Garuda Purana

महत्तत्त्वात्पञ्चगुणैरधिकं परिकीर्तितम् । तस्माच्च द्विगुणं ज्ञेयंरजो ह्यावरणं स्मृतम् ॥ ३,१०.

From the Mahat principle, a covering five times greater is described, and from that, a covering twice as great is known as the covering of Rajas.

ततश्च द्विगुणं ज्ञेयं सत्त्वावरणमुत्तमम् । त्रयश्चैवं मिलित्वा तु एकावरणमीरितम् ॥ ३,१०.

Then, a covering twice as great is known as the highest covering of Sattva; and these three, when combined, are said to form a single covering.

अव्याकृताख्यमाकाशं तदनन्तरमीरितम् । मर्यादारहितश्चैवं तत्रास्ते हरिरव्ययः ॥ ३,१०.

Immediately after that is declared the unmanifest space, called Avyakrita, without any boundary, where the imperishable Hari abides.

अष्टमावरणं व्योम्नोरं तरा विरजा नदी । पञ्चयोजनविस्तीर्णा समन्तात्परीधीकृता ॥ ३,१०.

The eighth covering of space is the river Viraj, extending five yojanas in width, encircling on all sides.

अस्ति पुण्यतमा ज्ञेया लोकसंसारनाशिनी । एवं चतुर्मुखेनैव तदा हृष्यं ति चाण्डज ॥ ३,१०.

It is known as the most sacred, the destroyer of worldly existence; thus, O egg-born one, even the four-faced one rejoices there.

ते सर्वे विरजानद्यां सम्यक्स्नात्वा विसर्ज्य च । लिङ्गदेहं ततः पश्चान्मोक्षं विन्दन्ति ते हरेः ॥ ३,१०.

All of them, having bathed properly in the river Viraj and having abandoned the subtle body, thereafter attain liberation in Hari.

अपरोक्षदृशामेवं ब्रह्मणा सह गामिनाम् । विरजातरणं विद्धि नान्येषां विनतासुत ॥ ३,१०.

Know that only those who journey together with Brahma, possessing direct vision, can cross Viraj; none others, O son of Vinata.

अपरोक्षदृशां ब्रह्मन्व्यासादीनां खगेश्वर । विरजातरणं नास्ति भोक्तव्यत्वाच्च कर्मणः ॥ ३,१०.

O Brahman, for those with direct vision, such as Vyasa and others, there is no crossing of Viraj, O lord of birds, because of the necessity to experience the results of their actions.

विरिञ्चेनैव साकं तु कल्पेस्मिन्नधिकारिणाम् । तेषां तु नियमेनैव सर्वप्रारब्धसंक्षयः ॥ ३,१०.

Only together with Virincha, in this kalpa, for those who are qualified, is there, by rule, the complete exhaustion of all begun karma.

भवत्येवं न संदेहो नान्येषां सर्वसंक्षयः । अतस्तु विरजातरणं तेषामेव भवेत्पटो ॥ ३,१०.

Thus it is, without any doubt; for others, there is complete destruction. Therefore, only for those does the crossing of the Virajā river occur.

विरजातरणं नास्ति तेषां त (तयोस्त)त्संगिनां तथा । सर्वारब्धक्षयो नास्ति यतस्तेषां खगाधिप ॥ ३,१०.

There is no crossing of the Virajā for them, nor for those associated with them; O Lord of Birds, there is no destruction of all their accumulated karma, because of this.

अतश्च सर्वथा नास्ति विरजातरणं प्रभो । प्रलये विरजानद्या लयो नास्ति खगेश्वर ॥ ३,१०.

Therefore, in every way, O Lord, there is no crossing of the Virajā; at the time of dissolution, there is no merging into the Virajā river, O King of Birds.

लक्ष्म्यात्मिका तु सा ज्ञेया लिङ्गदेहविदारिणी । ब्रह्मत्वयोग्या ऋजवो नाम देवाः प्रकीर्तिताः ॥ ३,१०.

That (Virajā) should be understood as the very essence of Lakṣmī, which tears apart the subtle body; the gods called Ṛjavas are declared to be fit for Brahmanhood.

तेपि प्रत्येकशः संति ह्यनन्ताश्च पृथग्गणाः । पृथक्पृथक्च तैः साकं मोक्षयोग्याः खगेश्वर ॥ ३,१०.

They too exist individually, and are countless, in separate groups; together with them, others who are fit for liberation exist, O King of Birds.

जीवाः संति ह्यनेके च प्रतिकल्पे सृजन्ति ते । द्वात्रिंशल्लक्षणैः सम्यग्युक्ता वायुत्वयोग्यकाः ॥ ३,१०.

There are indeed many living beings, and in each cycle of creation, they bring forth (others); those endowed with the thirty-two marks are fit for the state of Vāyu.

अष्टका ऋषयः प्रोक्तास्तदूनाश्चक्रवर्तिनः । शतजन्म समारभ्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः ॥ ३,१०.

The eight Ṛṣis are mentioned, and the universal monarchs who are less than them; beginning from a hundred births of Brahmā, the supreme lord.

अपरोक्षमिति प्रोक्तं तथा ह्यारब्धसंक्षयः । एकेन शतकल्पेन वायुत्वं याति भो द्विज ॥ ३,१०.

This is called direct realization, and thus the exhaustion of accumulated karma; within one hundred kalpas, O twice-born, one attains the state of Vāyu.

शतजन्मनि ब्रह्मत्वं याति पश्चाद्धरेः पदम् । चत्वारिंशद्ब्रह्मकल्पं समारभ्य खगेश्वर ॥ ३,१०.

In a hundred births, one attains Brahmanhood, and after that, the abode of Hari; beginning from forty Brahma-kalpas, O King of Birds.

रुद्रस्याप्यापरोक्ष्यं स्यात्तथा प्रारब्धसंक्षयः । एकचत्वारिंशकल्पे शेषत्वं याति सुव्रत ॥ ३,१०.

For Rudra also, there is direct realization and exhaustion of accumulated karma; in forty-one kalpas, O virtuous one, he attains the state of Śeṣa.

ब्रह्मणा सह मोक्षं च याति सम्यङ्न चान्यथा । कल्पविंशतिमारभ्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः ॥ ३,१०.

Together with Brahmā, he attains liberation properly, and not otherwise; beginning from twenty kalpas of Brahmā, the supreme lord.

इन्द्रस्याप्यापरोक्ष्यं स्यात्तथा प्रारब्धसंक्षयः । ब्रह्मणैव सहायाति हरिं नारायणं परम् ॥ ३,१०.

For Indra too, there is direct realization and exhaustion of accumulated karma; together with Brahmā alone, he attains Hari, the supreme Nārāyaṇa.

गरुड उवाच । पञ्चाशीतिब्रह्मकल्पं समारभ्य महाप्रभो । रुद्रस्याप्यापरोक्ष्यं स्यात्तथा प्रारब्धसंक्षयः ॥ ३,१०.

Garuḍa said: Beginning from eighty-five Brahma-kalpas, O great Lord, for Rudra also, there is direct realization and exhaustion of accumulated karma.

इति श्रुतं मया ब्रह्मन्ब्रह्मणोक्तं हरेः प्रियात् । इत्थं त्वयोक्तं श्रीकृष्ण संशयोबाधते मम ॥ ३,१०.

Thus have I heard, O Brāhmaṇa, what was spoken by Brahmā, dear to Hari; but as you have said it thus, O Śrī Kṛṣṇa, doubt arises in me.

अतो मे संशयं छिन्धि यथा न स्यात्तथा पुनः । इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कृष्णो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ३,१०.

Therefore, remove my doubt so that it may not arise again; having heard these words, Kṛṣṇa spoke as follows.

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । ब्रह्मोक्तस्य मयोक्तस्य विवादो नास्ति सर्वथा । संदेहस्त्वज्ञदृष्टीनां ज्ञानिनां नास्ति सर्वथा ॥ ३,१०.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: There is never any contradiction between what Brahmā has said and what I have said; doubt exists only for those of ignorant vision, never for the wise.

अशीतिह्यष्टका प्रोक्ता अष्टपञ्च खगेश्वर । चत्वारिंशद्ब्रह्मकल्प एवं प्राह चतुर्मुखः ॥ ३,१०.

Eighty-eight are said to be the aṣṭakās, and eighty-five, O King of Birds; thus has the four-faced one declared, in forty Brahma-kalpas.

तत्त्वानां बहुगोप्यत्वात्तथोक्तं ब्रह्मणा पुरा । अभिप्रायस्त्वेवमेव ज्ञातव्यो नात्र संशयः ॥ ३,१०.

Because of the great secrecy of these truths, Brahmā spoke thus in former times; but the intended meaning is just as I have said—of this there is no doubt.

पञ्चा शीतिब्रह्मकल्पं ये विजानन्ति भो द्विज । तेन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति सत्यंसत्यं मयोदितम् ॥ ३,१०.

O twice-born, those who know the fifty Brahma aeons—truly, truly, I tell you—they enter into deep darkness.

विरजानन्तरं विप्रं तथा व्याकृतमंबरम् । अनन्तपारं तदपि लक्ष्मीस्तस्याभिमानिनी ॥ ३,१०.

Beyond the pure, O Brahmin, is the unmanifest ether; even that, which is endless and boundless, is Lakshmi's domain, who identifies with it.