चक्षुर्विषौ महाघोरौ नित्यं क्रुद्धौ तरस्विनौ। अमृतस्यैव रक्षार्थं ददर्श भुजगोत्तमौ
Their eyes were venomous, exceedingly fierce, ever wrathful and swift; he saw those two foremost serpents, set there to guard the nectar.
सदा संरब्धनयनौ सदा चानिमिषेक्षणौ। तयोरेकोऽपि यं पश्येत्स तूर्णं भस्मसाद्भवेत्
Their eyes were always enraged, ever unblinking; whoever was seen by either of them would instantly be reduced to ashes.
तौ दृष्ट्वा सहसा खेदं जगाम विनतात्मजः। कथमेतौ महावीर्यौ जेतव्यौ हरिभोजिनौ
Seeing them, the son of Vinatā was suddenly dismayed: 'How can these two of great might, devourers of the tawny, be overcome?'
इति संचिन्त्य गरुडस्तयोस्तूर्णं निराकरः।' तयोश्चक्षूंषि रजसा सुपर्णः सहसाऽऽवृणोत्। ताभ्यामदृष्टरूपोऽसौ सर्वतः समताडयत्
Thus pondering, Garuḍa quickly shook off his fear; with dust, the Suparṇa suddenly covered their eyes, and, unseen by them, struck them from all sides.
तयोरङ्गे समाक्रम्य वैनतेयोऽन्तरिक्षगः। आच्छिनत्तरसा मध्ये सोममभ्यद्रवत्ततः
Mounting their bodies, the son of Vinatā, who moves in the sky, swiftly cut them in the middle and then rushed toward the soma.
समुत्पाट्यामृतं तत्र वैनतेयस्ततो बली। उत्पपात जवेनैव यन्त्रमुन्मथ्य वीर्यवान्
There, the mighty son of Vinatā seized the nectar and, with strength, tore apart the device and soared up with speed.
अपीत्वैवामृतं पक्षी परिगृह्याशु निःसृतः। आगच्छदपरिश्रान्त आवार्यार्कप्रभां ततः
Without drinking the nectar, the bird swiftly took it and departed, coming away unwearied, blocking the brilliance of the sun as he went.
विष्णुना च तदाकाशे वैनतेयः समेयिवान्। तस्य नारायणस्तुष्टस्तेनालौल्येन कर्मणा
There in the sky, Garuḍa met Viṣṇu; Nārāyaṇa was pleased with his deed, performed without greed.
तमुवाचाव्ययो देवो वरदोऽस्मीति खेचरम्। स वव्रे तव तिष्ठेयमुपरीत्यन्तरिक्षगः
The imperishable god spoke to the sky-roaming one, 'I am a granter of boons.' He, moving through the air, asked, 'Let me remain above you.'
उवाच चैनं भूयोऽपि नारायणमिदं वचः। अजरश्चामरश्च स्याममृतेन विनाऽप्यहम्
He again addressed Nārāyaṇa with these words: 'May I be ageless and immortal, even without drinking the nectar.'
एवमस्त्विति तं विष्णुरुवाच विनतासुतम्। प्रतिगृह्य वनौ तौ च गरुडो विष्णुमब्रवीत्
Viṣṇu said to the son of Vinatā, 'So be it.' Having received the boon, Garuḍa spoke to Viṣṇu in the forest.
भवतेपि वरं दद्यां वृणोतु भगवानपि। तं वव्रे वाहनं विष्णुर्नरुत्मन्तं महाबलम्
'May a boon be given to you as well; let the Blessed Lord choose,' said Garuḍa. Viṣṇu chose him, the mighty and unrivaled, as his vehicle.
ध्वजं च चक्रे भगवानुपरि स्थास्यसीति तम्। एवमस्त्विति तं देवमुक्त्वा नारायणं खगः
The Blessed Lord made him his banner, saying, 'You shall remain above me.' Saying, 'So be it,' the bird addressed Nārāyaṇa and departed.
वव्राज तरसा वेगाद्वायुं स्पर्धन्महाजवः। तं व्रजन्तं खगश्रेष्ठं वज्रेणेन्द्रोऽभ्यताडयत्
With great speed and force, rivaling the wind, he went forth. As he was going, Indra struck the best of birds with his thunderbolt.
हरन्तममृतं रोषाद्गरुडं पक्षिणां वरम्। तमुवाचेन्द्रमाक्रन्दे गरुडः पततां वरः
Indra, in anger, struck Garuḍa, the best of birds, as he was carrying away the nectar. Then Garuḍa, foremost among flyers, spoke to Indra as he cried out.
प्रहसञ्श्लक्ष्णया वाचा तथा वज्रसमाहतः। ऋषेर्मानं करिष्यामि वज्रं यस्यास्थिसंभवम्
Laughing, and though struck by the thunderbolt, he spoke gently: 'I will honor the sage whose bone became the thunderbolt.'
वज्रस्य च करिष्यामि तवैव च शतक्रतो। एतत्पत्रं त्यजाम्येकं यस्यान्तं नोपलप्स्यसे
'And I will honor the thunderbolt and you, O Śatakratu. I will shed a single feather, whose end you will not find.'
न च वज्रनिपातेन रुजा मेऽस्तीह काचन। एवमुक्त्वा ततः पुत्रमुत्ससर्ज स पक्षिराट्
'Nor do I feel any pain here from the blow of the thunderbolt.' Having said this, the king of birds released his son.
सुरूपं पत्रमालक्ष्य सुपर्णोऽयं भवत्विति। तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं सहस्राक्षः पुरंदरः। खगो महदिदं भूतमिति मत्वाऽभ्यभाषत
Seeing the beautiful feather, they said, 'Let him be Suparṇa.' Witnessing this great wonder, Purandara of a thousand eyes, thinking this bird to be a great being, spoke.
बलं विज्ञातुमिच्छामि यत्ते परमनुत्तमम्। सख्यं चानन्तमिच्छामि त्वया सह खगोत्तम
'I wish to know your supreme and unsurpassed strength, and I desire endless friendship with you, O best of birds.'
सख्यं मेऽस्तु त्वया देव यथेच्छसि पुरंदर। बलं तु मम जानीहि महच्चासह्यमेव च
'Let there be friendship between us as you wish, O Purandara. But know that my strength is great and truly unbearable.'
कामं नैतत्प्रशंसन्ति सन्तः स्वबलसंस्तवम्। `अनिमित्तं सुरश्रेष्ठ सद्यः प्राप्नोति गर्हणाम्
'Indeed, the virtuous do not praise their own strength, O best of gods; such unprompted boasting at once brings reproach.'
गुणसंकीर्तनं चापि पृष्टेनान्येन गोपते। वक्तव्यं न तु वक्तव्यं स्वयमेव शतक्रतो
'Even when asked by another, O lord of the earth, one should speak of one's virtues, but not proclaim them unasked, O Śatakratu.'
सखेति कृत्वा तु सखे पृष्टो वक्ष्याम्यहं त्वया। न ह्यात्मस्तवसंयुक्तं वक्तव्यमनिमित्ततः
'But since you have called me friend and asked, I will tell you. For self-praise should not be spoken without cause.'
सपर्वतवनामुर्वीं ससागरजलामिमाम्। वहे पक्षेण वै शक्र त्वामप्यत्रावलम्बिनम्
'O Śakra, with a single wing I can bear this earth with its mountains, forests, and waters, and you as well, if you rely on me.'
सर्वान्संपिण्डितान्वापि लोकान्सस्थाणुजङ्गमान्। वहेयमपरिश्रान्तो विद्धीदं मे महद्बलम्
'I could carry, without fatigue, all the worlds together with their stationary and moving beings; know this to be my great strength.'
इत्युक्तवचनं वीरं किरीटी श्रीमतां वरः। आह शौनक देवेन्द्रः सर्वलोकहितः प्रभुः
Having spoken thus, the illustrious Kiriti, foremost among the blessed, was addressed by Shaunaka, lord of the gods, benefactor of all worlds.
एवमेव यथात्थ त्वं सर्वं संभाव्यते त्वयि। संगृह्यतामिदानीं मे सख्यमत्यन्तमुत्तमम्
Just as you have said, so it shall be; all is possible in you. Now accept from me this supreme and everlasting friendship.
न कार्यं यदि सोमेन मम सोमः प्रदीयताम्। अस्मांस्ते हि प्रबाधेयुर्येभ्यो दद्याद्भवानिमम्
If there is no need for Soma by me, let Soma be given. Those who would trouble us are those to whom you would give this.
किंचित्कारणमुद्दिश्य सोमोऽयं नीयते मया। न दास्यामि समापातुं सोमं कस्मैचिदप्यहम्
For a certain reason, I am taking this Soma. I will not give Soma to anyone for consumption.