Shloka 26
Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence
वक्रं नक्रं चक्रपातेन दूरे कृत्वा हृत्वा तस्य दुः खं मुकुन्दः / मातङ्गं यो ऽमूमुचन्नक्रवक्त्रात्पाशंसो ऽसौ कर्मणां मे लुनातु
vakraṃ nakraṃ cakrapātena dūre kṛtvā hṛtvā tasya duḥ khaṃ mukundaḥ / mātaṅgaṃ yo 'mūmucannakravaktrātpāśaṃso 'sau karmaṇāṃ me lunātu
Möge Mukunda—der durch den Fall Seines Cakra das krumme Krokodil weit forttrieb, das Leid des Elefanten nahm und den Elefanten aus den Kiefern des Krokodils befreite—die Schlinge meiner karmischen Fesseln durchtrennen.
Lord Vishnu (invoked as Mukunda) — devotional prayer within the Garuda Purana discourse
Concept: The Lord’s grace, invoked through surrender, cuts the noose of karma just as He severed the crocodile’s hold.
Vedantic Theme: Kripa (grace) overriding bondage; karma-pasha as avidya-bound conditioning; bhakti as liberating catalyst.
Application: Use the Gajendra episode as a prayer-template: confess helplessness, invoke Mukunda, and seek release from habitual karmic patterns.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: sacred waterside battleground
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Vishnu’s chakra as remover of bondage; prayers for karma-pasha-chedana (general parallel)
FAQs
In this verse, the 'pāśa' symbolizes binding karmic consequences; invoking Mukunda as the liberator expresses the Purana’s aim of reducing bondage through divine grace, devotion, and right conduct.
By recalling Vishnu’s rescue of Gajendra from the crocodile, the verse frames suffering as a binding condition that can be removed when one turns to the liberating principle (Mukunda) that severs karmic entanglement.
Use the verse as a reminder to seek timely refuge in dharma and devotion, and to reduce harmful karmas through ethical living, repentance, and compassionate action—aiming for freedom from recurring distress.