Gaja Uddharana Besha of Lord Jagannath

The Gaja Uddharana Besha (The Elephant Rescue Costume) of Lord Jagannath is observed on the day of Magha Purnima (the full moon day of the Hindu month of Magha). This ritual commemorates the event when Lord Jagannath rescued an elephant from the clutches of a crocodile.

There is a legendary mythological story behind this Besha. In his previous birth, this elephant was a king named Indradyumna of the Pandya kingdom in the Dravidian region. He was a great devotee of Lord Jagannath. Once, while he was deeply absorbed in the worship of the Lord, the sage Agastya Muni arrived. Immersed in prayer, the king did not rise from his seat or show respect to the sage. Seeing this “elephant-like” arrogance and ignorance, Agastya Muni cursed him to become an elephant. However, the sage added that when a crocodile would seize him, he would be liberated by Lord Jagannath.

The crocodile that attacked him was, in its previous birth, a Gandharva (celestial musician) named Hu-Hu. Once, while playing in a lake with women, he pulled the clothing of the sage Devala Muni. Enraged, the sage cursed him to become a crocodile. When he begged for forgiveness, the sage promised that when he grabbed the leg of the king of elephants, Lord Jagannath would arrive to rescue the elephant and, in the process, liberate the crocodile from the curse.

King Indradyumna, in the form of an elephant, lived on Mount Trikuta in a celestial garden called Droni. One day, feeling thirsty, he went to the water to drink. The Gandharva-turned-crocodile, who lived in that water, seized the elephant’s leg. The elephant could not move. Despite the efforts of the other elephants in the herd to pull him out, the crocodile did not let go, and blood began to flow from the elephant’s mouth. The elephant remained trapped for a thousand years.

Eventually, due to the merits of his devotion in his past life, wisdom dawned upon him. He realized that Lord Jagannath is the essence of the universe and the only protector of those who seek refuge. With this thought, he began to pray to Lord Jagannath:

“Salutations to the Lord of Kaivalya (liberation), who is attained by the wise through selfless deeds and purity of heart, and who bestows the supreme bliss of Nirvana.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam)

“Salutations to Vamana, the cause of all causes. Salutations to Narayana, the one of infinite power. I bow to Purushottama, who holds the Discus, the Bow, the Sword, and the Mace.” (Vamana Purana)

Pleased by the elephant’s prayers, Lord Jagannath appeared on the shore of the ocean riding on Garuda, holding His conch, discus, and mace. Seeing the Lord, the elephant lifted a lotus flower in his trunk and, looking upward, offered it to the Lord’s lotus feet in deep devotion.

As described in the Odia Bhagavata:

The elephant saw the Lord holding the Chakra,
While the crocodile held his feet.
Holding a lotus in his trunk,
He looked up at the sky and bowed
As soon as he saw the Lord wearing the Vanamala.

Lord Jagannath destroyed the crocodile with His Sudarshana Chakra and pulled the elephant’s feet out of the crocodile’s mouth with His own hands. The crocodile was restored to his Gandharva form, and the elephant also attained salvation. The place where the Lord killed the crocodile is known as Chakra Kshetra. To commemorate this act of mercy, Lord Jagannath dons the Gaja Uddharana Besha every year on Magha Purnima.

This tradition was introduced by Ramanujacharya in the 12th century. During this Besha, two wooden or cork (Shola) models of elephants are placed in front of Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra. During the ritual, devotees recite the Gaja Stuti (The Elephant’s Prayer) from Shrimad Bhagavatam:

“Salutations to You, the cause of the entire universe, who Yourself have no cause, but are the wondrous cause of all things. You are the supreme refuge of all scriptures, like the vast ocean. Salutations to You, the embodiment of Moksha and the ultimate destination.” 🙏❤️