अत्रैव च सरस्वत्या गीतं परपुरंजय। पृष्टया मुनिना वीर शृणु तार्क्ष्येण धीमता
Here, too, O conqueror of enemy cities, is a song of Sarasvati, spoken when questioned by the wise Garuda; listen to it.
किंन श्रेयः पुरुषस्येह भद्रे कथं कुर्वन्न च्यवते स्वधर्मात्। आचक्ष्व मे चारुसर्वाङ्गि सर्वं त्वया शिष्टो न च्यवेयं स्वधर्मात्
What is truly best for a person here, O blessed one? How should one act so as not to fall from one's own duty? Tell me everything, O beautiful-limbed one, so that, instructed by you, I may not stray from my own duty.
कथं चाग्निं जुहुयां पूजये वा कस्मिन्काले केन धर्मो न नश्येत्। एतत्सर्वं सुभगे प्रब्रवीहि यथा लोकान्विरजाः संचरेयम्
How should I offer oblations to fire, or worship, and at what time, by what means does righteousness not perish? O fortunate one, tell me all this, so that I may move among the worlds free from stain.
एवं पृष्टा प्रीतियुक्तेन तेन शुश्रूषुणा चोत्तमबुद्दियुक्तम्। तार्क्ष्यं विप्रं धर्मयुक्तं हितं च सरस्वती वाक्यमिदं बभाषे
Thus questioned by him, who was full of affection and eager to listen, endowed with the highest wisdom, Sarasvati spoke these words to the wise and righteous Garuda.
यो ब्रह्म जानाति यथोपदेशं स्वाध्यायनित्यः शुचिरप्रमत्तः। स वै पुरो देवलोकस्य गन्ता सहामरैः प्राप्नुयात्प्रीतियोगम्
He who knows Brahman as instructed, who is always devoted to study, pure, and vigilant—he will go before to the world of the gods, and attain union with joy among the immortals.
तत्र स्म रम्या विपुला विशोकाः सुपुष्पिताः पुष्करिण्यः सुपुण्याः। अकर्दमा मीनवत्यः सुतीर्था हिरण्मयैरावृताः पुण्डरीकैः
There, indeed, are delightful, vast, sorrowless, and well-flowered lakes, most holy, free from mud, full of fish, with excellent fords, and adorned with golden lotuses.
तासां तीरेष्वासते पुण्यभाजो महीयमानाः पृथगप्सरोभिः। सुपुण्यगन्धाभिरलंकृताभि- र्हिरण्यवर्णाभिरतीव हृष्टाः
On the banks of those rivers dwell the virtuous, honored separately by the Apsarases, adorned with most fragrant garlands, golden in hue, exceedingly joyful.
परं लोकं गोप्रदास्त्वाप्नुवन्ति दत्त्वाऽनड्वाहं सूर्यलोकं व्रजन्ति। वासो दत्त्वा चान्द्रमसं तु लोकं दत्त्वा हिरण्यममरत्वमेति
By giving a cow, one attains the highest world; by giving a bull, one goes to the world of the sun; by giving clothing, one reaches the lunar world; by giving gold, one attains immortality.
धेनुं दत्त्वा सुप्रमां साधुदोहां कल्याणवत्सामपलायिनीं च। यावन्ति रोमाणि भवन्ति तस्या- स्तावद्वर्षाण्यासते देवलोके
He who gives a cow that is excellent, yields good milk, has a fine calf, and does not stray, dwells in the world of the gods for as many years as there are hairs on that cow.
अनड्वाहं सुव्रतं यो ददाति हलस्य वोढारमनन्तवीर्यम्। धुरंधरं बलवन्तं युवानं प्राप्नोति लोकान्दशधेनुदस्य
Whoever gives a bull, well-disciplined, a bearer of the plough, of endless strength, a yoke-bearer, powerful, and young, attains worlds equal to those gained by giving ten cows.
ददाति यो वै कपिलां सचैलां कांस्योपदोहां द्रविणैरुत्तरीयैः। तैस्तैर्गुणैः कामदुहाऽथ भूत्वा नरं प्रदातारमुपैति नाकैः
He who gives a tawny cow, with her covering, yielding milk in a bronze vessel, along with wealth and upper garments, that wish-fulfilling cow, adorned with such qualities, approaches her giver in heaven.
यावन्ति रोमाणि भवन्ति धेन्वा- स्तावत्फलं लभते गोप्रदाने। पुत्रांसच् पौत्रांश्च कुलं च सर्व- मासप्तमं तारयते परत्र
As many hairs as are on a cow, so much is the fruit gained by giving a cow; he lifts up his sons, grandsons, and his entire lineage up to the seventh generation in the next world.
सदक्षिणां काञ्चनचारुशृङ्गीं कांस्योपदोहां द्रविणैरुत्तरीयैः। धेनुं तिलानां ददतो द्विजाय लोका वसूनां सुलभा भवन्ति
He who gives to a Brahmin a cow with golden beautiful horns, yielding milk in a bronze vessel, with wealth and upper garments, and of sesame seeds, easily attains the worlds of the Vasus.
स्वकर्मभिर्दानवसंनिरुद्धे तीव्रान्धकारे नरके पतन्तम्। महार्णवे नौरिव वातयुक्ता दानं गवां तारयते परत्र
When one falls into a terrible darkness in hell, bound by his own deeds, the gift of cows carries him across, like a wind-driven boat on a great ocean, to the other shore.
यो ब्राह्मदेयां तु ददाति कन्यां भूमिप्रदानं च करोति विप्रे। ददाति दानं विधिना च यश्च स लोकमाप्नोति पुरंदरस्य
He who gives a maiden in marriage to a Brahmin, or donates land to a Brahmin, or gives gifts according to rule, attains the world of Indra.
यः सप्तवर्षाणि जुहोति तार्क्ष्य हव्यं त्वग्नौ नियतः साधुशीलः। सप्तावरान्सप्तपूर्वान्पुनाति पितामहानात्मना कर्मभिः स्वैः
He who, for seven years, offers oblations to fire with discipline and good conduct, purifies seven generations of ancestors by his own deeds.
किमग्निहोत्रस्य व्रतं पुराण- माचक्ष्व मे पृच्तश्चारुरूपे। त्वयाऽनुशिष्टोऽहमिहाद्य विद्यां यदग्निहोत्रस्य व्रतं पुराणम्
Tell me, what is the ancient vow of the Agnihotra? I ask you, O beautiful one; instructed by you today, I wish to know the ancient vow of the Agnihotra.
न चाशुचिर्नाप्यनिर्णिक्तपाणि- र्नाब्रह्मविज्जुहुयान्नाविपश्चित्। बुभुत्सवः शुचिकामा हि देवा नाश्रद्दधानाद्धि हविर्जुषन्ति
One who is impure, whose hands are not washed, who does not know the Veda, or who is unwise, should not offer oblations; for the gods, desiring purity, do not accept offerings from one without faith.
नाश्रोत्रियं देवहव्ये नियुञ्ज्या- न्मोघं पुरा सिञ्चति तादृशो हि। अपूर्णमश्रोत्रियमाह तार्क्ष्य न वै तादृग्जुहुयादग्निहोत्रम्
One should not appoint a non-Vedic-knower for divine offerings; such an offering is wasted. Tārkṣya says that an uninitiated person is unfit; such a one should not perform the Agnihotra.
रये वै कृशानुं जुह्वति श्रद्दधानाः सत्यव्रता हुतशिष्टाशिनश्च। गवां लोकं प्राप्यते पुण्यगन्धं पश्यन्ति देवं परमं चापि सत्यम्
Those who offer with faith to the fire, who are truthful and eat the remnants of the sacrifice, attain the fragrant world of cows and behold the supreme god and truth itself.
क्षेत्रज्ञभूतां परलोकभावे कर्मोदये बुद्दिमभिप्रविष्टाम्। प्रज्ञां च देवीं सुभगे विमृश्य पृच्छामि त्वां का ह्यसि चारुरूपे
O beautiful one, reflecting on the divine wisdom that enters the intellect as the field-knower in the state beyond, at the rise of karma, I ask you—who are you?
अग्निहोत्रादहमभ्यागताऽस्मि विप्रर्षभाणां संशयच्छेदनाय। त्वत्संयोगादहमेतदब्रुवं भावे स्थिता तथ्यमर्थं यथावत्
I have come from the Agnihotra, to resolve the doubts of the foremost Brahmins; by your association I have spoken this, standing in truth as it is.
न हि त्वया सदृशी काचिदस्ति विभ्राजसे ह्यतिमात्रं यथा श्रीः। रूपं च ते दिव्यमनन्तकान्ति प्रज्ञां च देवीं सुभगे बिभर्षि
There is truly no one like you; you shine exceedingly, like fortune herself. Your form is divine, of endless beauty, and you possess divine wisdom, O blessed one.
श्रेष्ठानि यानि द्विपदांवरिष्ठ यज्ञेषु विद्वन्नुपपादयन्ति। तैरेव चाहं संप्रवृद्धा भवामि चाप्यायिता रूपवती च विप्र
O best of the twice-born, whatever is most excellent among men that the learned attain in sacrifices, by those very means I am nourished and grow beautiful.
यच्चापि पात्रमुपयुज्यते ह वानस्पत्यमायसं पार्थिवं वा। दिव्येन रूपेण प्रज्ञया च तेनैव सिद्धिरिति विद्धि विद्वन्
And whatever vessel is used—whether made of wood, metal, or clay—know, O wise one, that success comes from the purity of intent and understanding, not from the vessel itself.
परं पुराणं तमहं न वेद्मि
I do not know that supreme, ancient one.
तं वै परं वेदविदः प्रपन्नाः परं परेभ्यः प्रथितं पुराणम्। स्वाध्यायदानव्रतपुण्ययोगै- स्तपोधना वीतशोका विमुक्ताः
Those who know the Vedas, who are devoted to study, charity, vows, and meritorious practices—ascetics free from sorrow and liberated—have attained that supreme, renowned, ancient one.
तस्याथ मध्ये वेतसः पुण्यगन्धः सहस्रशाखो विपुलो विभाति। तस्य मूलात्सरितः प्रस्रवन्ति मधूदकप्रस्रवणाः सुपुण्याः
In its midst stands a vetasa tree, fragrant and holy, with a thousand branches, vast and resplendent; from its roots flow sacred streams of honeyed water.
शाखांशाखां महानद्यः संयान्ति सिकताशयाः। धानापूपा मांसशाकाः सदापायसकर्दमाः
To each and every branch, great rivers with sandy beds converge; there are always grains, cakes, meat, vegetables, sweet drinks, and mud of rice.
यस्मिन्नग्निमुखा देवाः सेन्द्राः सहमरुद्गणाः। ईजिरे क्रतुभिः श्रेष्ठैस्तत्पदं परमं मुने
In that place, O sage, the gods led by Agni and Indra, together with the hosts of Maruts, performed the highest sacrifices.