Vishnu was relaxing on the multi-headed snake known as Seshnag, in the middle of the Kshirsagar or the Sea of Milk. His consort Lakshmi was with him and they were enjoying a game of dice together. He had heard the first call for help from the elephant and had wanted to go to his aid. But this was one of the rare occasions when Lakshmi was winning. She wanted to take the game to its logical conclusion so that she could tease her husband for some time to come. She said that there was strength left in the elephant and he would take care of himself. The same story was repeated at the second call. But when Vishnu heard the third call he said that the elephant was now totally dependent on him. If he did not help now, then his devotees would lose faith in him. He mounted Garuda, the half man half eagle, that was his vehicle and went to Sonepur. From mid flight he released his Sudarshan chakra, the disc like weapon, which cut through the water and severed the crocodile's head.
Both the Gaj and the Grah had been humans in their previous lives. The elephant was Indradyumna, a pious Pandyan king. Once he was in a reflective mood and he did not greet the sage Agastya who had come to meet him. Agastya was feared for his rash temper and he changed the king into an elephant for this impropriety. Indradyumna attained freedom from the cycle of rebirth after this encounter. The crocodile was a Gandharva chief named Huhu. Huhu was bathing in this lake with a bevy of Gandharva women. The sage Dewala was standing in the water meditating. To impress the women in his company he playfully pulled the sage by his leg. The sage cursed Huhu and changed him into a crocodile. Thereafter Huhu lived in the lake as a crocodile until he was restored to his Gandharva form by the sacred touch of Vishnu's disc. Because he had died at Vishnu's hands, he too secured a permanent place in heaven.
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