Garuda Purana

एतादृशी शक्तिर्ममास्ति देव तव प्रसादाद्बलिनोपि विष्णो । अथापि नाहं स्तवने समर्थः लक्ष्म्या ह्यहं कोटिगुणैर्विहीनः ॥ ३,६.

Such power is mine, O Lord, by your grace, O mighty Vishnu. Yet I am not capable of praising you; for I am deprived of Lakshmi’s qualities a millionfold.

एतत्स्तोत्रं ह्यर्थयेच्चैव या नः तत्र प्रीतिर्ह्यक्षया मे सदा स्यात् । स्तोत्रं ह्येतत्पाठयन्तीह लोके ते वैष्णवास्ते च हरिप्रियाश्च ॥ ३,६.

I ask for this hymn, so that my devotion there may always be unwavering. Those Vaishnavas who recite this hymn here in the world are dear to Hari.

कुर्वन्ति ये पठनं नित्यमेव समर्पयिष्यति सदा हरौ च । तेषां हरिः प्रीयते केशवोलं हरौ प्रसन्ने किमलभ्यमस्ति ॥ ३,६.

Those who daily recite this hymn and always offer it to Hari, for them Hari, Kesava, is pleased. When Hari is pleased, what is unattainable?

एवं स्तुत्वा वलदेवो महात्मा तूष्णीं स्थितः प्राञ्जलिरग्रतो हरेः । सरस्वत्युवाच । को वा रसज्ञो भगवन्मुरारे हरे गुणस्तवनात्कीर्तनाद्वा ॥ ३,६.

Having thus praised, the great-souled Baladeva stood silent with folded hands before Hari. Sarasvati said: Who indeed, O blessed one, O slayer of Mura, knows the taste of your virtues from praise or song?

अलंबुद्धिं प्राप्नुयाद्देवदेव ब्रह्मादिभिः सर्वदा स्तूयमान । यः कर्णनाडीं पुरुषस्य यातो भवप्रदां देहरतिं छिनत्ति ॥ ३,६.

He who is always praised by Brahma and the gods, O Lord of gods, grants supreme wisdom. When your praise enters a person’s ear, it severs attachment to the body, which brings bondage.

न केवलं देहरतिं छिनत्त्यसद्गृहक्षेत्रभार्यासुतेषु नित्यम् । पश्वादिरूपेषु धनादिकेषु अनर्घ्यरत्नेषु प्रियं छिनत्ति ॥ ३,६.

Not only does it cut attachment to the body, but also to false home, land, wife, and children, always; to cattle and other forms, to wealth, and to priceless jewels—it severs affection for all these.

अनंतवेदप्रतिपादितोपि लक्ष्मीर्न वै वेद तव स्वरूपम् । चतुर्मुखो नैव वेद न वायुरसौ न वेत्तीति किमत्र चित्रम् ॥ ३,६.

Even Lakshmi, though described in countless Vedas, does not know your true nature. Nor does the four-faced Brahma, nor Vayu; so what wonder is it that others do not know?

एतादृशस्य स्तवने क्वास्ति शक्तिर्मम प्रभो ब्रह्मवाय्वोः सकाशात् । शतैर्गुणैः सर्वदा न्यूनतास्ति अतो हरे दयया मां च पाहि ॥ ३,६.

Where is the strength in me, O Lord, to praise one such as you, when even Brahma and Vayu are always a hundredfold less? Therefore, O Hari, protect me with your compassion.

एवं स्तुत्वा हरिं सा तु तूष्णीमास खगेश्वर । भारती तु तदा स्तोतुं हरिं समुपचक्रमे ॥ ३,६.

Having thus praised Hari, she became silent, O Lord of birds. Then Bharati began to praise Hari.

भारत्युवाच । ब्रह्मेश लक्ष्मीश हरे मुरारे गुणांस्तव श्रद्दधानस्य नित्यम् । तथा स्तुवन्तोस्य विवर्धमानां मतिं च नित्यं विषयेष्वसत्सु ॥ ३,६.

Bharati said: O Lord of Brahma, Lord of Lakshmi, Hari, slayer of Mura, your virtues, when praised with faith, ever increase the mind’s attachment to the unworthy objects of the senses.

कुर्वन्ति वैराग्यममुत्र लोके ततः परं भक्तिदृढां तथैव । ततः परं चैव हरेः प्रसन्नतां कुर्वन्ति नित्यं तव देवदेव ॥ ३,६.

They produce detachment in this world and the next, and then firm devotion; and then, O Lord of gods, they always bring your favor.

तेनापरोक्षं च भवेच्च तस्य अतो गुणानां स्तवने च मे रतिः । सा तु प्रजाता पुरुषस्य नित्यं संसारदुःखं तु तदाच्छिनत्ति ॥ ३,६.

Through this, direct realization arises for that person; therefore, I have love for the praise of your virtues. That love, once born in a person, destroys the suffering of worldly existence.

विच्छिन्नदुःखस्य तदाधिकारिण आनन्दरूपाख्यफलं ददाति । हरेर्गुणानस्तुवतां च पापं तेषां हि पुण्यं च तथा क्षिणोति ॥ ३,६.

For one who is thus freed from suffering, it grants the fruit called the form of bliss. For those who praise Hari’s virtues, it destroys their sins and also their merit.

एवं विदित्वा परमो गुरुर्मम वायुर्दयालुर्मम वल्लभश्च । हरेर्गुणान्सर्वगुणप्रसारान्ममैव योग्यान्सुखमुख्यभूतान् ॥ ३,६.

Knowing thus, my supreme teacher is Vayu, compassionate and dear to me. Among all virtues, Hari’s virtues alone are fitting for me, being the foremost source of happiness.

उद्धृत्य पुण्येभ्य इवार्तबन्धुः शिवश्च नो द्रुह्यति पुण्यकीर्तिम् । तव प्रसादाच्च श्रियः प्रसादाद्वायोः प्रसादाच्च ममास्ति नित्यम् ॥ ३,६.

Just as a friend of the distressed rescues from merit, so Shiva does not oppose one who praises virtue. By your grace, by the grace of Lakshmi, and by the grace of Vayu, I always possess this.

यद्यत्करोत्येव सदैव वायुस्तत्तत्करोत्येव सदैव नित्यम् । वायोर्विरोधं न करोति देवः स तद्विरोधं च करोति नित्यम् ॥ ३,६.

Whatever Vayu does at any time, the god always does the same. The god does not act against Vayu, but always acts in accord with him.

हरेर्विरोधं न करोति वायुर्वायोर्विरोधं न करोति विष्णुः । वायोः प्रसादान्मम नास्ति किञ्चिदतानभावश्च तव प्रसादात् ॥ ३,६.

Vayu does not act against Hari, nor does Vishnu act against Vayu. By Vayu’s grace, I lack nothing; and by your grace, I am never deprived.

यथैव मूलं च तथावतारे दुःखादिकं नास्ति समीरणस्य । वायुस्तथान्ये च उभौ मुकुन्दस्तथावतारेषु न दुःखरूपौ ॥ ३,६.

Just as at the root and in its descent, wind has no suffering or the like, so too, in his descents, Mukunda and the others are not of the nature of suffering.

अशक्तवद्दृश्यते वायुदेवः युगानुसारांल्लोकधर्मांस्तु रक्षन् । नरावतारे तत्र देवे मुरारे ह्यशक्तता नेति विचिंतनीयम् ॥ ३,६.

Though the god Wind appears powerless, protecting the ways of the world according to the ages, in the descent as a man, O slayer of Mura, one should not think there is any powerlessness in that god.

अवताररूपे यमदुःखादिकं च न चिन्तनीयं ज्ञानिभिर्देवदेव । अहं कदाचित्सुखनाशप्रदेशे दैत्यांस्तथा मारयितुं गतोस्मि ॥ ३,६.

In the form of a descent, wise ones should not consider suffering and the like for the Lord of gods; for I have sometimes gone to places devoid of happiness, to slay the demons.

नैतावता मम वायोश्च नित्यं दुः खातनं नैव संचितनीयम् । एतादृशोहं स्तवनेनु कास्ति शक्तिर्गुणानां मधुसूदन प्रभो । वायोः सकाशाच्च गुणेन हीना संसाररूपे मुक्तरूपे च देव ॥ ३,६.

Therefore, neither for me nor for Vāyu should constant suffering be considered; O Madhusūdana, Lord, by such praise what power is there of qualities? From Vāyu too, being deprived of qualities, one is in the form of bondage and in the form of liberation, O god.

एवं स्तुत्वा भारती तु तूष्णीमास खगेश्वर । तदनन्तरजः शेषः प्राञ्जलिः प्राह केशवम् ॥ ३,६.

Having thus praised, Bhāratī became silent, O Lord of birds; then Śeṣa, with joined palms, spoke to Keśava.

शेष उवाच । नाहं च जाने तव पादमूलं रुद्रो न वेत्ति गरुडो न वेद । अहं वाण्याः शतगुणांशहीनो दत्त्वा ह्यायतनं पाहि मां वासुदेव ॥ ३,६.

Śeṣa said: Neither do I know your feet, nor does Rudra, nor does Garuḍa; I am a hundredfold less than Vāṇī—granting me a place, protect me, O Vāsudeva.

एवं स्तुत्वा सशेषस्तु तूष्णीमास खगेश्वर । तदनन्तरजो वीशः स्तोतुं समुपचक्रमे ॥ ३,६.

Having thus praised, Śeṣa too became silent, O Lord of birds; then Viśa, born after him, began to praise.

गरुड उवाच । तव पदोः स्तुतिं किं करोम्यहं मम पदांबुजे ह्यर्पितं मनः । कथमहं मुखे पक्षियोनिजः कथमेवङ्गुणानीडितुं क्षमः ॥ ३,६.

Garuḍa said: What praise of your feet can I offer, when my mind is fixed on your lotus feet? How can I, born among birds, be fit to praise such qualities with my mouth?

एवं स्तुत्वा तु गरुडस्तूष्णीमास नयान्वितः । तदनन्तरजो रुद्रस्तोतुं समुपचक्रमे ॥ ३,६.

Having thus praised, Garuḍa, endowed with wisdom, became silent; then Rudra, born after him, began to praise.

रुद्र उवाच । या वै तवेश भगवन्न विदाम भूमन् भक्तिर्ममास्तु शिवपादसरोजमूले । छन्नापि सा ननु सदा न ममास्ति देव तेनाद्रुहं तव विरुद्धमतः करोमि ॥ ३,६.

Rudra said: O Lord, O Blessed One, O Infinite, that devotion which I do not know—may it be at the root of Śiva's lotus feet; even if hidden, it is never mine, O god, therefore I do what is contrary to you.

सर्वान्न बुद्धिसहितस्य हरे मुरारे का शक्तिरस्ति वचने मम मूढबुद्धेः । वाण्या सदा शतगुणेन विहीनमेनं मां पाहि चेश मम चायतनं च दत्त्वा ॥ ३,६.

What power of speech do I have before you, O Hari, slayer of Mura, when my mind is deluded? Always lacking a hundredfold in speech, protect me, O Lord, and grant me a place.

एवं स्तुत्वा स रुद्रस्तु तूष्णीमास द्विजोत्तमः । शेषानन्तरजा देवी वारुणी वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ ३,६.

Having thus praised, Rudra, the best of twice-born, became silent; then the goddess Vāruṇī, born after Śeṣa, spoke.