Ghaṇṭākarṇa’s Stotra to Kṛshṇa
This is the Sanskrit stotra sung by the piśāca (a fierce spirit-being) Ghaṇṭākarṇa in front of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa at Badarikāśrama. It is found in the Bhavishya Parva of the Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, chapter 78. While he sang it, Ghaṇṭākarṇa entered samādhi. Bhagavān Kṛshṇa then gave him darśana (the sight of himself) and moksha.
The setting
Bhagavān Kṛshṇa was travelling north toward Kailāsa. On the way he halted at Badarikāśrama.
A group of piśācas was present there. Among them was Ghaṇṭākarṇa. His piśāca body carried the names of Bhagavān Vishṇu written on it, and bells (ghaṇṭā) hung at his ears.
When Bhagavān Kṛshṇa appeared at Badarikāśrama, devotion that had been kept deep inside Ghaṇṭākarṇa woke up. He was moved to compose and sing a Sanskrit stotra to Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. As he sang, he entered samādhi. Bhagavān Kṛshṇa gave him darśana and then moksha.
Bhagavān Kṛshṇa was going to Kailāsa for twelve years of tapas (austerity). On this way he stopped to free a piśāca.
The themes of the stotra
Bhagavān Kṛshṇa as the supreme refuge. The central statement of the stotra is that Bhagavān Kṛshṇa is the final refuge of all beings, whatever form of birth they have taken. A piśāca is born in darkness because of past karma. Even so, he has the same access to the grace of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa as a ṛshi or a king, if his devotion is sincere.
The one who frees in every birth. The stotra praises Bhagavān Kṛshṇa as the one who looks at the heart of the devotee and not at the body. The form of the piśāca is dark and fierce, but what matters to Bhagavān Kṛshṇa is the devotion within. Bhakti (devotion) is open to beings of every form and condition.
The holy name. Ghaṇṭākarṇa bore the names of Vishṇu on his body. The stotra speaks of the power of nāma-smaraṇa (remembering the names of Bhagavān Vishṇu). The names on his body had kept a thread of connection alive through a piśāca birth.
Badarikāśrama as a tīrtha of moksha. The stotra praises Badarikāśrama, the tīrtha (holy place) where Nara-Nārāyaṇa have always lived and performed tapas. It says that moksha is especially easy to reach there. The piśāca‘s moksha at this tīrtha is credited both to Ghaṇṭākarṇa’s own devotion and to the great śakti (power) of the place.
Sources
- Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Bhavishya Parva, chapter 78