The Salvation of the Elephant (Gaj Mokasha)
Indian
Description
Subject Matter:
The story of Gajendra moksha appears in the Bhagavatha Purana. It tells the story of an elephant named Gajendre who prays to vishnu for help when struggling with a water creature (crocodile, monster). Gajendra makes an offering of a lotus flower with his trunk. The prayers made by Gajendra became a famous hymn in praise of Lord Vishnu called Gajendra Stuthi. Seeing His devotee in distress, Lord Vishnu kills the crocodile and saves Gajendra.
Physical Description:
An elephant seems to walk on water from the bottom right corner of the composition, rising towards Vishnu in the upper left with a single lotus flower in its trunk. Vishnu, with 4 arms, steps on green hills surrounding the lotus covered pond, bending towards the elephant. Garuda flies in the upper right.
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