Complete Surrender - I
The compassionate and merciful Lord unfailingly comes to the aid of those who wholeheartedly devote themselves to Him.

In the vast realm of the towering Trikoot mountain, stretching for thousands of miles and enveloped by a mineral-rich milky ocean, lies the enchanting garden of Ritumaan. This splendid garden, owned by Varun, the deity of water, teems with diverse wildlife amidst trees laden with luscious fruits and vibrant flowers. Ritumaan's allure draws celestial beings, who grace it with their frequent presence. At its heart, there was a grand lake adorned with exquisite golden lotus flowers.
Gajraj Majestic Elephant

In one of the forests of the Trikoot mountain, there lived a herd of elephants with its leader, Gajraj, the king of elephants. Gajraj was a powerful and majestic elephant. One day, attracted by the scent of lotus flowers, the king of elephants visited the lake along with his herd. After drinking water from the lake to quench his thirst, Gajraj began to play with his family and friends in the herd by spraying them with water. He was enjoying life as a householder.
Alligator attacks Gajaraj

Suddenly, a powerful alligator grabbed the elephant's leg and tried to pull him underwater. Gajraj tried very hard to loosen the alligator's grip but was unsuccessful. Members of his herd also tried to rescue him from the alligator's grip but were unable to help. The elephant kept pulling from the outside, and the alligator kept pulling from under the water. After a long struggle, Gajraj's strength began to weaken. Meanwhile, the alligator, which lived in water, grew stronger. The alligator was now ready to pull the elephant underwater.
Veil of Ignorance is removed

Realizing that his end was near and that his family members were unable to help him, Gajraj plucked a lotus flower from the lake and offered a prayer to the Lord that he remembered from his previous birth as King Indradyumn. Having praised the Lord, Gajraj prayed for deliverance from the clutches of the alligator.
During this challenging time, he realized that he had devoted all his time and energy to his family, who were unable to help and protect him when he needed it the most. He had neglected God for most of his life but finally realized that he would not survive without God's protection. Although he did not want to die a violent death, he had no desire to live after being rescued from the alligator's grip. Gajraj prayed for a glimpse of the Lord and asked Him to remove the veil of ignorance that had kept him from knowing God for so long.
Lord Vishnu immediately appeared. He pulled the alligator and the elephant out of the water. He launched his Sudarshan Chakra at the alligator and granted salvation to both Gajraj and the alligator by sending them to His abode Baikunth.
Past lives of Gajraj and Alligator


The elephant was a king and the Alligator was a celestial musician in their previous lives.
Gajraj, in a previous life, was King Indradyumn, who ruled over a region that's now known as Tamil Nadu in India. The king took a vow of silence and focused on remembering Lord Vishnu with love. When Sage Agastya visited the king and found him silent and not welcoming him, the sage felt insulted and subsequently cursed the king to be reborn as an elephant in his next life.
On the other hand, the alligator, known as Huhu in his past life, was a celestial musician. One day, while Huhu was leisurely enjoying the waters of a lake, Sage Devala entered the same lake for a bath. Huhu decided to play a mischievous prank by dragging the sage underwater. Sage Devala promptly recognized the culprit and cast a curse upon Huhu, condemning him to be reborn in the womb of an alligator.
Summary
The story above serves as a powerful reminder that during times of trouble, many people turn to God for protection. Gajraj's experience highlights this human tendency to seek divine intervention when faced with adversity. The upcoming blog explores the profound lessons it offers.