ज्ञानह्रदे सत्यजले रागद्वेषमलापहे । यः स्नाति मानसे तीर्थे स वै मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ २,४९.
He who bathes in the inner sacred place of the mind, in the lake of knowledge, the water of truth, which removes the impurities of passion and hatred—he indeed attains liberation.
प्रौढवैराग्यमास्थाय भजते मामनन्यभाक् । पूर्णदृष्टिः प्रसन्नात्मा स वै मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ २,४९.
Taking up mature dispassion, worshipping me with undivided devotion, with full vision and a serene mind—he indeed attains liberation.
त्यक्त्वा गृहं च यस्तीर्थे निवसेन्मरणोत्सुकः । मुक्तिक्षेत्रेषु म्रियते स वै मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ २,४९.
He who, having left home, dwells at a sacred place, eager for death, and dies in a field of liberation—he indeed attains liberation.
अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिक । पुरी द्वारवती ज्ञेयाः सप्तैता मोक्षदायिकाः ॥ २,४९.
Ayodhyā, Mathurā, Māyā, Kāśī, Kāñcī, Avantikā, and Dvāravatī—these seven cities are to be known as bestowers of liberation.
इति ते कथितं तार्क्ष्य मोक्षधर्मं सनातनम् । ज्ञानवैराग्यसहितं श्रुत्वा मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ २,४९.
Thus, O Tārkṣya, I have explained to you the eternal doctrine of liberation, accompanied by knowledge and detachment; hearing this, one attains liberation.
मोक्षं गच्छन्ति तत्त्वज्ञा धार्मिकाः स्वर्गतिं नराः । पापिनो दुर्गतिं यान्ति संसरन्ति खगादयः ॥ २,४९.
Those who know the truth attain liberation; the righteous attain heaven; sinners go to a bad state, and birds and others continue in the cycle of birth and death.
सूत उवाच । स्वप्रश्रोत्तरराद्धान्तमेवं भगवतो मुखात् । श्रुत्वा हृष्टतनुस्तार्क्ष्यो ननाम जगदीश्वरम् ॥ २,४९.
Sūta said: Having heard this conclusive teaching, arising from his own questions and answers, directly from the Lord's mouth, Tārkṣya, his body thrilled with joy, bowed to the Lord of the universe.
सन्देहो मे महान्नष्टो भवद्वाक्यविरोचनात् । इत्युक्त्वा विष्णुमामन्त्र्य स गतः कश्यपाश्रमम् ॥ २,४९.
He said, 'My great doubt has been dispelled by your illuminating words.' Thus speaking, after saluting Viṣṇu, he went to Kaśyapa's hermitage.
सद्यो देहान्तरं याति यथा याति विलम्बतः । अनयोरुभयोश्चैव न विरोधस्तथैव वः ॥ २,४९.
One may attain another body immediately or after some delay; for both, there is no contradiction, just so for you all.
सर्वमाख्यातवांस्तात श्रुतो भगवतो यथा । मारीचोऽपि मुदं लेभे श्रुत्वा वाक्यं रमापतेः ॥ २,४९.
All has been related, dear one, just as it was heard from the Lord; even Mārīca, upon hearing the words of the Lord of Lakṣmī, felt joy.
अपाकृतस्तु सन्देहो ब्राह्मणा भवतां मया । उक्तं सुपर्णसंज्ञन्तु पुराणं परमाद्भुतम् ॥ २,४९.
O Brāhmaṇas, your doubts have been dispelled by me; I have told you the wondrous ancient Purāṇa known as Suparṇa.
इदमाप हरेस्तार्क्ष्यस्तार्क्ष्यादाप ततो भृगुः । भृगोर्वसिष्ठः संप्राप वामदेवस्ततः पुनः ॥ २,४९.
Tārkṣya received this from Hari; from Tārkṣya, Bhṛgu obtained it; from Bhṛgu, Vasiṣṭha received it; then from Vasiṣṭha, Vāmadeva.
पराशरमुनिः प्राप तस्माद्व्यासस्ततो ह्यहम् । मया तु भवतां प्रोक्तं परं गुह्यं हरेरिदम् ॥ २,४९.
From him, the sage Parāśara received it; then Vyāsa, and then I; and now I have spoken to you this supreme secret of Hari.
य इदं शृणुयान्मर्त्यो यो वाप्यभिदधाति च । इहामुत्र च लोके स सर्वत्र सुखमाप्नुयात् ॥ २,४९.
Whoever among mortals hears or recites this, here or in the next world, attains happiness everywhere.
व्रजतः संयमन्यां यद्दुः खमत्र निरूपितम् । अस्य श्रवणतः पुण्यं तन्मुक्तो जायते ततः ॥ २,४९.
Whatever suffering is described here for those who stray from self-control, by hearing this, one gains merit and is freed from that.
अत्रोक्तकर्मपाकादिश्रवणाच्च नृणामिह । वैराग्यमावहेद्यस्मात्तस्माच्छ्रोतव्यमेव च ॥ २,४९.
By hearing about the results of actions and their ripening as told here, detachment arises in people; therefore, this should indeed be heard.
भजत जितहृषीकाः कृष्णमेनं मुनीशं समजनि बत यस्माद्गीः सुधासारधारा । पृषतमपि यदीयं वर्णरूपं निपीय श्रुतिपुटचुलुकेन प्राप्नुयादात्मनैक्यम् ॥ २,४९.
Worship Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of sages, whose senses are conquered, from whom the stream of nectar-like speech arose; even a drop of his words, tasted with the cup of the ear, brings unity with the Self.
व्यास उवाच । इति सूतमुखोद्गीर्णांसर्वशास्त्रार्थमण्डिताम् । वैष्णवीं वाक्सुधां पीत्वा ऋषयस्तुष्टिमाययुः ॥ २,४९.
Vyāsa said: Having drunk this nectar of Vaiṣṇava speech, adorned with the essence of all scriptures and uttered from the mouth of Sūta, the sages attained satisfaction.
प्रशशंसुस्तथान्योन्यं सूतं सर्वार्थदर्शिनम् । प्रहर्षमतुलं प्रापुर्मुनयः शौनकादयः ॥ २,४९.
They praised one another and Sūta, the knower of all meanings; the sages headed by Śaunaka experienced incomparable joy.
इति हरिवचनानि सूतवाचा खगपतिसंशयभेदकानि यानि । स मुनिरपि निशम्य शौनकेन्द्रो बहुतरमानयति स्म चात्मनि स्वम् ॥ २,४९.
Thus, the words of Hari, spoken by Sūta, which dispelled the doubts of the king of birds, were heard by the sage Śaunaka, who then reflected deeply within himself.
अपूजयंस्ते मुनयस्तदानीमुदाखाग्भिर्मुहुरेव सूतम् । धन्योऽसि सूत त्वमिहेत्युदैरयन्व्यसर्जयंस्तं च निवर्तितेऽध्वरे ॥ २,४९.
Then the sages repeatedly honored Sūta with joyful words, saying, 'You are blessed, Sūta, truly blessed here,' and dismissed him when the sacrifice was concluded.
पुराणं गारुडं पुण्यं पवित्रं पापनाशनम् २,४९.
The Garuḍa Purāṇa is holy, pure, and destroys sin.
श्रुत्वा दानानि देयानि वाचकायाखिलानि च । पूर्वोक्तशयनादीनि नान्यथा सफलं भवेत् ॥ २,४९.
Having heard of the gifts to be given, and all that is to be offered to the reciter, as well as the previously mentioned beds and so forth, if these are not given, the result will not be attained.
पुराणं पूजयेत्पूर्वं वाचकं तदनन्तरम् । वस्त्रालङ्कारगोदानैर्दक्षिणाभिश्च सादरम् ॥ २,४९.
First, one should honor the Purāṇa, and then the reciter, with respect, by giving garments, ornaments, cows, and gifts.
अन्नदानैर्हेमदानैर्भमिदानैश्च भूरिभिः । पूजयेद्वाचकं भक्त्या बहुपुण्यफलाप्तये ॥ २,४९.
With abundant gifts of food, gold, and land, one should worship the reciter with devotion, in order to obtain many meritorious results.
यश्चेदं शृणुयान्मर्त्यो यथापि परिकीर्तयेत् । विहाय यातनां घोरां धूतपापो दिवं व्रजेत् ॥ २,४९.
Whoever among mortals hears or recites this, abandoning terrible torment, having their sins washed away, will go to heaven.
अथ गारुडे ब्रह्मकाण्डस्तृतीय आरभ्यते । ओं मल्लानामशनिर्नृणां नरवरः स्त्रीणां स्मरो मूर्तिमान् गोपानां स्वजनोऽसतां क्षितिभृतां शास्ता स्वपित्रोः शिशुः । मृत्युर्भोजपतेर्विधातृविहित स्तत्त्वं परं योगिनां वृष्णीनां च पतिः सदैव शुशुभे रङ्गेऽच्युतः साग्रजः ॥ ३,१.
Now, in the Garuḍa Purāṇa, the third section, the Brahma Kāṇḍa, begins. Om. Among wrestlers, he is the thunderbolt; among men, the best of men; among women, he is embodied Kāma; among cowherds, their kinsman; among the wicked, the ruler; among kings, the protector; to his parents, a child. To the king of Bhoja, he is death; to the creator, the ordained truth; to yogis, the supreme reality; and always, in the arena, Acyuta shone forth with his elder brother.
नमो नारायणायेति तस्मै वै मूलरूपिणे । नमस्कृत्य प्रवक्ष्यामि नारायणकथामिमाम् ॥ ३,१.
Salutation to Nārāyaṇa, the one who is the root form; having bowed to him, I will now speak this tale of Nārāyaṇa.
शौनकाद्या महात्मानो ह्यृषयो ब्रह्मवादिनः । नैमिषाख्ये महापुण्ये तपस्तेपुर्महत्तरम् ॥ ३,१.
Great souls such as Śaunaka, sages devoted to Brahman, performed great austerities in the highly meritorious place called Naimiṣa.
जितेन्द्रिया जिताहाराः संतः सत्यपरायणाः । यजन्तः परया भक्त्या विष्णुमाद्यं जगद्गुरुम् ॥ ३,१.
Having conquered their senses and food, being virtuous and devoted to truth, they worshipped Viṣṇu, the original preceptor of the world, with supreme devotion.