Vishnu came down to earth to protect Gajendra, the elephant, from the clutches of a Crocodile, alternatively known as Makara or Huhu, and with Vishnu's help, Gajendra achieved moksha, or liberation from cycle of birth and death. Gajendra then attained a form like that of the god (Sarupya Mukti) and went to Vaikuntha with Vishnu.