada Nathan heard Gajendran’s cry at
Sri Vaikuntham. Usually when lord leaves Sri Vaikuntham, as He steps down from
His throne Vishwaksenar approaches Him with the Lord’s Padukai. After wearing
the Padukai, Perumal waits for Garudazhwar to be ready. Then Vishwaksenar helps
Him mount Garudazhwar with respect and Perumal leaves Sri Vaikuntham with due
pomp and ceremony.
When Perumal heard Gajendran call Him, He
jumped down from His throne in a hurry. Vishwaksenar rushed forward with His
padukais but Perumal pushed Him away as He was in a hurry.
Perumal rushed to mount Garudazhwar while
all the Nithya Suris followed Him in wonder. They were all puzzled to see Him
hurry.
Sri Devi Nachiar looked at Perumal’s haste
and asked, ‘what’s up?’
Perumal replied in Sanskrit that the
elephant was in trouble. The Sanskrit word for elephant is ‘Gajam’. It is said
that when He uttered the first syllable “Ga” He was at Sri Vaikuntham and when
He uttered “Jam” He was standing on earth next to Gajendran!
After mounting Garudazhwar Perumal said,
‘Garuda go!’
Garudazhwar was puzzled. ‘Where to?’
‘To the pond shore to help the elephant!’
Garudazhwar flew at full speed but even
the speed of Garudazhwar was enough to please Perumal.
‘Hurry, fly faster!’ urged Perumal.
Soon they were joined by Lord Siva on his
bull, Lord Brahma on his swan and Devendra on the elephant named Airavatam.
The bull, swan and the Airavatam begged
Garudazhwar to reduce his speed so that they too could follow him.
‘Please go slow. I am an elephant and I
long to witness Perumal save the elephant Gajendran!’ pleaded Airavatam.
Garudazhwar reduced his speed so that the
others could follow them.
‘Why won’t you go faster?’ asked Perumal.
‘Lord Siva, Brahma and Devendran wish to
follow us. They are unable to keep up with my speed.’
Even at reduced speed, Garudazhwar flew at
a speed greater than the speed of light and both Perumal & Garudazhwar
jumped next to Gajendran. This is described by swami Vedanta Desikan in the
following slokam from Garuda Panchasat.
As Gajendran had called Perumal as the
cause of the Universe, Perumal appeared with Garudazhwar. This is because
Garudazhwar is the embodiment of the Vedas and the proof that Perumal is the
Supreme Cause of this Universe.
As soon as Perumal arrived on Garudazhwar,
Gajendran trumpeted in joy. Perumal did not kill the crocodile immediately. He
stepped in to the pond and carried both the elephant and the crocodile to the
shore. He then targeted the crocodile’s jaw and hit the crocodile’s jaw with
His chakram. As soon as the chakram touched its jaw, the crocodile opened its
mouth and released Gajendran. The crocodile died and Hoo-Hoo was released from
his curse.
Perumal looked at the elephant with love
and inspected the elephant with love and concern like a mother inspecting her
injured child.
He said, ‘ears are okay, two eyes are
okay…’ as He stroked the elephant with love. This is mentioned by Thirumangai
azhwar in the following pasuram from Thiruvezhukutrirukai.
He then proceeded to blow on His upper
cloth and gently cleaned Gajendran’s injured leg. Then Perumal bandaged
Gajendran’s foot with His upper cloth.
Gajendran bowed down to Perumal and
offered the golden lotus bloom. ‘Please accept this lotus bloom. I called for
you so that you can accept this bloom from me. Please don’t think that I called
you to save my body because if this body falls it will only make me reach you.’
Perumal accepted the flower from Gajendran
and granted Gajendran Moksham.
The Lord is called as “Hari” when He
incarnated to help Gajendran. “Hari” means thief in Sanskrit. The Lord is called
as thief because when we think about Him, He steals away our sins. On a lighter
note, may be the word “hurry” is derived because Lord Hari rushed to the aid of
Gajendran!
Anyone who thinks about the Lord saving
Gajendran while waking up in the morning and shouts “Hari” seven times will be
freed of all sins.
This incarnation can be summarized in just
three word as follows. “Varanam Karanam Naranan” i.e Varanam (elephant) Karanam
(called) and Naranan (Narayanan came). It is shown in this narration that Perumal
even comes to save animals as they too are jeevatmas like us. Perumal doesn’t
discriminate amongst His devotees. Whether His devotee is a man, woman, child,
animal or a bird (Perumal as Lord Rama granted moksham to the eagle Jatayu),
Perumal appears to save them.
Fear of death and all fear at night time
are dispelled when a person listens to the history of Gajendran with devotion.
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