15

One of the most famous stories of Vishnu is the Gajendra Moksham episode, described the Eighth Skanda of the Srimad Bhagavatam. For those who don't know, once a king named Indradyumna, who was a great devotee of Vishnu, was cursed to be born as an elephant named Gajendra. Gajendra's leg was once caught by a crocodile (originally a Gandharva king Huhu but was suffering under a similar curse). So Gajendra, remembering the greatness of Vishnu from his time as a human, started praying to him for help. So Vishnu came riding on Garuda, killing the crocodile with his Sudarshana Chakra and granting Moksha to his elephant devotee Gajendra.

enter image description here

But my question isn't about the story of Gajendra, but rather about the one who saved him. Strictly speaking, it was not Vishnu himself who saved Gajendra, but rather Vishnu's incarnation Hari, as described in the Srimad Bhagavatam:

O King, in the Tāmasa manvantara the sons of Vidhṛti, who were known as the Vaidhṛtis, also became demigods. Since in course of time the Vedic authority was lost, these demigods, by their own powers, protected the Vedic authority. Also in this manvantara, the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, took birth from the womb of Hariṇī, the wife of Harimedhā, and He was known as Hari. Hari saved His devotee Gajendra, the King of the elephants, from the mouth of a crocodile.

So my question is, what is the story of Vishnu's incarnation Hari? First of all, who are Harimedha and Harini? And what else happened in his life besides rescuing Gajendra?

We know that Hari rode on Vishnu's bird Garuda, although that's not so unusual since Krishna also rode Garuda, as I discuss in this question. (Rama didn't ride Garuda, but he did meet him; see my answer here.)

Another piece of information is that Hari apparently had the ability to travel to Vishnu's abode of Vaikuntha; the Srimad Bhagavatam describes him taking Gajendra. But do we know anything else about him?

Note that this Hari is different from Vishnu's other incarnation Hari, brother of Vishnu's incarnations Nara and Narayana, whom I discuss in this question.

Artist Formerly Known As CSD
  • 5,202
  • 1
  • 17
  • 46
Keshav Srinivasan
  • 98,014
  • 18
  • 293
  • 853
  • 1
    OMG! Why are Vishnu's incarnations so complicated to undersatnd!? – TheLoneKing Mar 07 '15 at 06:03
  • 2
    @Dharmaputhiran Haha yeah, Vishnu's incarnations can be confusing because names of Vishnu are so often used to describe incarnations of his and vice versa. Like Vishnu incarnated as four sons of Yama god of death: Nara, Narayana, Hari and Krishna; see my question here: http://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q/3936/36 Yet Hari has nothing to do with the Hari who rescued Gajendra, and Krishna has nothing to do with the famous Krishna. – Keshav Srinivasan Mar 07 '15 at 06:39
  • 3
    @Dharmaputhiran And I'm constantly finding new incarnations of Vishnu. Like apparently some time between when Buddha came and when Kalki will come, Vishnu had/will have an incarnation as a Samaveda-singing Brahmin: http://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q/6623/36 – Keshav Srinivasan Mar 07 '15 at 06:45
  • It seems that Vishnu and Naraynana and Hari is the same person. Garuda was Kasyapas son, a big bird. –  Mar 25 '15 at 20:44
  • The lord is one, he has many forms, he appears to his devotees in many ways, the best thing we can do is remember his name, & resite his past times, & serve your Guru. Remeber Hari, God & his incarnations, bhagats are one & the same. Love, compassion & forgiveness, are the way to be free from bonds of life, acheive Moksha. –  Apr 05 '15 at 20:24
  • @user2745 Yeah, of course Vishnu takes on many forms, but the incarnation I'm specifically interested in is Hari, son of Harimedha and Harini, who rescued Gajendra the elephant. I want to know about his life story. – Keshav Srinivasan Apr 05 '15 at 21:00
  • 1
    @Simo It's true that Hari and Narayana are names of Vishnu, but Hari is also the name of a specific incarnation of Vishnu, just like Narayana is also a name of a specific incarnation of Vishnu (a sage who lived in Badri and twin brother of the sage Nara). – Keshav Srinivasan Apr 05 '15 at 21:02
  • @Dharmaputhiran And to add even more confusion, I seem to have found another incarnation of Vishnu named Narayana! See my question here: http://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q/6931/36 – Keshav Srinivasan Apr 17 '15 at 16:38
  • Incidentally Svayambhuva Many named Yajna avatara as Hari, since he took the place of Indra and relieved people's worries. – Surya Nov 17 '15 at 17:59
  • @Surya What are you talking about? Swayambhuva Manu doesn't address Yagna as Hari at all. The only time Vishnu is referred to as Hari is this verse, where Vyasa refers to Yagna as Hari to make clear that he's an incarnation of Vishnu. There's nothing in the text that makes any connection between the use of the name Hari and the relieving of people's worries. – Keshav Srinivasan Nov 17 '15 at 19:05
  • I am talking about this verse... – Surya Nov 18 '15 at 02:14
  • @Surya OK yes, I grant you that this is one instance where someone uses a particular name of Vishnu with a great deal of intentionality. But I still think that Vyasa does not do so in most cases. – Keshav Srinivasan Nov 18 '15 at 02:51
  • As we know Lord has various avataras, Hari here refers to the Manvantara Avatara of the Tapasa Manvantara, as Vamana is Manvantara avatara of the present Manvantara. Hari came to save gajendra instead of vishnu can be understood from the fact that gajendra prayed to supreme lord not specifically vishnu, so Hari avatara of vishnu incharge of the affairs of that manvantara rescued gajendra. Here Hari is same as vishnu, we can have a clue from gita when Lord Krsna mentions among the sons of Aditi he is Vishnu(which refers to Vamana). – Satya Sai Kiran Kumar Sep 19 '17 at 17:57
  • As we know that Lord's incarnations are not different from Lord himself, krsna being a poorna avatara(svayam bhagavan) he also used the other weapons of Lord. While Lord Rama is a partial incarnation and also it is ravana wish to die in the hands of normal human being, so it would be inappropriate for the Lord to use his divine weapons and his ride, which gives the feeling that he is God. We know little about lords incarnations, lord avatars are for a specific purpose, it is for the same purpose the historians record and leave the rest or may be the relevant scriptures are lost in time. – Satya Sai Kiran Kumar Sep 19 '17 at 18:17

1 Answers1

1

But my question isn't about the story of Gajendra, but rather about the one who saved him. Strictly speaking, it was not Vishnu himself who saved Gajendra, but rather Vishnu's incarnation Hari, as described in the Srimad Bhagavatam:

First of all there is no difference between Lord Vishnu and his incarnations.

We know that Hari rode on Vishnu's bird Garuda, although that's not so unusual since Krishna also rode Garuda, as I discuss in this question. (Rama didn't ride Garuda, but he did meet him; see my answer here.)

As per Valmiki Ramayan, when King Dasharath arranged Yagya, all deities headed by Brahma praises Lord Vishnu and did complaint regarding sins committed Ravan by Ravan who can only be killed by human being as per boon granted by Lord Brahma. Lord Vishnu promised them that he is gonna born as son of King Dashrath and will kill Ravan.

So, Lord Vishnu appeared as Shri Raam in TretaYug. Similarly as per VedVyass Mahabharat, Amshavataran Parva, In DwaparYug, Lord Vishnu promised all deities that he gonna born as Krishna, the son of Vasudev and Devaki.

So, does Raam and Krishna are different from Lord Vishnu? Nope! Same personality played role of Raam, Krishna, Narasimha etc etc based on timing and circumstances. So it is not fair to differentiate among various incarnations assumed by Lord Vishnu.

If you wear white colored shirt on Monday and Red colored shirt on Tuesday, that does not mean that @Keshav Srinivasan on monday is different from @Keshav Srinivasan on tuesday. Personality is same, but forms are different. Eg. Discussion between Shri Raam, Shri Lakshman and Parshuram is leela only by which human beings can learn something from that conversation.

But don't bind the Supreme Lord by rules of physical body of human being. Lord of Universe can do whatever he want. Whatever he does, everything has special purpose. He has ability by expanding himself in multiple forms to perform various tasks.

In Raam Avtaar ( when he descended as Raam ), as being Maryada-purushottam, he never used his extra-ordinary powers in whole his life but he started to show his extra-ordinary powers since childhood when he descended on earth as Krishna.

He is antaryamin, still why couldn't he identity who is Vaali and who is Sugriv during their battle? Because he had to give lesson to human beings of wearing garlands in such situations. For reaching to Shri Lanka, he never used Garud but gave opportunity to his devotees to build Raam-Setu. When he descended as Kapila, Matsya, Kurma, Varah, Vaman, Parshuram etc. Did he used Garuda? His every action is to guide human being as he confirmed in BhagwadGita.

Hence, you already know story of GajendraMoksha, and now you also know that Hari and Vishnu are not different. Hence, you got answer to your question.

Mahabharat UdyogParvai.Yanasandhiparva, 77 mentions meanings of various names of Lord Krishna such as Narayan, Hari, Madhusudan, Janardan, Madhav, Keshav etc.

Valmiki Ramayan Yuddhakand Purvardh Chapter 18

When Vibhishana arrived to join the army of Lord Shri Raam that time Sugriva doubted that Vibhishana might cheat them. Hence he expressed his views in front of Lord Shri Raam and Supreme Lord Shri Raam replied.

तत: शुभतरं वाक्यमुवाच हरिपुङ्गवम् | सुदुष्टो वाप्यदुष्टो वा किमेश रजनीचर: || 22 ||

सूक्ष्ममप्यहितं कर्तुं ममाशक्त: कथंचन | पिशाचान्दानवान्यक्षान्पृथिव्यां चैव राक्षसान् || 23 ||

अङ्गुल्यग्रेण तान्हन्यामिच्छन्हरिगणेश्वर | श्रूयते हि कपोतेन शत्रु: शरणमागत: || 24 ||

Here Lord Shri Raam declared directly that he can kill all of the pishacchas, danavas, yakshas, rakhasas present on the earth by tip of his finger.

Hence, through incarnation known as Shri Raam, Lord Narayan ( Vishnu ) had played leela like simple human being without using his extra ordinary powers.

In 4th Charan of both TretaYug and DwaparYug, Deity of earth with other Devatas headed by Lord Brahma approached to Lord Narayan and glorified him by Purush Sukta of Vedas and requested him to save themselves from Kings of Demonic nature ruling over earth and other lokas.

That time Lord Vishnu promised them that he will incarnate as son of Dasharath and Kausalya ( In TretaYug ). And Same Lord Narayan promised them that he will incarnate as son of Vasudev and Devaki ( in DwaparYug ).

So, Lord Narayan played the role of Shri Raam in TretaYug. Same Lord Narayan played role of Lord Krishna in DwaparYug.

In TretaYug, he didn’t used his extra-ordinary powers at all because he want to give ideal example of “Maryada Purushottam” for human beings. Similarly by hard penance, Ravana asked for boon that he can be killed by Vanar or human being only, not even Devatas can kill him. Prajapati granted him such boon. Hence, Lord Narayan incarnated as human being as per request of Devatas who were getting troubled by Ravan. Those were the reasons why Lord Naraya was not using his extra-ordinary powers when he descended as son of Dasharath and Kausalya.

Since Lord Narayan is antaryamin of each of the Jiva, so he could easily identify who is Vaali and who is Sugriv? He could do so, but what human being will do in such situation? Hence Lord used idea of garland ( Maala ) so that ordinary human being will learn what to do in such situation.

Same Vaali born as Vyaadh ( hunter ) in DwaparYug who shot the arrow on toe of Lord Krishna accidentally. At that time hunter started to apologize..Lord Krishna revealed his 4 armed Narayan form and told, ”Don’t worry. In TretaYug, I shot you with arrow from behind. I wanted to give you justice, hence in this DwaparYug, I let you shoot me by arrow. No need to apologize. Within few momments, Vimana will arrive and will carry you swarga Loka alive.” By saying so, Lord Krishna went back to Vaikuntha ( Avtaar Samapti ).

Even Lord Raam could fly up and bring back Sita from Lanka but he didn’t do so. Because he wanted to teach ordinary human beings what to do in such situations.

But when Shri Raam came as Shri Krishna, he started to show his powers since childhood, such as killing Putana, Kaliya, Dhenukasur, arishthasur, lifting up Govardhan mountain etc etc.

Hence, Shri Raam is Maryada Purushottam avtaar. Shri Krishna is Purna Purushottam avtaar.

Both roles are played by Same Supreme Being. People who deeply studied Ramayna, Mahabharat, Vishnu Puran and Srimad Bhagwat can understand it properly.

Narayan Narayan

Govind_das
  • 11
  • 1
  • 2
    This doesn’t answer the actual question at all. What is the story of Hari incarnation and what else happened during this incarnation beside Gajendra moksha – Ketan Feb 14 '20 at 23:22
  • lol. In Mahabharat, Krishna is referred by names such as Hari, Madhusudan, Vishnu, Narayan, Madhav, Hrishikesh etc. which proves these all names belongs to same personality.

    Mahabharat says, Namah Samasta Bhutana Adibhutay Bhubhrute Anek Roop Roopaay Vishnave Prabha Vishnave

     – Govind_das Feb 16 '20 at 13:50
  • By reading your comments I got that you have misunderstood the concept of Avtaar. Whoever played the role of Hari at Gajendra Moksha, is same personality who played role of Narasimha, is same personality who played role of Raam, Krishna , is same personality who is gonna incarnate himself as Kalki.

    After completion of leela, he again transfer himself into his original form. Eg. As per Mahabharat, when Jara named hunter shot arrow on toe of Lord Krishna, he observed Shri Krishna in his 4 armed form, i.e. Original form of Lord Vishnu.

     – Govind_das Feb 16 '20 at 13:56
  • I get it and I think OP gets it too (he mentioned Vishnu’s incarnation Hari in question), so we know it’s same personality- nobody questioning that. Do you understand the question asked? It’s about historical details of events happened in Tamsa manavantar – Ketan Feb 16 '20 at 14:06
  • His questions says he has misunderstood that Vishnu's incarnation is different personality than Vishnu – Govind_das Feb 16 '20 at 14:13
  • Check out his following statement which proves he didn't understand the concept of Avtaar // Another piece of information is that Hari apparently had the ability to travel to Vishnu's abode of Vaikuntha // – Govind_das Feb 16 '20 at 14:38