Trikūṭa is a great sacred mountain that stands in the Kshīrasāgara, the milk ocean, with its waters all around it. The events of the Gajendra Upākhyāna, the account of the elephant Gajendra, take place on its slopes. It rises ten thousand yojanas (a measure of distance) and is just as wide around.

Its name means the mountain of three peaks. One peak is of silver, one of iron and one of gold. On its slopes lies Ṛtumat, the garden of Varuṇa, and in the middle of the garden lies the sacred lake where Gajendra was seized by the crocodile.

Description

The Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa (8th Skandha, Chapter 2) says that Trikūṭa is ten thousand yojanas high and its circumference is equal to its height. The milk ocean surrounds it on all sides.

The three main peaks give the mountain its name. The first is of silver, the second of iron and the third of gold. Their light is so strong that the silver peak lights the ocean around it, the iron peak lights the sky, and the golden peak lights all the directions.

The other peaks of Trikūṭa are covered with gems of many colours and with mineral ores. The mountain is thick with trees, creepers and shrubs. The sound of birds and mountain streams fills all the directions on its slopes.

The Ṛtumat garden

On the slopes of Trikūṭa lies the famous garden of Varuṇa, called Ṛtumat, “the season-filled”. Divine flowers and trees of the devas bloom there in all seasons at the same time, without following the usual order of the ṛtus (seasons). Devastrīs (women of the devas) and apsarasas played there.

The garden held every beautiful tree: mandāra, pārijāta, aśoka, campaka, many kinds of mango, grape, jackfruit, coconut, date and dozens of others.

In the middle of Ṛtumat lay a vast lake, the sacred Ṛtumat lake. It was full of golden lotuses blazing with light, white water-lilies, blue night-lotuses and red lotuses. Haṃsas (swans), kāraṇḍava birds and koyals filled it with sound. Fish and turtles moved through the water and scattered pollen from the flowers.

The breeze from the lake carried the scent of lotus pollen, and people could smell it from far away. This scent, carried on the wind, first drew the great elephant Gajendra through the forest toward the lake. (Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa, 8th Skandha, Chapter 2)

Trikūṭa in the Gajendra Upākhyāna

Trikūṭa and its Ṛtumat lake are the holy ground of the Gajendra Upākhyāna. Here Gajendra, the king of elephants and the earlier birth of King Indradyumna, entered the lake and was seized by the crocodile. The crocodile was the gandharva Hūhū, who had received the śāpa (curse) of a ṛshi.

After a thousand years of struggle, Gajendra raised a lotus in his trunk and called out to Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa at this lake. Bhagavān Śrī Hari came down on Garuḍa and cut off the mouth of the crocodile with his Sudarśana cakra. He freed Gajendra, and gave him not only rescue from the crocodile but final moksha (liberation). (Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa, 8th Skandha, Chapters 2–4)

The account of the Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa

Trikūṭa in Chapter 58

Chapter 58 of the Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa calls Trikūṭa the son of Meru, born from the Kshīrasāgara. Its three peaks belong to three devas:

The golden peak is the abode of Sūrya.
The silver peak is the abode of Candra.
The third peak is set with jewels, blazing with indrānīla, vajra and vaiḍūrya stones. It is the abode of Brahmā. Only the virtuous can see it. It cannot be reached by the cruel, the ungrateful and the faithless.

Gandharvas, kinnaras, apsarasas, siddhas, cāraṇas and vidyādharas live on the mountain with their wives. Lions and elephants roam its slopes. Dense forests of punnāga, bilva, āmalaka, pāṭala, mango, kadamba, candana, agaru and śāla trees make it a beautiful sight.

On the slopes lies the sacred lake. It is full of golden lotuses (kāñcana-padma), blue lotuses, kalhāras and śatapatra lotuses. Their scent spreads in all directions, and their emerald leaves spread over the water. The Gajendra episode took place in this lake. (Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 58)

Prahlāda’s visit in Chapter 57

During his tīrtha yātrā (pilgrimage), Prahlāda visited Trikūṭa and the Cakrapāṇi form of Vishṇu who is present there. He stayed three months in that kshetra (sacred place). He lived on roots, fruits and water, gave gifts of gold to brāhmaṇas, and recited the Gajendra-mokshaṇa stotra (hymn of praise) before Bhagavān Vishṇu. The Vāmana Purāṇa records this as one of the most important stops of his yātrā. (Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 57)

Presence of Bhagavān Vāmana in Chapter 63

In the list of vibhūtis (divine presences) in Chapter 63, Bhagavān Vāmana declares that he is present at Trikūṭa as Cakrapāṇi and as Īśvara. Cakrapāṇi, the wielder of the cakra, is his Vaishṇava form, and Īśvara is his Śaiva form. Both are present together at this sacred mountain. (Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 63)

Sources

Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa, 8th Skandha, Chapters 2–4
Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 57, 58, 63