1076. To pluck fresh flowers from a pond where fish swam, Gajendra, the forest-dwelling elephant, stepped in with longing.
But a crocodile seized his leg—he cried aloud in pain, lifting his trunk and pleading for help.
To end the elephant’s suffering, The Lord came swiftly, riding Garuda, stood by the waters, and hurled His mighty discus.
That Lord—I saw Him in Thiruvallikkēṇi, among the honey-filled groves!
Word by Word (WBW) meaning
(The words may be rearranged to facilitate conversion from poetry to prose (Aṉvayam). Please read the meanings (in black) continuously to form the sentence and understand the simplified meaning based on the Divyārtha Dīpikai for the verse.)
The great elephant, Śrī Gajendrāzhvān, an exalted soul who was accustomed to roaming freely and majestically through the forest (kān amar vEzham), was overcome with a singular, devout desire. After searching for a great length of time, he had grown anguished by his inability to find a flower worthy of being offered to the Lord. At last, his search led him to a pristine