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.
प्रावर्तन्ताथ देवानामुत्पाता भयशंसिनः। इन्द्रस्य वज्रं दयितं प्रजज्वाल भयात्ततः
Then, ominous portents appeared among the gods, foretelling danger; Indra's beloved thunderbolt blazed forth in fear.
सधूमा न्यपतत्सार्चिर्दिवोल्का नभसश्च्युता। तथा वसूनां रुद्राणामादित्यानां च सर्वशः
A fiery meteor, trailing smoke, fell from the sky; likewise, among the Vasus, Rudras, and all the Ādityas.
साध्यानां मरुतां चैव ये चान्ये देवतागणाः। स्वं स्वं प्रहरणं तेषां परस्परमुपाद्रवत्
Among the Sādhyas, Maruts, and all the other hosts of gods, each seized their own weapon and rushed against one another.
अभूतपूर्वं संग्रामे तदा देवासुरेऽपि च। ववुर्वाताः सनिर्घाताः पेतुरुल्काः सहस्रशः
In that battle between gods and asuras, the like of which had never been seen, winds howled with thunder, and thousands of meteors fell.
निरभ्रमेव चाकाशं प्रजगर्ज महास्वनम्। देवानामपि यो देवः सोऽप्यवर्षत शोणितम्
The sky, though cloudless, roared with a mighty sound; even the god of gods among the deities rained down blood.
मम्लुर्माल्यानि देवानां नेशुस्तेजांसि चैव हि। उत्पातमेघा रौद्राश्च ववृषुः शोणितं बहु
The garlands of the gods withered, and their brilliance faded; ominous, dreadful clouds poured much blood.
रजांसि मुकुटान्येषामुत्थितानि व्यधर्षयन्। ततस्त्राससमुद्विग्नः सह देवैः शतक्रतुः। उत्पातान्दारुणान्पश्यन्नित्युवाच बृहस्पतिम्
Dust rose up and struck their crowns; then, terrified and disturbed, Indra, with the gods, seeing these dreadful omens, spoke to Bṛhaspati.
किमर्थं भगवन्घोरा उत्पाताः सहसोत्थिताः। न च शत्रुं प्रपश्यामि युधि यो नः प्रधर्षयेत्
"O blessed one, why have these terrible omens suddenly arisen? I see no enemy in battle who could overpower us."
तवापराधाद्देवेन्द्र प्रमादाच्च शतक्रतो। तपसा वालखिल्यानां महर्षीणां महात्मनाम्
Because of your fault, O Indra, and your negligence, O wielder of the thunderbolt, by the austerity of the great-souled Vālakhilya sages—
कश्यपस्य मुनेः पुत्रो विनतायाश्च खेचरः। हर्तुं सोममभिप्राप्तो बलवान्कामरूपधृक्
The son of the sage Kaśyapa, the sky-roaming child of Vinatā, strong and able to assume any form at will, has set out to seize the Soma.