सूत उवाच गरुडोक्तं कश्यपाय पुरा व्यासाच्छ्रुतं मया ।। 1.
Sūta said: What was spoken by Garuḍa to Kaśyapa long ago, I heard from Vyāsa.
एको नारायणो देवो देवानामीश्वरेश्वरः 1.
Nārāyaṇa alone is the God, the supreme Lord of the gods.
जगतो रक्षणार्थाय वासुदेवोऽजरोऽमरः 1.
For the protection of the world, Vāsudeva, who is ageless and immortal, exists.
हरिः स प्रथमं देवः कौमारं सर्गमास्थितः 1.
Hari, that first God, assumed the form of Kumāra at the beginning of creation.
द्वितीयं तु भवायास्य रसातलगतां महीम् 1.
As the second, for the sake of the earth, he entered the netherworld.
तृतीयमृषिसर्गं तु देवर्षित्वमुपेत्य सः 1.
As the third, he took on the form of a sage, attaining the state of a divine seer.
नरनारायणो भूत्वा तुर्य्ये तेपे तपो हरिः 1.
Becoming Nara and Nārāyaṇa, Hari performed austerities as the fourth.
पञ्चमः कपिलो नाम सिद्धेशः कालविप्लुतम् 1.
The fifth is Kapila by name, the lord of the perfected ones, who appeared when time was disturbed.
षष्ठमत्रेरपत्यत्वं दत्तः प्राप्तोऽनसूयया 1.
The sixth son was born to Atri, granted by Anasūyā.
ततः सप्त आकूत्यां रुचेर्यज्ञोऽभ्यजायत 1.
Then, from Ākūti and Ruci, Yajña was born as the seventh.
अष्टमे मेरुदेव्यां तु नाभेर्जात उरुक्रमः 1.
In the eighth, Urukrama was born to Nābhi and Merudevī.
ऋषिभिर्याचितो भेजे नवमं पार्थिवं वपुः 1.
At the request of the sages, he assumed the ninth, royal form.
रूपं स जगृहे मात्स्यं चाक्षुषान्तरसंप्लवे 1.
He took the form of a fish during the flood of the Cākṣuṣa epoch.
सुरासुराणामुदधिं मथ्नतां मन्दराचलम् 1.
When the gods and demons churned the ocean, using Mandara Mountain,
धान्वन्तरं द्वादशमं त्रयोदशममेव च 1.
Dhanvantari appeared as the twelfth, and then the thirteenth.
चतुर्दशं नारसिंहं चैत्य (वैर) दैत्येन्द्रमूर्जितम् 1.
The fourteenth was Nṛsiṃha, who slew the mighty Daitya king.
पञ्चदशं वामनको भूत्वागादध्वरं बलेः 1.
As the fifteenth, he became Vāmana and went to Bali's sacrifice.
अवतारे षोडशमे पश्यन्ब्रह्मद्रुहो नृपान् 1.
In the sixteenth descent, seeing kings hostile to Brahman, he appeared.
ततः सप्तदशे जातः सत्यवत्यां पराशरात् 1.
Then, in the seventeenth, he was born to Satyavatī from Parāśara.
नरदेवत्वमापन्नः सुरकार्य्यचिकीर्षया 1.
He assumed a human-divine form, wishing to accomplish the work of the gods.
एकोनविंशे विंशतिमे वृष्णिषु प्राप्य जन्मनी 1.
In the nineteenth and twentieth births, he incarnated among the Vṛṣṇis.
ततः कलेस्तु सन्ध्यान्ते सम्मोहाय सुरद्विषाम् 1.
Then, at the twilight of Kali, to delude the enemies of the gods,
अथ सोऽष्टमसन्ध्यायां नष्टप्रायेषु राजसु 1.
Thus, at the eighth twilight, when kings had nearly perished,
अवतारा ह्यसंख्येया हरेः सत्त्वनिधेर्द्विजाः 1.
O twice-born, the descents of Hari, the abode of existence, are countless.
तस्मात्सर्गादयो जाताः संपूज्याश्च व्रतादिना 1.
From him, creation and other acts arise, and are to be honored with vows and the like.
कथं व्यासेन कथितं पुराणं गारुडं तव 2.
How was the Garuḍa Purāṇa told to you by Vyāsa?
सूत उवाच तत्र दृष्टो मया व्यासो ध्यायमानः परेश्वरम् ।। 2.
Sūta said: There I saw Vyāsa, absorbed in meditation on the Supreme Lord.
तं प्रणम्योपविष्टोऽहं पृष्टवान्हि मुनीश्वरम् सूत उवाच 2.
Having bowed to him, I sat down and questioned that best of sages.
मन्ये ध्यायसि तं यस्मात्तस्माज्जानासि तं विभुम् 2.
I think that because you meditate on Him, you therefore know that all-pervading One.
श्रृणु सूत ! प्रवक्ष्यामि पुराणं गारुडं तव 2.
Listen, Sūta! I will tell you the Garuḍa Purāṇa.