Garuda Purana

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.

वारुण्युवाच । लक्ष्मीपते ब्रह्मपते मनोः पते गिरःपते रुद्रपते नृणां पते । गुणांस्तव स्तोतुमहं समर्था न पार्वती नापि सुपर्णपत्नी ॥ ३,६.

Vāruṇī said: O Lord of Lakṣmī, Lord of Brahmā, Lord of Manu, Lord of speech, Lord of Rudra, Lord of men—neither Pārvatī nor the wife of Suparṇa is able to praise your qualities, nor am I.

शेषादहं दशगुणैर्विहीना मां पाहि नित्यं जगतामधीश ॥ ३,६.

I am tenfold less than Śeṣa; protect me always, Lord of the worlds.

एवं स्तुत्वा वारुणी तु तूष्णीमास खगेश्वर । तदनन्तरजा ब्राह्मी सौपर्णी ह्युपचक्रमे ॥ ३,६.

Having thus praised, Vāruṇī became silent, O Lord of birds; then Brāhmī, born after Śeṣa, began.

सौपर्ण्युवाच । स्तोतुं गुणांस्तव हरे जगदीशवाचा श्रोतुं हरे तव कथां श्रवणे न शक्तिः । यस्तत्त्वनुं स्मरति देव तव स्वरूपं को वै नु वेद भुवि तं भगवत्पदार्थम् ॥ ३,६.

Sauparṇī said: To praise your qualities, O Hari, Lord of the world, with speech, or to hear your stories—there is no power in hearing. Who, remembering your true form, O god, knows that meaning of your divine feet on earth?

अतो गुणस्तवने नास्ति शक्तिर्वीन्द्रादहं दशगुणैरवरा च नित्यम् ॥ ३,६.

Therefore, I have no power to praise your qualities; I am always tenfold less than Indrāṇī.

एवं स्तुत्वा तु सौपर्णी तूष्णीमास खगेश्वर । रुद्रानन्तरजा स्तोतुं गिरिजा तूपचक्रमे ॥ ३,६.

Having thus praised, Sauparṇī became silent, O Lord of birds; then Girijā, born after Rudra, began to praise.

पार्वत्युवाच गोविन्द नारायण वासुदेव त्वया हि मे किञ्चिदपि प्रयोजनम् । नास्त्येव स्वामिन्न च नाम वाचा सौभाग्यरूपः सर्वदा एक एव ॥ ३,६.

Pārvatī said: Govinda, Nārāyaṇa, Vāsudeva, I truly have no need of anything from you. O Lord, there is never any other name or word for fortune—there is always only one.

नारायणेति तव नाम च एकमेव वैराग्यभक्तिविभवे परमं समर्थाम् । असंख्यब्रह्मादिकहत्यनाशाने गुर्वङ्गनाकोटिविनाशने च ॥ ३,६.

Your single name, Nārāyaṇa, is supremely powerful in bestowing detachment and devotion; it destroys the countless sins of killing Brahmins and others, and removes the ruin of millions of teachers’ wives.

नामाधिकारिणी चाहं गुणानां च महाप्रभो । स्तवने नास्ति मे शक्ती रुद्राद्दशगुणैरहम् ॥ ३,६.

O Great Lord, I am only qualified for your name, not for your qualities. I have no strength for praise; even with ten times Rudra’s power, I am lacking.

अवरा च सदास्म्येव नात्र कार्या विचारणा । एवं स्तुत्वा सा गिरिजास्तूष्णीमास खगेश्वर ॥ ३,६.

I am always inferior—there is no need to consider this further. Having thus praised him, Girijā remained silent, O Lord of Birds.