Gaj (the mighty elephant) prayed to Lord Vishnu with great
reverence and as one who was the lord of lords, Lord Vishnu came and saved him
from the clutches of Graha (mighty crocodile).
The fight between the two giants had prolonged for thousands of years.
Being devoid of food Gaj was weakening and Graha was slowly pulling Graha in
deep waters. Sensing the inevitable danger, Gaj prayed as lord with different
names and different forms and as the omnipresent. The story had been as lucid until you
understand the past. Gaj was a Gandharva
who was cursed by Devalke. Gaj was Pandya king Indradhyamn in past life who was
very devout follower of Lord Vishnu. He had left his kingdom and was living as
hermit. Sage Augastya cursed him to become a Gaj as he had left his duties as a
king and as an elephant he had turned stubborn. Ignoring ones duty for self salvation is not the way to pray the God. Gaj might have done something wrong but he had always been devout to the lord that's almighty came to save him.
Some stories of heard of Mahapuran told by my mother had
been my best bed-time stories. These stories have evolved as one of the best
guiding light and vivid explanation scenery and character is at its epitome. As an example the description of how a baby
develops in the womb is mesmerizing. It suffers with all the misery in the
initial months, later it prays to the lord and gains all the knowledge, but
ironically when mother gives birth it loses its knowledge and cries. It cries
for help from the lord to return the knowledge and give it moksha. Slowly, as it grows up it get involves into
the milieu and forgets to pray to the lord.
After being ignored by his father and harsh words from his
step-mother Prince Dhruv prayed to Lord Vishnu for six months, Lord Vishnu
blessed him that he will rule for long time and after that he would have a
prominent position in his palace. There was always a curiosity that how a child
of five years could constantly pray lord for continuous six months. Dhruv was
not allowed to sit on his father’s lap by the king’s beloved wife. He went
crying to his mother who tried to soothe him but finding it tough to pacify she
told why you wish to sit on your father’s lap? You should pray to the lord of
lords for a place in his lap. Being in deep anguish boy started his journey to
meet Lord Vishnu. Sage Narada met him on the way and to help out he elaborated
to him the complete outlook of the Lord and that he could always visualize this
image and gave him the mantra to repeat. This was the best way child can
remember the figure and mantra will help him to concentrate constantly. His
prayers were so strong that the lord came and Dhruv saw him as he had imagined
while praying. What we think was bliss to Dhruv, was disappointment for him as
he thought this was the best way to seek salvation from the cycle of birth and
death, but he missed this opportunity due to his anger which pervaded over all
other wants.
One more important tale was of Sage Kapil who explained his
mother Devhutani about salvation and how to earn it. His mother asked him that we, humans were so
much connected with our environment, how could we renunciate it to attain
salvation. The sage explained her as sunrays reflected in the water had nothing
to do with properties of the water. Likewise the soul which was in the body had
nothing to do with the happiness and sorrow inflicted to the body by the
environment as it was formless, does not requite and property less. But when
the soul got involved with the properties of environment and it gained pride, it lost its freedom and
peace and moved into cycle of birth and death in different forms.
The clouds floated by the winds, did not know the power of
wind, similarly the living beings were ignorant about the mighty time (or
death). Living beings struggled to get
objects and lament when they were destroyed by death. Due to different forms, flavor and odor our
senses captured different objects in various ways. Similarly there were many
ways to attain salvation. These ways could only be understood by person being
pious, kind, and humble, did not find fault in others, had friendship with all
animals, and did not get affected by material world, peaceful mind and who adored
the lord. Present relevance is that we all are infatuated towards materialistic
world and have in this way we have forgot the essential qualities which one
should have to build a healthy society.
In earlier times we read that even god who did something
wrong was get punished by pushed being into cycle of birth and death. It was
not as if we do everything good but one wrong we could escape from the
result. Even the god and great sages had
to take birth again and again. Each birth is new opportunity to serve the
society; thereby garner virtues and in this way attain moksha/ salvation. It is
time we think not only for our well-being but to build of ideal society where nectar
of Puranas is ubiquitous.
Reference:
Srimad Bhagavat Mahapurana ( Pardham Khand) Geeta Press, Gorakhpur
