Garuda Purana

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.

दैत्यस्थितानां बिंबानां मूलरूपस्य वै प्रभोः । परस्परं तथा भेदं ह्यन्तरं वा न चिन्तयेत् ॥ ३,२.

For the reflections situated among the Daityas, one should not contemplate any difference or separation from the original form of the Lord.

श्रीभूदुर्गादिरूपाणां तथा सीतादिरूपिणाम् । अन्योन्यं नाणुमात्रं च भेदो बाह्यान्तरेपि च ॥ ३,२.

Among the forms of Shri, Bhū, Durgā, and likewise those of Sītā and others, there is not even the slightest difference, either externally or internally.

चिन्तनीयः कथमपि ज्ञात्वा यान्त्यधरं तमः । प्रतिबिंबस्थितो बिंबः स्त्रीरूपो ह्यस्ति सर्वदा ॥ ३,२.

Whoever, having known this, still contemplates difference, they go to the lower darkness; the reflection that abides in the form of a woman always exists.

प्रलये समनुप्राप्ते लक्ष्म्या सह खगोत्तम । एकीभावं नाप्नुवन्ति बिंबेन सह संस्थिताः ॥ ३,२.

When dissolution arrives, O best of birds, those who are established with the reflection do not attain unity with the original along with Lakshmi.

बिंबस्थितानां रूपाणां लक्ष्म्याश्च विनतासुत । भेदस्तु नाणुमात्रं च शङ्कनीयः कथञ्चन ॥ ३,२.

For the forms abiding in the reflection and for Lakshmi, O son of Vinata, not even the slightest difference should be suspected in any way.

यदा हि शेते प्रलयार्णवे विभुर्जीवांश्च सर्वानुदरे निवेश्य । मुक्तांश्च ब्रह्मेन्द्रमरुद्गणादीन्प्रात्पव्यमुक्तींश्च सुतौ? च संस्थितान् ॥ ३,२.

When the Lord lies in the ocean of dissolution, having placed all living beings within his belly—those who are liberated, Brahma, Indra, the hosts of Maruts, and those who have attained liberation, as well as his sons who remain—

प्राप्तान्धकूपादिसमस्तजीवांस्तथैव प्राप्तव्यकलीनथापरान् । तथैव नित्यं सृतिसंस्थिताञ्जनानचेतनानृक्षरूपादिजीवान् ॥ ३,२.

He similarly receives all living beings who have entered the darkness of hell and others, as well as those destined for future births, and likewise those who are eternally established in the cycle of creation, and the insentient, and the living beings of the forms of trees and others.

एवं जनाञ्जठरे संनिधाय सम्यक्शेते ह्यंभसि वै स कल्पे । लक्ष्मीस्तु सा सर्ववेदात्मिका च भक्त्या हरौ नित्यसंवर्धितापि ॥ ३,२.

Thus, having placed all beings in his belly, he truly lies in the waters during the cosmic cycle; but Lakshmi, who is the essence of all the Vedas, is always nurtured by devotion to Hari.

अत्यादरं दर्शयतीव सा तु ईडे विष्णुं भक्तिसंवर्धितापि । चेष्टादिरूपेण तदा न किञ्चिदासीद्विना विष्णुमथ श्रियं च ॥ ३,२.

Though she appeared to show the utmost reverence, I praise Viṣṇu, for even though devotion had grown within her, at that time there was nothing besides Viṣṇu and Śrī in the form of action and so forth.

पर्यङ्करूपेण बभूव देवी वासस्वरूपेण रमा विरेजे । सर्वं रमा सैव तदैव चासीत्सैका देवी बहुरूपा बभाषे ॥ ३,२.

The goddess became the form of the couch, and Ramā shone forth as the garment; at that moment, Ramā alone was everything—she alone, the goddess, manifested in many forms.