Garuda Purana

एतादृशं तव मुखं नुवितुं न शक्तिः शच्या समापि भगवन्परिपाहि नित्यम् । कृत्वा स्तुतिं रतिरियं परमादरेण तूष्णीं स्थिता भगवतश्च समीप एव ॥ ३,७.

Even Śacī, equal to me, is not able to praise such a face of yours, O Lord; always protect me. Having offered her praise with utmost devotion, Rati stood silently near the Lord.

रत्यनन्तरजो दक्षः स्तोतुं समुपचक्रमे ॥ ३,७.

After Rati, Dakṣa began to offer praise.

दक्ष उवाच । संचिन्तये भगवतश्चरणोदतीर्थं भक्त्या ह्यजेन परिषिक्तमजादिवन्द्यम् । यच्छौचनिःसृतमजप्रवरावतारं गङ्गाख्यतीर्थमभवत्सरितां वरिष्ठम् ॥ ३,७.

Dakṣa said: I contemplate with devotion the holy water from the Lord’s feet, sprinkled by the unborn one and worshipped by the primordial beings. Flowing from its purity, it became the Ganges, the foremost of rivers.

रुद्रोपि तेन विधृतेन जटाकलापपूतेन पादरजसा ह्यशिवः शिवोभूत् । एतादृशं ते चरणं करुणेश विष्णो स्तोतुं शक्तिर्मम नास्ति कृपावतार । रत्या समः श्रुतिगतो न गतोस्मि मोक्षमेतादृशं च परिपाहि निदानमूर्ते ॥ ३,७.

Even Rudra, who was unpurified, became auspicious by the dust of your feet, which sanctified his matted locks. O Lord of compassion, O Viṣṇu, I do not have the power to praise such feet of yours, the very embodiment of mercy. I have not attained the joy described in the scriptures, nor liberation; O source of all, protect me who am thus.

एवं स्तुत्वा स दक्षस्तु तूष्णीमेव बभूव ह । तदनन्तरजः स्तोतुं बृहस्पतिरुपाक्रमीत् ॥ ३,७.

Having thus praised, Dakṣa became silent. Then, after him, Bṛhaspati began to offer praise.

बृहस्पतिरुवाच । संचिन्तयामि सततं तव चाननाब्जं त्वं देहि दुष्टविषयेषु विरक्तिमीश ॥ ३,७.

Bṛhaspati said: I constantly contemplate your lotus face; O Lord, grant me dispassion for wicked objects.

एतेषु शक्तिर्यदि वै स जीवो कर्ता च भोक्ता च सदा च दाता । योषां च पुत्रसुहृदौ च पशूंश्च सर्वमेवं विनश्यति यतो हि तदाशु छिन्धि ॥ ३,७.

If indeed the soul has power in these things, and is always the doer, the enjoyer, and the giver, then all—wives, sons, friends, cattle—perish; therefore, swiftly cut off attachment to them.

संसारचक्रभ्रमणेनैव देव संसारदुःखमनुभूयेहागतोस्मि । शक्तिर्न चास्ति नवने मम देवदेव सत्या समं च सततं परिपाहि नित्यम् ॥ ३,७.

O God, having wandered in the cycle of worldly existence and experienced its suffering, I have come here. I have no power for renewal, O God of gods; always protect me, who am ever truthful.

एवं श्रुत्वा च परमं तूष्णीमेव स्थितो मुनिः । तदनन्तरजस्तोतुं ह्यनिरुद्धोपचक्रमे ॥ ३,७.

Having heard thus, the supreme sage remained silent. Then, after him, Aniruddha began to offer praise.

अनिरुद्ध उवाच । एवं हरेस्तव कथां रसिकां विहाय स्त्रीणां भगे च वदने परिमुह्य नित्यम् । विष्ठान्त्रपूरितबिले रसिको हि नित्यं स्थायी च सूकरवदेव विमूढबुद्धिः ॥ ३,७.

Aniruddha said: Thus, abandoning the delightful stories of Hari, one is ever bewildered by the faces and genitals of women, and, like a pig, with mind ever deluded, delights in holes filled with excrement and entrails.

मज्जास्थिपित्तकफरक्तमलादिपूर्णे चर्मान्त्रवेष्टितमुखे पतितं ह पीतम् । आस्वादने मम च पापगतेर्मुरारे मायाबलं तव विभो परमं निमित्तम् ॥ ३,७.

Fallen into and drinking from mouths wrapped in skin and entrails, filled with marrow, bone, bile, phlegm, blood, and other impurities—O Murāri, for my sinful fate, the supreme cause is your power of illusion.

संसारचक्रे भ्रमतश्च नित्यं सुदुःखरूपे सुखलेशवर्जिते । मलं वमन्तं नवभिश्च द्वारैः शरीरमारुह्य सुमूढबुद्धिः ॥ ३,७.

Ever wandering in the cycle of worldly existence, which is of the nature of intense suffering and devoid of even a trace of happiness, with mind utterly deluded, the body, ascending through nine doors, expels filth.

नमामि नित्यं तव तत्कथामृतं विहाय देव श्रुतिमूलनाशनम् । कुटुंबपोषं च सदा च कुर्वन्दानाद्यकुर्वन्निवसन् गृहे च ॥ ३,७.

I always bow to your nectar-like stories, O God, abandoning those that destroy the very root of the Vedas; ever engaged in maintaining the family, giving gifts, and dwelling in the house.

दूरे च संसारमलं त्विदं कुरु देहि ह्यदो दिव्यकथामृतं सदा । एतादृशोहं तव सद्गुणौघं स्तोतुं समर्थो नास्मि शचीसमश्च ॥ ३,७.

Remove this impurity of worldly existence far away, and always grant me that divine nectar of your stories. I am not capable, like Śacī, of praising such a flood of your virtues.

एवं स्तुत्वानिरुद्धस्तु तूष्णीमास खगेश्वर । तदनन्तरजः स्तोत्रं मनः स्वायंभुवोब्रवीत् ॥ ३,७.

Having thus praised, Aniruddha became silent, O Lord of birds. Then, after him, Svāyambhuva began to recite his hymn.

स्वायंभुव उवाच । स्तोतुं ह्यनुप्रविशतोपि न गर्भदुःखं तस्मादहं परमपूज्यपदं गतस्ते ॥ ३,७.

Svāyambhuva said: Even having entered the womb to praise you, I did not experience the suffering of the womb; thus, I have attained your supremely worshipful state.

मनोर्भार्या मानवी च यमः संयमिनीपतिः । दिशाभिमानी चन्द्रस्तु सूर्यश्चक्षुर्नियामकः । परस्परसमा ह्येते मुक्त्वा संसारमेव च ॥ ३,७.

Manu's wife is Mānavī, Yama is the lord of restraint, the Moon is the lord of directions, and the Sun is the controller of sight; all these are mutually equal, except for worldly existence.

प्रवाहाद्विगुणोनश्चेत्येवं जानीहि चाण्डज । सूर्यानन्तरजः स्तोतुं वरुणः संप्रचक्रमे ॥ ३,७.

Know thus, O son of the egg, that from the flow, the next is twice as much. After the Sun, Varuṇa began to offer praise.

वरुण उवाच । त्वद्विच्छया रचिते देहगेहे पुत्त्रे कलत्रेपि धने द्रव्यजातौ । ममाहमित्यल्पधिया च मूढा संसारदुःखे विनिमज्जन्ति सर्वे ॥ ३,७.

Varuṇa said: Through your will, the body, house, sons, wife, wealth, and all possessions are created; yet, with little understanding, all are deluded by 'mine' and 'I', and sink into the suffering of worldly existence.

अतो हरे तादृशीं मे कुबुद्धिं विनाश्य मे देहि ते पाददास्यम् । अहं मनोः पादपादार्धभूतगुणेन हीनः सर्वदा वै मुरारे ॥ ३,७.

Therefore, O Hari, destroy such evil intellect in me, and grant me the service of your feet. O Murāri, I am always deficient in virtue, possessing only half the merit of Manu's feet.

एवं स्तुत्वा तु वरुणः प्राञ्जलिः समुपस्थितः । वरुणानन्तरोत्पन्नो नारदो ह्यस्तुवद्धरिम् ॥ ३,७.

Having thus praised, Varuṇa, with joined palms, stood before you. After Varuṇa, Nārada was born and praised Hari.

नारद उवाच । यन्नामधेयश्रवणानुकीर्तनात्स्वाद्वन्यतत्त्वं मम नास्ति विष्णो । पुनीह्यतश्चैव परोवरायान्यज्जिह्वाग्रे वर्तते नाम तस्य ॥ ३,७.

Nārada said: O Viṣṇu, for me there is nothing higher than the essence gained by hearing, reciting, or remembering Your name. Therefore, purify me, for whatever other name exists on the tip of one's tongue is inferior to Yours.

यज्जिह्वाग्रे हरिनामैव नास्ति स ब्राह्मणो नैव स एव गोखरः । अहं न जाने च तव स्वरूपं न्यूनो ह्यहं वरुणात्सर्वदैव ॥ ३,७.

He whose tongue does not hold the name of Hari is not a brāhmaṇa; he is indeed like a cow or a donkey. I do not know Your true form; I am always inferior to Varuṇa.

एवं स्तुत्वा नारदो वै खगेन्द्रस्तूष्णीमभूद्देवदेवस्य चाग्रे । यो नारदानन्तरं संबभूव भृगुर्महात्मा स्तोतुमुपप्रचक्रमे ॥ ३,७.

Having thus praised the god of gods, Nārada, the foremost of birds, became silent. Then, after Nārada, the great-souled Bhṛgu began to offer his praise.

भृगुरुवाच । किमासनं ते गरुडासनाय किं भूषणं कौस्तुभभूषणाय । लक्ष्मीकलत्राय किमस्ति देयं वागीश किं ते वचनीयमस्ति । अतो न जाने तव सद्गुणांश्च ह्यहं सदा वरुणात्पादहीनः ॥ ३,७.

Bhṛgu said: What seat could be worthy of You, who has Garuḍa as Your seat? What ornament could befit You, adorned with the Kaustubha gem? What could be given to You, whose consort is Lakṣmī? O Lord of speech, what words could be spoken to You? Thus, I do not know Your noble qualities; I am always lacking, being footless from Varuṇa.

एवं स्तुत्वा हरिं देवं भृगुस्तूष्णीं बभूव ह । तदनन्तरजो ह्यग्निरस्तावीत्पुरुषोत्तमम् ॥ ३,७.

Having thus praised Lord Hari, Bhṛgu became silent. Then, Agni, who was born next, began to praise the Supreme Person.

अग्निरुवाच । यत्तेजसाहं सुसमिद्धतेजा हव्यं वहाम्यध्वरे आज्यसिक्तम् ॥ ३,७.

Agni said: By Your radiance, I am endowed with blazing energy and carry the oblations poured with ghee in the sacrifice.

यत्तेजसाहं जठरे संप्रविश्य पचन्नन्नं सर्वदा पूर्णशक्तिः । अतो न जाने तव सद्गुणांश्च भृगोरहं सर्वदैवं समोस्मि ॥ ३,७.

By Your radiance, I enter the stomach and always cook food with full power. Therefore, I do not know Your noble qualities; I am always equal to Bhṛgu.

तदनन्तरजा स्तोतुं प्रसूतिरुपचक्रमे ॥ ३,७.

Then, after him, Prasūti began to offer her praise.