Chapter 4 - Liberation of the Lord of Elephants

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka continued:

1. Then (seeing the rescue of the lord of elephants), gods headed by Brahmā and Śiva, sages and Gandharvas extolled that mighty deed of Hari, and discharged a shower of flowers on him.

2. Celestial kettle-drums were sounded, the Gandharvas danced and sang; sages, Cāraṇas and Siddhas eulogised the Supreme Person.

3. Verily, he who was (till then) the alligator, instantly assumed the most wonderful form. He was Hūhū, the foremost among the Gandharvas, who was thus redeemed from the curse of the Sage Devala.^[1]

4. He bowed down to the eternal Supreme Lord of excellent renown with his head, and he chanted the praise of his worth extolling (innumerable) virtues and sacred episodes of that abode of glory.

5. Being favoured by the Lord with his grace, he was purged of all sins. Going round the Lord (reverentially) and paying him obeisance, he repaired to his own region (of Gandharvas) in the very presence of all the people.

6. By virtue of his being touched by the Lord, the lord of elephants became completely free from the bondage of ignorance, and attained to the form resembling that of the Lord (Viṣṇu) clad in yellow garments and endowed with four arms.

7. It is traditionally reported that he was in his previous birth a king of the Pāṇḍya country well-known as Indradyumna—the foremost among the Draviḍa people—and devotedly attached to the austere observance of Viṣṇu-worship.

8. Once upon a time, the king who, as an ascetic, wearing matted locks of hair, was staying in his hermitage on the Malaya mountain, had undertaken the vow of silence. At the appointed hour of the propitiation of the Lord, he took his bath and began to worship with due formalities, the imperishable supreme Ruler, Lord Hari.

9. (It is reported that) by chance there arrived (at his hermitage) the celebrated sage Agastya accompanied by hosts of his disciples. Finding Indradyumna seated in solitude and remaining silent (without showing the courtesy of greeting orally) and without paying the due homage (usual formalities of receiving a guest of honour) the sage flared up in rage.

10. He pronounced the following imprecation on the king: “This sinful, uncultured, wicked soul has today insulted a Brāhmaṇa (like me). He is dull-witted like an elephant. Let him be born in the species of elephants steeped in blinding darkness of ignorance.”

Śrī Śuka said:

11. Oh king! Having uttered this curse, the venerable Agastya went way along with his followers. The royal sage Indradyumna, on his part, considered the incident to be the will of the Providence.

12. He entered the species of elephants which obscures the knowledge of the self. But by virtue of his propitiation of Hari the reminiscence of his past life remained unblurred (even while he was an elephant).

13. Having thus rescued the lord of the herd of elephants and accompanied by him after elevating him to the position of his attendant, the lotus-navelled god (Viṣṇu) seated on Garuḍa repaired to his region Vaikuṇṭha, while Gandharvas, Siddhas and gods were glorifying his miraculous feat.

14. This glorious deed of Kṛṣṇa (Viṣṇu), viz. The Liberation of King of elephants, has been narrated to you by me, Oh great king. Listening to this leads to heaven, confers glory, removes the sins of the Kali age and destroys the effect of bad dreams of the hearers, Oh great Kuru.

15. Persons belonging to the twice-born castes desiring to secure their welfare, get up early in the morning, and purifying themselves (after taking a bath) recite this sacred narration (of the liberation of the elephant king) for obliterating the effects of bad dreams (and securing their welfare).

16. It was while all creatures were listening that the Omnipresent Lord Hari who embodies all creation, being highly pleased with the Lord of elephants, addressed the following (words) to him; Oh the best of Kurus.

17-24. Rising up at the close of the latter part of the night i.e. at dawn (known as Brāhma muhūrta), and after purifying themselves (by taking a bath), those who, with concentrated mind, remember me, you, this lake, the mountain (Trikūṭa) along with its caves and valleys and the forest (covering them), the clusters of canes and Kīcaka bamboos, the heavenly trees, the (three) mountain peaks, the abodes of Brahmā, Śiva and myself, the ocean of milk, my favourite resort, the resplendent Śveta-dvīpa (My beloved place), the Śrīvatsa mark (the characteristic curl of hair) on my breast, the Kaustubha gem, and the garland known as Vaijayantī, my weapons, the mace called Kaumodakī, the discus Sudarśana, the conch Pāñcajanya, my vehicle Garuḍa, the king of birds, Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa who is my subtle emanation, goddess Śrī (Lakṣmī) who rests on my bosom, god Brahmā, the divine sage Nārada, god Śiva and (my devotee) Prahlāda, and all my deeds performed during my incarnations as Fish, Tortoise, Boar and others—listening to which confers infinite merit (to the hearers), the Sun-god, the Moon-god, the Fire-god, the sacred syllable OM, the Eternal Truth, the unmanifest (Prakṛti), Cows and Brāhmaṇas, the eternal path of religion (consisting of devotion unto the Lord, the daughters of Dakṣa who are the wives of Dharma, Soma and Kaśyapa, the rivers—the Gaṅgā, the Sarasvatī, the Nandā, the Yamunā, the White elephant of Indra (Airāvata), Dhruva, the Seven Brāhmaṇa Sages and great men of hallowed fame, (such as Nala, Yudhiṣṭhira, Janaka, the king of Videha)—all these being my forms, those who remember them, become free from all sins.

25. Oh dear Gajendra! To those who, after getting up at dawn (after the expiry of night), pray to me with the hymn (composed by you), I promise to keep their memory unclouded at the time of their death.

Śrī Śuka said:

26. Having addressed thus, Lord Viṣṇu (the Lord of senses) blew his excellent conch (Pāñcajanya) gladdening thereby the host of gods and mounted his carrier Garuḍa, the king of birds.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Bhāvāratha Dīpikā narrates the cause of the curse as follows:—Once while Hūhū was indulging in watersport with his women in a lake, the sage Devala entered the same lake for bath. Hūhū was upset and he pulled Devala by his leg. The sage cursed him to be an alligator. When entreated, Devala advised him to seize the lord of elephants that way, so that Lord Hari will emancipate him and he would be reinstated to his original position automatically.