A elephant named Gajendra, was the king of a herd of elephants, including many queen elephants with whom he used to bathe and play in a lake. Gajendra was proud to be the king elephant. One hot day while he was arrogantly bathing in the lake with its herd, suddenly a crocodile from below caught him by the foot, tried to pull the elephant to the bottom of the lake, and would not let go of it.
Gajendra fought hard to free himself from the crocodile. But it was unable get rid of the crocodile. When other members of its herd (friends, queen elephants, the family members, and relatives) saw Gajendra fighting futilely to release himself from the jaws of death, fled. In other words, realizing that death was coming close, they all ran away and left Gajendra alone.
At that stage of utter helplessness, realizing the futility of its efforts, Gajendra called out to the Lord. Gajendra was instantly released from the grip of the crocodile.
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This story is a part of the Shrimad Bhagavad Purana, an ancient Holy Hindu Scripture, and also finds mention several times in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji...
On page number 632 http://goo.gl/znAXN
As soon as the elephant took to the protective Sanctuary of the Lord, the ocean of mercy, he escaped from the crocodile.
How much can I describe the Glorious Praises of the Naam? Whoever chants the Lord's Name, his bonds are broken. ||2||
Jab hī saran gahī kirpā niḏẖ gaj garāh ṯe cẖẖūtā.
Mahmā nām kahā la▫o barna▫o rām kahaṯ banḏẖan ṯih ṯūtā. ||2||
जब ही सरनि गही किरपा निधि गज गराह ते छूटा ॥
महमा नाम कहा लउ बरनउ राम कहत बंधन तिह तूटा ॥२॥
ਜਬ ਹੀ ਸਰਨਿ ਗਹੀ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਨਿਧਿ ਗਜ ਗਰਾਹ ਤੇ ਛੂਟਾ ॥
ਮਹਮਾ ਨਾਮ ਕਹਾ ਲਉ ਬਰਨਉ ਰਾਮ ਕਹਤ ਬੰਧਨ ਤਿਹ ਤੂਟਾ ॥੨॥
On page number 830 http://goo.gl/VF1zl
The elephant's fear was taken away in an instant, as soon as he chanted the Lord's Name.
Gaj kī ṯarās mitī cẖẖinhū mėh jab hī rām bakẖāno.
गज की त्रास मिटी छिनहू महि जब ही रामु बखानो ॥
ਗਜ ਕੀ ਤ੍ਰਾਸ ਮਿਟੀ ਛਿਨਹੂ ਮਹਿ ਜਬ ਹੀ ਰਾਮੁ ਬਖਾਨੋ ॥
On page number 976 http://goo.gl/O6F7L
The mortals are bound by the many bonds of Maya's noose. Meditating on the Lord, the knot is untied, like the elephant, which was caught in the water by the crocodile; it remembered the Lord, and chanted the Lord's Name, and was released. ||3||
Mā▫i▫ā fās banḏẖ baho banḏẖe har japi▫o kẖul kẖulne.
Ji▫o jal kuncẖar ṯaḏū▫ai bāʼnḏẖi▫o har cẖeṯi▫o mokẖ mukẖne. ||3||
माइआ फास बंध बहु बंधे हरि जपिओ खुल खुलने ॥
जिउ जल कुंचरु तदूऐ बांधिओ हरि चेतिओ मोख मुखने ॥३॥
ਮਾਇਆ ਫਾਸ ਬੰਧ ਬਹੁ ਬੰਧੇ ਹਰਿ ਜਪਿਓ ਖੁਲ ਖੁਲਨੇ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਕੁੰਚਰੁ ਤਦੂਐ ਬਾਂਧਿਓ ਹਰਿ ਚੇਤਿਓ ਮੋਖ ਮੁਖਨੇ ॥੩॥
On page number 982 http://goo.gl/9LukV
In the Sanctuary of the Guru, the Lord God saves and protects us,
as He protected the elephant, when the crocodile seized it and pulled it into the water; He lifted him up and pulled him out. ||1||Pause||
Rām gur saran parabẖū rakẖvāre.
Ji▫o kuncẖar ṯaḏū▫ai pakar cẖalā▫i▫o kar ūpar kadẖ nisṯāre. ||1|| rahā▫o.
राम गुर सरनि प्रभू रखवारे ॥
जिउ कुंचरु तदूऐ पकरि चलाइओ करि ऊपरु कढि निसतारे ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
ਰਾਮ ਗੁਰ ਸਰਨਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਰਖਵਾਰੇ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਕੁੰਚਰੁ ਤਦੂਐ ਪਕਰਿ ਚਲਾਇਓ ਕਰਿ ਊਪਰੁ ਕਢਿ ਨਿਸਤਾਰੇ ॥੧॥
ਰਹਾਉ ॥
________________________________________
The symbolism of this story is that an egoistic mind of an individual is alike Gajendra, an elephant. The crocodile represents the fear of death, difficulties and sufferings that constantly hover over our life.
We falter by thinking that another individual, be it friend, family, lover or spouse, can be our savior. In lure of Maya, we become egoistic. Truth is that when it is the time to die, or the moment we run into difficulty, everyone except for God will forsake us.
In the clutches of death, no one can protect us - friends disappear, relatives flee, and even our own body fails us. And alike the elephant unable to free itself from the jaws of the crocodile, a man cannot become free until the onus of releasing is put on the God. Like the elephant in the story, in the moment of utter surrender, God rushes to our aid, and liberates us.
Mukti or Moksha is attainable only by the Grace of Eternal God.
Gajendra fought hard to free himself from the crocodile. But it was unable get rid of the crocodile. When other members of its herd (friends, queen elephants, the family members, and relatives) saw Gajendra fighting futilely to release himself from the jaws of death, fled. In other words, realizing that death was coming close, they all ran away and left Gajendra alone.
At that stage of utter helplessness, realizing the futility of its efforts, Gajendra called out to the Lord. Gajendra was instantly released from the grip of the crocodile.
________________________________________
This story is a part of the Shrimad Bhagavad Purana, an ancient Holy Hindu Scripture, and also finds mention several times in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji...
On page number 632 http://goo.gl/znAXN
As soon as the elephant took to the protective Sanctuary of the Lord, the ocean of mercy, he escaped from the crocodile.
How much can I describe the Glorious Praises of the Naam? Whoever chants the Lord's Name, his bonds are broken. ||2||
Jab hī saran gahī kirpā niḏẖ gaj garāh ṯe cẖẖūtā.
Mahmā nām kahā la▫o barna▫o rām kahaṯ banḏẖan ṯih ṯūtā. ||2||
जब ही सरनि गही किरपा निधि गज गराह ते छूटा ॥
महमा नाम कहा लउ बरनउ राम कहत बंधन तिह तूटा ॥२॥
ਜਬ ਹੀ ਸਰਨਿ ਗਹੀ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਨਿਧਿ ਗਜ ਗਰਾਹ ਤੇ ਛੂਟਾ ॥
ਮਹਮਾ ਨਾਮ ਕਹਾ ਲਉ ਬਰਨਉ ਰਾਮ ਕਹਤ ਬੰਧਨ ਤਿਹ ਤੂਟਾ ॥੨॥
On page number 830 http://goo.gl/VF1zl
The elephant's fear was taken away in an instant, as soon as he chanted the Lord's Name.
Gaj kī ṯarās mitī cẖẖinhū mėh jab hī rām bakẖāno.
गज की त्रास मिटी छिनहू महि जब ही रामु बखानो ॥
ਗਜ ਕੀ ਤ੍ਰਾਸ ਮਿਟੀ ਛਿਨਹੂ ਮਹਿ ਜਬ ਹੀ ਰਾਮੁ ਬਖਾਨੋ ॥
On page number 976 http://goo.gl/O6F7L
The mortals are bound by the many bonds of Maya's noose. Meditating on the Lord, the knot is untied, like the elephant, which was caught in the water by the crocodile; it remembered the Lord, and chanted the Lord's Name, and was released. ||3||
Mā▫i▫ā fās banḏẖ baho banḏẖe har japi▫o kẖul kẖulne.
Ji▫o jal kuncẖar ṯaḏū▫ai bāʼnḏẖi▫o har cẖeṯi▫o mokẖ mukẖne. ||3||
माइआ फास बंध बहु बंधे हरि जपिओ खुल खुलने ॥
जिउ जल कुंचरु तदूऐ बांधिओ हरि चेतिओ मोख मुखने ॥३॥
ਮਾਇਆ ਫਾਸ ਬੰਧ ਬਹੁ ਬੰਧੇ ਹਰਿ ਜਪਿਓ ਖੁਲ ਖੁਲਨੇ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਕੁੰਚਰੁ ਤਦੂਐ ਬਾਂਧਿਓ ਹਰਿ ਚੇਤਿਓ ਮੋਖ ਮੁਖਨੇ ॥੩॥
On page number 982 http://goo.gl/9LukV
In the Sanctuary of the Guru, the Lord God saves and protects us,
as He protected the elephant, when the crocodile seized it and pulled it into the water; He lifted him up and pulled him out. ||1||Pause||
Rām gur saran parabẖū rakẖvāre.
Ji▫o kuncẖar ṯaḏū▫ai pakar cẖalā▫i▫o kar ūpar kadẖ nisṯāre. ||1|| rahā▫o.
राम गुर सरनि प्रभू रखवारे ॥
जिउ कुंचरु तदूऐ पकरि चलाइओ करि ऊपरु कढि निसतारे ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
ਰਾਮ ਗੁਰ ਸਰਨਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਰਖਵਾਰੇ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਕੁੰਚਰੁ ਤਦੂਐ ਪਕਰਿ ਚਲਾਇਓ ਕਰਿ ਊਪਰੁ ਕਢਿ ਨਿਸਤਾਰੇ ॥੧॥
ਰਹਾਉ ॥
________________________________________
The symbolism of this story is that an egoistic mind of an individual is alike Gajendra, an elephant. The crocodile represents the fear of death, difficulties and sufferings that constantly hover over our life.
We falter by thinking that another individual, be it friend, family, lover or spouse, can be our savior. In lure of Maya, we become egoistic. Truth is that when it is the time to die, or the moment we run into difficulty, everyone except for God will forsake us.
In the clutches of death, no one can protect us - friends disappear, relatives flee, and even our own body fails us. And alike the elephant unable to free itself from the jaws of the crocodile, a man cannot become free until the onus of releasing is put on the God. Like the elephant in the story, in the moment of utter surrender, God rushes to our aid, and liberates us.
Mukti or Moksha is attainable only by the Grace of Eternal God.
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