सोऽहं पक्षैकदेशेन वहामि त्वां गतक्लमः । विमृश त्वं शनैस्तात कोऽन्वत्र बलवानिति
Yet I, with only a part of my wing, carry you without fatigue; consider carefully, dear one, who here is truly strong.
स तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा खगस्योदर्कदारुणम्। अक्षोभ्यं क्षोभयंस्तार्क्ष्यमुवाच रथचक्रभृत्
Hearing those harsh and unshakable words of the sky-roamer, the bearer of the chariot-wheel, stirring Tārkṣya, spoke.
गरुत्मन्मन्यसेत्मानं बलवन्तं सुदुर्बलम् । अलमस्मत्समक्षं ते स्तोतुमात्मानमण्डज
O Garuḍa, you think yourself strong, but you are truly very weak; enough of praising yourself before us, O egg-born one.
त्रैलोक्यमपि मे कृत्स्नमशक्तं देहधारणे। अहमेवात्मनात्मानं वहामि त्वां च धारये
Even the whole three worlds are unable to bear my body; I alone support myself by my own power, and I also sustain you.
न त्वं वहसि मां दोर्भ्यां मोघं तव विकत्थनम् ।' इमं तावन्ममैकं त्वं बाहुं सव्येतरं वह। यद्येनं धारयस्येकं सफलं ते विकत्थितम्
You do not carry me with your arms; your boasting is in vain. Now, carry just one of my arms, the left or the right; if you can support even that one, your boasting will be justified.
इत्युक्त्वा भगवांस्तस्य स्कन्धे बाहुं समासजत् । `आरोपितं समुद्वोढुं भारं तं नाशकद्बलात् ।' निपपात स भारार्तो विहलो नष्टचेतनः
Having spoken thus, the blessed one placed his arm on Garuḍa's shoulder; though it was placed, Garuḍa could not lift that weight by force. Overcome by the burden, he fell down, bewildered and unconscious.
यावान्हि भारः कृत्स्नायाः पृथिव्याः पर्वतैः सह । एकस्या देहशाखायास्तावद्भारममन्यत
The weight of the entire earth with its mountains seemed to rest on that one branch of his body.
न त्वेनं पीडयामास बलेन बलवत्तरः। ततो हि जीवितं तस्य न व्यनीनशदच्युतः
Yet, though stronger, he did not oppress him with his strength; thus, Garuḍa's life was not destroyed by the unfallen one.
व्यात्तास्यः स्रस्तकायश्च विचेता विह्वलः खगः । मुमोच पत्राणि तदा गुरुभारप्रपीडितः
With mouth agape, body slack, bewildered and distressed, the bird, oppressed by the heavy burden, then let fall his feathers.
स विष्णुं शिरसा पक्षी प्रणम्य विनतासुतः। विचेता विह्वलो दीनः किंचिद्वचनमब्रवीत्
That son of Vinatā, the bird, bowing his head to Viṣṇu, bewildered, distraught, and miserable, spoke a few words.
भगवँल्लोकसारस्य सदृशेन वपुष्मता। भुजेन स्वैरमुक्तेन निष्पिष्टोऽस्मि महीतले
O Lord, I have been crushed to the earth by your arm—so powerful, so splendid, the very essence of the worlds—freely extended.
क्षन्तुमर्हसि मे देव विह्वलस्याल्पचेतसः। बलदाहविदग्धस्य पक्षिणो ध्वजवासिनः
Forgive me, O God, for I am confused and of little understanding—a bird scorched by the fire of your strength, dwelling upon your banner.
न हि ज्ञातं बलं देव मया ते परम विभो। तेन मन्याम्यहं वीर्यमात्मनो न समं परैः
Truly, O Lord, I did not know your supreme power; therefore I believed my own strength to be unmatched by others.
ततश्चक्रे स भगवान्प्रसादं वै गरुत्मतः। मैवं भूय इति स्नेहात्तदा चैनमुवाच ह
Then the Blessed Lord, out of affection, granted favor to Garuḍa, saying, 'Let this not happen again,' and spoke to him thus.
पादाङ्गुष्ठेन चिक्षेप सुमुखं गरुडोरसि। ततः प्रभृति राजेन्द्र सहसर्पेण वर्तते
With his big toe, he touched Garuḍa's chest, and from that time onward, O king, Garuḍa has lived together with the serpent.
एवं विष्णुबलाक्रान्तो गर्वनाशमुपागतः। गरुडो बलवान्राजन्वैनतेयो महायशाः
Thus, overpowered by Viṣṇu's strength, Garuḍa, the mighty and illustrious son of Vinatā, was freed from pride.
तथा त्वमपि गान्धारे यावत्पाण्डुसुतान्रणे। नासादयसि तान्वीरांस्तावज्जीवसि पुत्रक
In the same way, O prince of Gāndhāra, until you meet the sons of Pāṇḍu in battle, you will continue to live, my child.
भीमः प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठो वायुपुत्रो महाबलः । धनञ्जयश्चेन्द्रसुतो न हन्यातां तु कं रणे
Bhīma, best of strikers, mighty son of Vāyu, and Dhanañjaya, son of Indra—neither of them will slay anyone in battle.
विष्णुर्वायुश्च शक्रश्च धर्मस्तौ चाश्विनावुभौ । एते देवास्त्वया केन हेतुना वीक्षितुं क्षमाः
Viṣṇu, Vāyu, Śakra, Dharma, and both the Aśvins—by what cause could you possibly be able to face these gods?
तदलं ते विरोधेन शमं गच्छ नृपात्मज । वासुदेवेन तीर्थेन कुलं रक्षितुमर्हसि
Enough of your hostility; seek peace, prince. With Vāsudeva as your refuge, you should protect your lineage.
प्रत्यक्षदर्शी सर्वस्य नारदोऽयं महातपाः । माहात्म्यस्य तदा विष्णोः सोऽयं चक्रगदाधरः
This Nārada, great ascetic, witness of all, has directly seen Viṣṇu's greatness—he who bears the discus and mace.
दुर्योधनस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा निश्वसन्भृकुटीमुखः। राधेयमभिसंप्रेक्ष्य जहास स्वनवत्तदा
But Duryodhana, hearing this, sighed, his brow furrowed; looking at Rādheya, he laughed aloud at that moment.
कदर्थीकृत्य तद्वाक्यमृषेः कण्वस्य दुर्मतिः । ऊरुं गजकराकारं ताडयन्निदमब्रवीत्
Disregarding the sage Kaṇva's words, the evil-minded one struck his thigh, shaped like an elephant's trunk, and spoke this:
यथैवेश्वरसृष्टोऽस्मि यद्भावि या च मे गतिः। तथा महर्षे वर्तामि किं प्रलापः करिष्यति
Just as I was created by the Lord, as fate decrees, and as my destiny unfolds, so I act, O great sage—what will your babbling accomplish?
ततः कण्वोऽब्रवीत्क्रुद्धो दुर्योधनमपण्डितम् । यस्मादूकं ताडयसि ऊरौ मृत्युर्भविष्यति
Then Kaṇva, angered, spoke to the unwise Duryodhana: 'Because you strike your thigh, death will come to you there.'
अनर्थे जातिनिर्बन्धं परार्थे लोभमोहितम्। अनार्यकेष्वभिरतं मरणे कृतनिश्चयम्
Bound to disaster, obsessed with greed and delusion for another's sake, delighting in unrighteous acts, and resolved upon death—
ज्ञातीनां दुःखकर्तारं बन्धूनां शोकवर्धनम् । सुहृदां क्लेशदातारं द्विषतां हर्षवर्धनम्
He who brings suffering to his kin, increases the sorrow of his relatives, gives distress to his friends, and increases the joy of his enemies—
कथं नैनं विमार्गस्थं वारयन्तीह बान्धवाः। सौहृदाद्वा सुहृत्स्निग्धो भगवान्वा पितामहः
How is it that his relatives do not restrain him here, though he has strayed from the right path—whether out of friendship, affection, or because the venerable grandsire is kindly disposed?
उक्तं भगवता वाक्यमुक्तं भीष्मेण यत्क्षमम्। उक्तं बहुविधं चैव नारदेनापि तच्छृणु
The words spoken by the venerable one, and those spoken by Bhishma that were appropriate, and the many teachings of Narada—listen to all these.
दुर्लभो वै सुहृच्छ्रोता दुर्लभश्च हितः सुहृत्। तिष्ठते हि सुह्यद्यत्र न बन्धुस्तत्र तिष्ठते
A true friend who gives good counsel is rare, and a well-wishing friend is also hard to find; for where a true friend stands, there a kinsman does not remain.