Garuda Purana

ईशकोटिप्रविष्टत्वाच्छ्रियः स्वामित्वमीरितम् । त्रयाणामुपजीव्यत्वात्सेव्यत्वात्स्वामिता स्मृताः ॥ ३,१.

Because of entering the multitude of lords, the sovereignty of Shri is declared; because all three are to be served and worshipped, their lordship is remembered.

वाय्वादीनां त्रयाणां च सेव्यत्वात्सेव्यता स्मृता । भूभारहरणे विष्णोः प्रधानाङ्गं हि मारुतिः ॥ ३,१.

Because the three—wind and the others—are to be worshipped or not, it is said so; among them, Maruti is the principal limb of Vishnu in removing the burden of the earth.

वाक्यरूपा भारती तु द्वितीयाङ्गं हि सा स्मृता । तृतीयाङ्ग हरेः शेषो न नम्याः साम्यतो हरेः ॥ ३,१.

Speech, in the form of Bharati, is considered the second limb; Shesha is the third limb of Hari—these are not to be worshipped equally with Hari.

प्रतिपाद्या मुख्यतया नम्या एव समीरिताः । अवान्तराश्च वाय्वाद्या न नम्यास्तेन ते स्मृताः ॥ ३,१.

Those who are to be primarily worshipped are declared as such; the subordinate ones, like Vayu and the rest, are not to be worshipped, and thus they are remembered.

भीष्मद्रोणादिनामानि भीमादिष्वेव मुख्यतः । वाचकानि यतो नित्यं तन्नम्यास्ते मुनीश्वराः ॥ ३,१.

Names like Bhishma and Drona are primarily applied to Bhima and others; therefore, O best of sages, those are the ones to be worshipped.

पराणामेव नम्यत्वं प्रतिपाद्यत्वमेव हि । एतत्सर्वं मयाख्यातं किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छथ ॥ ३,१.

Only the highest are to be worshipped, and the others are to be understood as their representatives; all this has been explained by me—what else do you wish to hear?

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् २ श्रीशौनक उवाच । कथं ससर्ज भगवांस्तत्तत्तत्त्वाभिमानिनः । सृष्टिक्रमं न जानामि देवानां ह्यन्तरं मुने ॥ ३,२.

Shaunaka said: How did the Blessed Lord create those who are identified with each principle? I do not know the order of creation or the distinctions among the gods, O sage.

शौनकेनैव मुक्तस्तु सूतो वचनमब्रवीत् । शूत उवाच । सम्यग्व्यवसिता बुद्धिस्तव ब्रह्मर्षिसत्तम ॥ ३,२.

Released by Shaunaka himself, Suta spoke these words: Suta said: Your understanding is well settled, O best of Brahmarshis.

एवमेव कृतः प्रश्रो हरौ तु गरुडेन वै । यदुक्तवान्हरिस्तस्मैतद्वक्ष्यामि तवानघ । गरुड उवाच । सृष्टिं व्रूहि महाभाग सच्चिदानन्दविग्रह ॥ ३,२.

In the same way, Garuda asked Hari this question; what Hari spoke to him, O sinless one, I will now tell you. Garuda said: Tell me about creation, O great one, whose form is existence, consciousness, and bliss.

सृष्टौ ज्ञाते तवोत्कर्षो ज्ञातप्रायो भविष्यति । ब्रह्मादीनां तारतम्यज्ञानं मम भविष्यति ॥ ३,२.

By knowing creation, your greatness will become almost fully known; I will gain knowledge of the gradations among Brahma and the others.

मोक्षोपायम्यः स वोक्त मिततरत्तस्य साधनम् । गरुडेनैव मुक्तस्तु कृष्णो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ३,२.

The means to liberation, which is to be spoken, and the method for attaining it—released by Garuda himself, Krishna spoke these words.

शृकृष्ण उवाच मूलरूपे ह्यतो ज्ञेयो विष्णुत्वाद्विष्णुरव्ययः ॥ ३,२.

Sri Krishna said: In the original form, therefore, Vishnu, the imperishable, is to be known as Vishnu.

अवतारमिदं प्रोक्तं पूर्णत्वादेव सुव्रत । अनेको ह्येकतां प्राप्य संशेते प्रलयाय वै ॥ ३,२.

This manifestation is called an incarnation because of its completeness, O virtuous one; though many, they become one and rest for the dissolution.

तत्रापि च विशेषोस्ति ज्ञातव्यं तत्वमेव सः ॥ ३,२.

Even there, there is a distinction; that very principle is to be known.

भेदेन दर्शनाद्वापि भेदाभेदेन दर्शनात् । विष्णोर्गुणानां रूपाणां तदङ्गानां सुखादिनाम् । तत्रैव दशनाद्वापि क्षिप्रमेव तमो व्रजेत् ॥ ३,२.

Whether by seeing difference or by seeing both difference and non-difference in the qualities, forms, limbs, and pleasures of Vishnu—by seeing only that, darkness quickly departs.

पुरुषान्तरमारभ्य कल्पिता ये द्विजोत्तम । हरिरूपास्तु ते ज्ञेया एकीभूता हि तेन ते ॥ ३,२.

Beginning with another person, O best of twice-born, those who are conceived are to be known as forms of Hari; they are united with him.

प्रलये समनुप्राप्ते जीवाः स यान्ति मामकाः । विराड्रूपे हरेः संति तदा ते च ह्यनेकधा ॥ ३,२.

When dissolution comes, my own souls go; in the cosmic form of Hari, they exist, and then they become many.

एकीभावं प्राप्नुवन्ति मूलेन प्रलये द्विज । बिंबेन तु स्वयं विष्णुरेकीभावं व्रजेद्यदि ॥ ३,२.

They attain unity with the root at dissolution, O twice-born; but if Vishnu himself, as the original, attains unity—

प्रतिबिंबः कथं जीवो भवेन्नारायणस्य च । तदधीनस्तत्सदृशो हरेर्जीवो न संशयः ॥ ३,२.

How can the individual soul become a reflection of Narayana? Dependent on him, resembling him, the soul of Hari—of this there is no doubt.

प्रतिबिंबस्य शब्दार्थो ह्ययमेवमुदाहृतः । तस्माच्च बिंबरूपाणामेकीभावं न चिन्तयेत् ॥ ३,२.

The meaning of the word 'reflection' is thus explained; therefore, one should not contemplate the merging of the forms of the original and the reflection.

कृष्णरामादिवच्चैव त्वेकीभावो विवक्षितः । बिंबानां मूलरूपस्य भेदो नात्र विवक्षितः ॥ ३,२.

Just as with Krishna, Rama, and others, only the unity of the reflections is intended; the distinction of the original form is not intended here.

तत्रापि च विशेषोस्ति ज्ञातव्यस्तत्त्वमिच्छुभिः । एकांशेन तु बिंबैस्तु चैकीभावं व्रजन्ति ते ॥ ३,२.

Even there, a distinction exists, which must be known by those who seek the truth; for only in one aspect do the reflections attain unity.

एकांशेन तु जीवत्वे संस्थिता नात्र संशयः । बिंबमूलं न जानन्ति ते जना ह्यसुराः स्मृताः ॥ ३,२.

Indeed, in one aspect, they remain as living beings—of this there is no doubt; those people who do not know the original source of the reflection are called asuras.

एक एव हरिः पूर्वं ह्यविद्यावशतः स्वयम् । अनेको भवति ह्यारादादर्शप्रतिबिंबवत् ॥ ३,२.

Hari was originally one alone, but by the power of ignorance, he becomes many, just like reflections in many mirrors.

एवं वदन्ति ये मूढास्तेपि यान्त्यधरं तमः । उपाधिर्द्विविधः प्रोक्तः स्वरूपो बाह्य एव च ॥ ३,२.

Those deluded ones who speak thus also go to the lower darkness; the limiting adjunct is said to be twofold: the essential and the external.

बाह्योपाधिर्लये याति मुक्तावन्यस्य संस्थितिः । सर्वोपाधिविनाशे हि प्रतिबिंबः कथं भवेत् ॥ ३,२.

The external adjunct dissolves at dissolution, while the other remains; when all adjuncts are destroyed, how can the reflection exist?

चिद्रूपाख्यो ह्युपाधिस्तु मोक्षे येप्यधिकारिणः । दुःखरूपो ह्युपाधिस्तु तमसो येधिकारिणः ॥ ३,२.

The adjunct called 'consciousness-form' pertains to those eligible for liberation; the adjunct of the form of suffering pertains to those eligible for darkness.

मिश्ररूपो ह्युपाधिस्तु नित्यसंसारिणां मतः । बाह्योपाधिर्लिङ्गदेहः सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः ॥ ३,२.

The adjunct of mixed form is considered to belong to those eternally bound in transmigration; the external adjunct is the subtle body for all—of this there is no doubt.

दैत्याः दुःखायते यस्मात्तस्मादुःखी हरिः स्वयम् । तत्तद्दुःखस्वरूपत्वाद्दैत्यानां बिंबरूपकः ॥ ३,२.

Because the Daityas are subject to suffering, therefore Hari himself is considered afflicted; due to the nature of suffering in the Daityas, he is their reflected form.