Gajendramoksha
By KK Shanmukhan?
The King of Pandya was very mighty and rich. There were very few on the earth that could excel him in valour or richness. With many wives, incalculable wealth and full of youth, his vanity and disregard for others grew unreasonably. One day he invited the wrath of saint Agastya who cursed him to be born as an elephant and wander in the forest for thousands of years. When the king sought apology form the saint, he said: “King, when you will have the reminiscence of Lord Vishnu, you will be liberated form my curse.”
King of Pandya, Gajendra under the curse, spent several years in the forest oblivious of his former life. One day as he was thirsty, was in search of water. The elephant could see a large and beautiful lake with full of newly bloomed lotuses. It went to the lake, darnk water, dived into the water and did all kinds of animal pranks.
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A huge crocodile, along with his spouses, was sporting under the water which the elephant made muddy. The crocodile was in fury and swallowed the leg of the elephant. There was a tussle between the two which lasted for several days. The crocodile being in water did not know fatigue as the elephant did.
The latter was in penury and pain uncontainable. A vague reminiscence of his past flashed through his memory. He plucked a fresh lotus form the pond and meditating on Lord Vishnu submitted it unto His supposed image. Lord Vishnu immediately flew down on the back of Garuda, his vehicle. The Lord threw his disc at the crocodile which was slit into two and the Pandya King was liberated.
