तां भङ्क्त्वा स महाशाखां स्मयमानो विलोकयन्। अथात्रं लम्बतोऽपश्यद्वालखिल्यानधोमुखान्
Breaking off that great branch, he looked around with a smile and saw the Valakhilya sages hanging upside down from it.
ऋषयो ह्यत्र लम्बन्ते न हन्यामिति तानृषीन्। तपोरतांल्लम्बमानान्ब्रह्मर्षीनभिवीक्ष्य सः
Seeing those ascetic Brahmarshis hanging there, he thought, 'The sages are hanging here; I must not harm them.'
हन्यादेतान्संपतन्ती शाखेत्यथ विचिन्त्य सः। नखैर्दृढतरं वीरः संगृह्य गजकच्छपौ
Thinking, 'I will kill these as they fall,' the hero firmly grasped the elephant and tortoise with his strong claws.
स तद्विनाशसंत्रासादभिपत्य स्वगाधिपः। शाखामास्येन जग्राह तेषामेवान्ववेक्षया
Then, out of fear for their destruction, the lord himself leapt and seized the branch with his mouth, observing their condition.
अतिदैवं तु तत्तस्य कर्म दृष्ट्वा महर्षयः। विस्मयोत्कम्पहृदया नाम चक्रुर्महाखगे
Seeing that act, which was beyond ordinary power, the great sages were amazed and their hearts trembled; they spoke of the mighty bird.
गुरुं भारं समासाद्योड्डीन एष विहङ्गमः। गरुडस्तु खगश्रेष्ठस्तस्मात्पन्नगभोजनः
Having taken up a heavy burden, this bird soared; Garuda, the foremost of birds, is thus the eater of serpents.
ततः शनैः पर्यपतत्पक्षैः शैलान्प्रकम्पयन्। एवं सोऽभ्यपतद्देशान्बहून्सगजकच्छपः
Then, slowly he flew, shaking the mountains with his wings; thus he traveled to many lands, carrying the elephant and tortoise.
दयार्थं वालखिल्यानां न च स्थानमविन्दत। स गत्वा पर्वतश्रेष्ठं गन्धमादनमञ्जसा
For the sake of compassion toward the Vālakhilyas, he found no suitable place; so he went swiftly to Gandhamādana, the greatest mountain.
ददर्श कश्यपं तत्र पितरं तपसि स्थितम्। ददर्श तं पिता चापि दिव्यरूपं विहङ्गमम्
There he saw Kaśyapa, his father, engaged in austerity; and his father also beheld him, the divine-formed bird.
तेजोवीर्यबलोपेतं मनोमारुतरंहसम्। शैलशृङ्गप्रतीकाशं ब्रह्मदण्डमिवोद्यतम्
Endowed with brilliance, strength, and power, swift as mind and wind, resembling a mountain peak, like an uplifted staff of Brahma.
अचिन्त्यमनभिध्येयं सर्वभूतभयंकरम्। महावीर्यधरं रौद्रं साक्षादग्निमिवोद्यतम्
Unthinkable, indescribable, terrifying to all beings, bearing great might, fierce, like fire raised before one's eyes.
अप्रधृष्यमजेयं च देवदानवराक्षसैः। भेत्तारं गिरिशृङ्गाणां समुद्रजलशोषणम्
Unassailable and unconquerable by gods, demons, and rākṣasas, destroyer of mountain peaks, and one who dries up ocean waters.
लोकसंलोडनं घोरं कृतान्तसमदर्शनम्। तमागतमभिप्रेक्ष्य भगवान्कश्यपस्तदा। विदित्वा चास्यं संकल्पमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
A dreadful mover of worlds, resembling Death himself; seeing him approach, the venerable Kaśyapa, knowing his intent, spoke these words.
पुत्र मा साहसं कार्षीर्मा सद्यो लप्स्यसे व्यथाम्। मा त्वां दहेयुः संक्रुद्धा वालखिल्या मरीचिपाः
Son, do not act rashly; do not bring suffering upon yourself at once; let not the angry Vālakhilyas and Marīcis burn you.
ततः प्रसादयामास कश्यपः पुत्रकारणात्। वालखिल्यान्महाभागांस्तपसा हतकल्मषान्
Then Kaśyapa, for the sake of his son, sought to appease the illustrious Vālakhilyas, purified by austerity.
प्रजाहितार्थमारम्भो गरुडस्य तपोधनाः। चिकीर्षति महत्कर्म तदनुज्ञातुमर्हथ
For the welfare of creatures, Garuda wishes to undertake a great deed; O ascetics, you ought to grant him permission.
एवमुक्ता भगवता मुनयस्ते समभ्ययुः। मुक्त्वा शाखां गिरिं पुण्यं हिमवन्त तपोऽर्थिनः
Thus addressed by the venerable one, the sages departed, leaving the branch, for the sacred mountain Himavat, seeking austerity.
ततस्तेष्वपयातेषु पितरं विनतासुतः। शाखाव्याक्षिप्तवदनः पर्यपृच्छत कश्यपम्
When they had departed, the son of Vinatā, his face obstructed by the branch, questioned his father Kaśyapa.
भगवन्क्व विमुञ्चामि तरोः शाखामिमामहम्। वर्जितं मानुषैर्देशमाख्यातु भगवान्मम
Lord, where shall I release this branch of the tree? Please tell me a place devoid of humans.
ततो निःपुरुषं शैलं हिमसंरुद्धकन्दरम्। अगम्यं मनसाप्यन्यैस्तस्याचख्यौ स कश्यपः
Then Kaśyapa told him of a mountain without people, its caves blocked by snow, inaccessible even to the mind.
तं पर्वतं महाकुक्षिमुद्दिश्य स महाखगः। जवेनाभ्यपतत्तार्क्ष्यः सशाखागजकच्छपः
Aiming for that mountain with its vast interior, the great bird, swift as thought, flew toward it, carrying the branch with the elephant and tortoise.
न तां वध्री परिणहेच्छतचर्मा महातनुम्। शाखिनो महतीं शाखां यां प्रगृह्य ययौ खगः
No strong man could have lifted that immense branch, nor the hide of that great-bodied animal; yet the bird, grasping the huge bough, soared away.
स ततः शतसाहस्रं योजनान्तरमागतः। कालेन नातिमहता गरुडः पतगेश्वरः
Then Garuḍa, lord of birds, traveled a hundred thousand yojanas in not too long a time.
स तं गत्वा क्षणेनैव पर्वतं वचनात्पितुः। अमुञ्चन्महतीं शाखां सस्वनं तत्र खेचरः
Arriving at that mountain in a moment, as his father had instructed, the sky-roaming bird released the great branch with a resounding crash.
पक्षानिलहतश्चास्य प्राकम्पत स शैलराट्। मुमोच पुष्पवर्षं च समागलितपादप
Struck by the wind from his wings, the king of mountains trembled, and as the trees collided, a rain of flowers fell.
शृङ्गाणि च व्यशीर्यन्त गिरेस्तस्य समन्ततः। मणिकाञ्चनचित्राणि शोभयन्ति महागिरिम्
All around, the peaks of that mountain shattered, adorned with gems and gold, beautifying the great mountain.
शाखिनो बहवश्चापि शाखयाऽभिहतास्तया। काञ्चनैः कुसुमैर्भान्ति विद्युत्वन्त इवाम्बुदाः
Many trees struck by that branch shone with golden blossoms, like clouds lit by lightning.
ते हेमविकचा भूमौ युताः पर्वतधातुभिः। व्यराजञ्छाखिनस्तत्र सूर्यांशुप्रतिरञ्जिताः
Those trees, blooming with gold and mingled with the mountain's minerals, gleamed there, tinged by the rays of the sun.
ततस्तस्य गिरेः शृङ्गमास्थाय स खगोत्तमः। भक्षयामास गरुडस्तावुभौ गजकच्छपौ
Then, taking his place atop the mountain peak, Garuḍa, the best of birds, began to eat both the elephant and the tortoise.
तावुभौ भक्षयित्वा तु स तार्क्ष्यः कूर्मकुञ्जरौ। ततः पर्वतकूटाग्रादुत्पपात महाजवः
Having devoured both the tortoise and the elephant, that swift Tārkṣya leapt up from the summit of the mountain.