A story from the Bhagavatam that still makes perfect sense today.
The Reluctant Morning
Ananya and Sid were not happy campers that morning.
Their school had declared a surprise holiday, but before they could celebrate, Tatha made an announcement:
“Since you’re free today, you’re coming with us to the Bhagavatam Saptaham at the Krishna temple.”
“What?” groaned Ananya. “It’s so boring!”
“Yeah,” added Sid, “seven days of stories, chants and people sitting cross-legged for hours? No, thank you!”
But Tathi said, “Listen, I haven’t cooked lunch. Your Tatha and I are going to have lunch at the temple. Yummy sambhar, papadam, payasam.. Ahh” said Tathi smacking her lips trying her best to entice the kids.
Sid sighed dramatically. “Ok fine. But we will sit only for sometime.”
Ananya smirked. “Yeah! And then head straight to the prasadam counter.”
Tatha, pretending not to hear, smiled. “You can try escaping, but some of the stories from Bhagavatam are too hard to resist.”
Acharya narrates the story of Gajendra Moksham
The temple hall was packed. Fans whirred lazily. The air smelled of sandalwood, flowers and ghee lamps.
Ananya and Sid sat cross-legged, exchanging eye-rolls and plotting their escape.
Then the Acharya began:
“Today as we read the eighth canto of the Bhagavatam, let me narrate the story of Gajendra Moksham – the story of the mighty elephant and the crocodile.”
Ananya gestured at her watch and whispered to Sid, “10 minutes, okay?”
Sid nodded his head in agreement and signalled a thumbs up!
But when the Acharya began the story, both were listening wide-eyed.
“There once was a mighty elephant, the proud ruler of a lush forest at the foot of Mount Trikuta. He was as strong as a boulder, loud as thunder and a tiny bit proud of both.
He could lift trees out of the ground and chase away tigers with a single trumpet. He was called Gajendra, which means the king of all elephants and he rather liked the sound of that.
One hot and humid afternoon, Gajendra got very thirsty. He went in search of a pond. He followed the scent of lotus flowers to a pond so still it looked like the sky had dropped down for a nap. “Perfect,” he thought, stepping in for a royal splash.
The cool water felt wonderful. He dunked his head, shook his ears and let out a happy rumble.
And then – CHOMP!
A crocodile caught his leg.
Gajendra pulled with all his might. The crocodile pulled harder.
The pond turned into a whirlpool of trunks, tails, splashes and angry snorts.
Now, here’s the problem: the crocodile lived in water. Gajendra didn’t.
The more he struggled, the deeper the elephant sank.
“Help!” he trumpeted. His herd rushed to the edge, trunks outstretched. They tugged and pulled and shouted advice – like most families and friends always do.
But soon they grew tired and scared. One by one, they stepped back.
Not because they didn’t love him, but because even love has limits when it comes to someone else’s battle.
Gajendra’s muscles ached. His pride cracked. He stopped thrashing.
He looked at the crocodile still holding on to his foot and took one deep breath.
He went still. His body lightened. The water that once pulled him down now began to hold him up.
In that calm, he whispered to the sky:
“Anyathā śaraṇaṁ nāsti,
tvam eva śaraṇaṁ mama.”
(There is no refuge other than You (Lord Vishnu). You alone are my shelter.)
In that moment of surrender, Lord Vishnu appeared, riding Garuda.
The Sudarshan Chakra whirred across the water, freeing Gajendra – not just from the crocodile’s grip, but from the arrogance that blinded him.
On the Way Back Home
As they walked home, Sid licked the last bit of payasam off his fingers.
“Okay,” he admitted. “That story by the Acharya was actually kind of awesome.”
Tatha chuckled. “See? The best stories are the ones that find you.”
“Tatha, I know what your next question will be.” said Ananya. “Let’s see what you understood from the story.”
Tatha just smiled and nodded his head.
1. The Known and the Unknown
Sid said, “Gajendra was strong but only on land. The crocodile had the advantage in water.”
Tatha nodded. “Exactly. We all have our zones of comfort. But life often pulls us into unfamiliar waters – new schools, new friends, new challenges, uncertain days. The trick is to be calm, not panic. Strength alone doesn’t work there – adaptability does.”
2. The Weight of ‘I, Me, Myself’
Ananya, not wanting to be left behind, jumped and said, “Also Gajendra thought strength alone could solve everything. That’s the trap of ego.”
Tatha smiled and said, “ Yes, sometimes we’re so sure of our way that we stop listening, learning or trusting. The moment he dropped his pride and surrendered, he rose above the fight.”
Sid grinned and teasingly nudged at Ananya. “So basically – don’t act like a know-it-all elephant?”
Ananya quickly retorted, “Just keep quiet, okay Sid.”
“Okay, stop now,” laughed Tatha and continued. “Yes, keep your head high, but your heart humble.”
3. The Moment of Surrender
Tathi, who’d been listening quietly, spoke softly. “You know, there’s something called nimmithham – divine timing. A kind of invisible nudge from above.”
Ananya tilted her head. “Like when Gajendra dropped his ego and called to Lord Vishnu?”
“Hmm, not just that but him getting thirsty, walking into the pond and the crocodile clutching his feet,” said Tathi. “It’s almost like it was all orchestrated by a force beyond his control so that he learns a lesson.”
“And,” she continued. “Maybe today was your nimmithham too. Your school declared an unexpected holiday, we brought you here against your wishes and you ended up hearing the entire story. Maybe someone up there wanted you to learn something from it.”
Sid raised an eyebrow. “So you mean our lazy day-off had a divine plan?”
Tathi and Tatha both laughed and replied in unison. “Maybe!”
✨ Epickathas Note
Gajendra Moksham isn’t a story about victory.
It’s about humility, awareness and the quiet wisdom of surrender.
Because whether you’re Ananya, Sid, or Tatha, life will test your strength but it’s your humility that sets you free.
Epickathas 
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