Slokam 5

The intricate manner in which life on this planet plays out,  is sought to be surfaced in this Slokam.  Just as Gajendra was born as the incarnation of Indradyumna,  a Gandharva called Hoo-Hoo takes the form of a crocodile and lives in the same lake in which Gajendra plays with his female companions.

Gandharva is a name used for distinct heavenly beings.  Gandharva are male nature spirits and husbands of the Apsaras. Some are part animal, usually a bird or horse. They have superb musical skills. They guard the Soma and play beautiful music for the gods in their palaces. Gandharvas are frequently depicted as singers in the court of the gods.

Gandharvas in the historic sense acted as messengers between the gods and humans. A gandharva marriage is one contracted by mutual consent and without formal rituals.

Gandharvas are mentioned extensively in the epic Mahabharata as associated with the Devas (as dancers and singers) and with the Yakshas, as formidable warriors. They are mentioned as spread across various territories.

The Gandharva Hoo Hoo is recognized as one of the 10 prominent Gandharvas in the Gandharva Veda. Hoo Hoo, like Indradyumna is also cursed by a sage, as a result of which, Hoo Hoo is born as a crocodile.  The sage that curses Hoo Hoo is Devala.

Devala was one of the great rishis or sages. He is acknowledged to be a great authority like Narada and Vyasa and is mentioned by Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita. According to the Devanga Purana, Sage Devala is the progenitor of the Devanga community. The person called "Agni Manu" was the first weaver, who weaves clothes for all. After his liberation, the demand for clothes became high. Devala is known to have emerged from the third eye or from the heart of Lord Shiva to create clothing and to teach weaving to the world. Sage Devala is the progenitor of the Devanga community.

Devala (देवल).—A Siddha, and a son of Dhiṣaṇā and Kṛśāśva, and identified with Hari;¹ came to see Parikṣit practising prāyopaveśa;² knew the yoga power of Viṣṇu;³ told Śukra the story of Citraketu;⁴ cursed Hūhū to be born a crocodile;⁵ did not comprehend Hari's māya,⁶ came to see Kṛṣṇa at Syamantapañcaka;⁷ a Brahmavādin;⁸ exclusion of marriage alliances with Kaśyapas and Asitas.⁹

The Tiloyapaṇṇatti provides a list of ten Gandharvas:

• Hāhā
• Huhū
• Nārada
• Tumbara
• Vāsava
• Kadamba
• Mahāsvara
• Gītarati
• Gītarasa
• Vajravān

It is not clear as to what transpired for Devala to curse huhu to be born as a crocodile.

Gajendra,  who had never experienced pain in his life ever before,  was latched in a painful clutch by the crocodile.  The clutch was like an iron grip and Gajadra, try as he might,  could not release himself. 

Gajendra had enjoyed his fulfilling life thus far.  He had apparently not committed any wrongful acts. So why was he being subjected to suffering.  The slokam brings out the fundamental truth about our inner self.  We will not turn to the Paramathma to take us away from this life unless we are caught in a painful situation from which there is no escape.

This is why the Paramathma,  says that if He wants to punish someone,  He gives that person everything that he/she needs.  Those that He wants to liberate,  He deprives them of all worldly endowments. 

An elephant,  being an animal has only the requirements of basic physical needs. Gajendra does not seek anything beyond his physical needs.  Once these are met, he has no other need.  So by his very nature, he will not seek anything else.  The only way he is going to seek release from this life is when he is subjected to physical pain.  This is exactly why the situation is created whereby his leg is caught in an iron grip by the crocodile. 

Gajendra could have in no way wanted to get into a painful situation. However his life/his karma is pre designed to give him the opportunity to reach out to the Paramathma.  Each one of our lives is similarly designed as a sequence of events to make the blessed among us to reach out to the Paramathma and seek release from this earthly existence.

Unlike Gajendra whose needs are simple,  we are endowed with intelligence that comes with “higher” capabilities, ambitions, and needs. We think we have a mastery over life and that we can tame the forces of life and always overcome all challenges that are thrown our way.  Consequently,  the Paramathma puts us through a sequence of more difficult/complex tests.  The Corona Virus being the most recent and most devastating of what has been an amazing sequence of intricate problems,  the most difficult of which has been our own split inner self, that is riddled with conflicts.  We grapple with these over much of our lifetimes, before concluding that our capabilities cannot match the requirements to resolve the challenges.

Sri Bhattadri asks the Paramathma,  the question – “Is it not true that You make Your devotees suffer a while before they attain supreme peace?!”