Thereafter, seeing Gajendra in that grave condition, his wives felt very, very sorry and began to cry. The other elephants wanted to help Gajendra, but because of the crocodile’s great strength, they could not rescue him by grasping him from behind.
Srimad Bhagavata Purana
श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम्
मूल श्लोकः
तथाऽऽतुरं यूथपतिं करेणवो विकृष्यमाणं तरसा बलीयसा । विचुक्रुशुर्दीनधियोऽपरे गजाः पार्ष्णिग्रहास्तारयितुं न चाशकन्
tathā''turaṃ yūthapatiṃ kareṇavo vikṛṣyamāṇaṃ tarasā balīyasā | vicukruśurdīnadhiyo'pare gajāḥ pārṣṇigrahāstārayituṃ na cāśakan
SB 8.2.28