Garuda Purana

वाणी विजानाति हरेर्गुणांश्च स्वयंभुवो नैव तावद्विशेषान् । त्रैगुण्यरूपात्परतः सदैव पश्येद्विष्णुं कृष्णरूपं खगेन्द्र ॥ ३,१९.

Vani knows the qualities of Hari, but Svayambhu does not know the distinctions; always, beyond the threefold qualities, he sees Vishnu in the form of Krishna, O king of birds.

शेषो रुद्रो वीन्द्र एतैश्च सर्वे तमो मात्रे प्रविजानन्ति संस्थम् । वाणीदृष्टान्सविशेषान् गुणांस्ते जानन्ति नो सत्यमेवोक्तमङ्ग ॥ ३,१९.

Shesha, Rudra, and Indra, and all these, know only the state of darkness; the qualities seen by Vani, with distinctions, they do not know—this is truly stated, O dear one.

उमा सुपर्णा वारुणी चेति तिस्रः सहैव तः प्रविजानन्ति सुस्थम् । हरेर्विशेषानरुद्र दृष्टान्खगेन्द्र जानन्ति नैताः क्वापि देशे च काले ॥ ३,१९.

Uma, Suparna, and Varuni—these three together know well; but the distinctions of Hari seen by Rudra, O king of birds, these do not know anywhere, in any place or time.

इन्द्रादयः प्रविजानन्ति वीन्द्र अहङ्कारे व्याप्तरूपं हरिं च । दक्षाद्या वै बुद्धितत्त्वे स्थितं तं जानन्ति ते सोमसूर्यादयश्च ॥ ३,१९.

Indra and others know Hari as established in the form pervaded by ego; Daksha and others know him as established in the principle of intellect, as do Soma, Surya, and others.

विष्णुं हरिं भूततत्त्वे स्थितं च ये चान्ये च प्रविजानन्ति नित्यम् । अन्ये च पश्यन्ति यथा स्वयोग्यमण्डान्तरस्थं हरिरूपं खगेन्द्र ॥ ३,१९.

Those who know Vishnu, Hari, as established in the principle of elements, and others, always know; others see, according to their own fitness, Hari's form as established within the cosmic sphere, O king of birds.

केचित्प्रपश्यन्ति हरेश्च रूपं त्वदीयहृत्स्थं हृदि केचित्सदैव । एवंप्रकारं प्रविजानीहि वीन्द्र ह्यथो शृणु त्वंमम भार्याः षडेताः ॥ ३,१९.

Some perceive the form of Hari, ever present within their own hearts; others see Him always in their hearts. O best of birds, understand this well. Now listen as I tell you of my six wives.

रुक्मिण्याद्याः षण्महिष्यो ममश्रीर्नीला च या मम भार्या खगेन्द्र । सर्गे पूर्वस्मिन्हव्यवाहस्य पुत्री तास्ता भजे सद्य एवा विशेषात् ॥ ३,१९.

Rukmini and the other five queens are my wives, O king of birds, as is Shri Nila. In the previous creation, at the time of the sacrificial offering, they were the daughters of Havyavaha. I especially worship them even now.

कन्यैव सा कृष्णपत्नी च कामांस्तांस्तान् भजेन्मनसा चिन्तितांश्च । अतीव यत्नं कव्यवाहं खगेन्द्र पितृष्वेकः सर्वदा वै चकार ॥ ३,१९.

That maiden, though a wife of Krishna, desired only Him in her heart, and worshipped Him in her thoughts. O king of birds, Havyavaha made great efforts for her, always and above all, on behalf of the ancestors.

तथैव सा नैव भर्तारमाप यतस्तु सा कृष्णनिष्ठैकचित्ता ॥ ३,१९.

Yet, even so, she did not accept a husband, for her mind was fixed solely on Krishna.

तदाब्रवीत्कव्यवाहश्च पुत्रीं पतिं किमर्थं नेच्छसि मूढबुद्धे । तदाब्रवीत्कव्यवाहं च पुत्त्री हरिं विना सर्वगुणोपपन्ने । जन्मन्यस्मिन् भर्तृता नास्ति देव यतो भर्ता हरिरेवैक एव ॥ ३,१९.

Then Havyavaha said to his daughter, 'Foolish one, why do you not desire a husband?' The daughter replied to Havyavaha, 'O father, except for Hari, who is endowed with all virtues, there is no husband for me in this life, for Hari alone is truly the husband.'

यतो लोके सुस्त्रियः सर्व एव संदा ज्ञेया विधवास्ते हि नित्यम् । अनादिनित्यं भुवनैकसारं सुसुंदरं मोक्षदं कामदं च ॥ ३,१९.

Therefore, in this world, all women should be understood as widows, for their husbands are always so, except for Him who is beginningless and eternal, the unique essence of the worlds, supremely beautiful, bestower of liberation and of all desires.

एतादृशं न विजानन्ति यास्तु सर्वास्ता वै विधवाः सर्वदैव । निमित्तभूतं भर्तृरूपं च जीवं दैवोपेतं हरिभक्त्या विहीनम् ॥ ३,१९.

Those women who do not know this are always truly widows. The embodied soul, appearing as a husband, is only a cause, lacking devotion to Hari and endowed with fate.

सुकश्मलं नवरन्ध्रैः स्रवन्तं दुर्गन्धयुक्तं सर्वदा कुत्सितं च । एतादृशे भर्तृजीवे नु तात प्रयोजनं नास्ति कृष्णं विहाय ॥ ३,१९.

O dear one, what use is there in a husband who is a body, always impure, oozing from nine openings, foul-smelling and contemptible, if one abandons Krishna?

देवस्त्रियो निजभर्तॄन्विहाय तत्र स्थितं प्रीणयन्त्येव नित्यम् । अतश्च ताः सधवाः सर्वदैव लोकैर्वन्द्या नात्र विचार्यमस्ति ॥ ३,१९.

The divine women, forsaking their own husbands, always please Him who is present there. Therefore, those true wives are always worthy of honor in the worlds; there is no doubt about this.

भर्तास्ते हरिभक्ता यदि स्युरासां स्त्रीणां जन्मसाफल्यमेव । अनेकजन्मार्जितपुण्यसंचयैस्तद्भर्तारो हरिभक्ता भवेयुः ॥ ३,१९.

If their husbands are devotees of Hari, then the birth of those women is truly fulfilled. Only by the accumulation of merits over many births do such women obtain husbands who are devotees of Hari.

यद्भर्तारो हरिभक्ता न संति ताभिस्त्याज्यं स्वीयगात्रं भृशं हि । स्वभर्तृतं कृष्णरूपं हरिं च स्मृत्वा सम्यग्यदि गात्रं त्यजेयुः ॥ ३,१९.

If their husbands are not devotees of Hari, those women should indeed abandon their own bodies. Remembering their true husband as Krishna, as Hari, if they give up the body properly, it is right.

तदा नैव ह्यात्महत्यादिदोषाः स्त्रीणामेवं निर्णयोयं हि शास्त्रे । यद्भर्तारो न विजानन्ति विष्णुं तासां संगो नैव कार्यः कदापि ॥ ३,१९.

Then, for such women, there is no fault of self-destruction or the like; this is the decision of scripture. If their husbands do not know Vishnu, they should never associate with them.

अनेक जन्मार्जितपुण्यसंचयात्तद्भर्तारो विष्णुभक्ता भवेयुः । कलौ युगे दुर्लभा विष्णुभक्ता हरेभक्तिर्दुर्लभा सर्वदैव ॥ ३,१९.

Only by the accumulation of merit over many births do such women obtain husbands who are devotees of Vishnu. In the age of Kali, devotees of Vishnu are rare; devotion to Hari is always difficult to attain.

हरेः कथा दुर्लभा मर्त्यलोके हरेर्दीक्षा दुर्लभा दुर्लभा च । हरेस्तत्त्वे निर्णयो दुर्लभो हि हरेर्दासैः संगमो दुर्लभश्च ॥ ३,१९.

In the world of mortals, the stories of Hari are rare, initiation into Hari is rare, and so too is the discernment of Hari's true nature. Association with the servants of Hari is also rare.

प्रदक्षिणं दुर्लभं वै मुरारेर्नमस्कारो दुर्लभो वै कलौ च । तद्भक्तानां पालनं दुर्लभं च सद्वैष्णवानां दुर्लभं ह्यन्नदानम् ॥ ३,१९.

Circumambulation of Murari is rare, as is bowing to Him in the age of Kali. Protecting His devotees is rare, and giving food to true Vaishnavas is also rare.

तन्त्रोक्तपूजा दुर्लभा वै मुरारेर्नामग्रहो दुर्लभश्चव विष्णोः । सुवैष्णवानां पुजनं दुर्लभं हि सद्वैष्णवानां भाषणं दुर्लभं च ॥ ३,१९.

The worship of Murari as prescribed in the Tantras is rare, and so is the utterance of Vishnu's name. Honoring true Vaishnavas is rare, and speaking with true Vaishnavas is also rare.

शालग्रामस्पर्शनं दुर्लभं च सद्वैष्णवानां दर्शनं दुर्लभं हि । गोस्पर्शनं दुर्लभं मर्त्यलोके सद्गायनं दुर्लभं सद्गुरुञ्च ॥ ३,१९.

Touching a Shalagrama stone is rare, as is seeing true Vaishnavas. Touching a cow in the world of mortals is rare, as is singing sacred songs and finding a true teacher.

सद्भार्याः सत्पुत्रका दुर्लभा हि शेषाचलस्थस्य हरेश्च दर्शनम् । सुदुर्लभं रङ्गनाथस्य तीरे कावेर्या वै दर्शनं विष्णुपद्याः ॥ ३,१९.

A virtuous wife and good sons are rare, as is the vision of Hari dwelling on Shesha mountain. The sight of Ranganatha on the banks of the Kaveri, at Vishnupada, is exceedingly rare.

काञ्चीक्षेत्रे वरदराजस्य सेवा सुदुर्लभा दर्शनं चैव लोके । सुदुर्लभं दर्शनं रामसेतोः सुदुर्लभा मध्वशास्त्रे च शक्तिः ॥ ३,१९.

Service to Varadaraja in the Kanchi region is exceedingly rare, as is his vision in this world; the sight of Rama's bridge is also very rare, as is mastery in the Madhva doctrine.

भीमातीरे संस्थितस्यापि विष्णोः सुदुर्लभं दर्शनं चाहुरार्याः । रेवातीरे संस्थितस्यापि विष्णोर्गयाक्षेत्रे विष्णुपादस्य चैव ॥ ३,१९.

Even for those dwelling on the banks of the Bhima, the vision of Vishnu is said by the noble ones to be exceedingly rare; likewise, for those on the banks of the Reva, and at Gaya, the sight of Vishnu's footprint is rare.

तथा बद्रौ संस्थित स्यापि विष्णोः सुदुर्लभं मर्त्यलोके स्थितानाम् । शेषाचले श्रीनिवासाश्रमे च तपस्विनो दुर्लभा मर्त्यलोके ॥ ३,१९.

Similarly, even for those residing at Badari, the vision of Vishnu is exceedingly rare for mortals; and for ascetics at Shesha Hill and the hermitage of Srinivasa, it is difficult to attain in the mortal world.

प्रयागाख्ये माधवस्यापि नित्यं सुदर्शनं दुर्लभं वै नृणां हि ॥ ३,१९.

Even at Prayaga, the constant vision of Madhava is very difficult for people to obtain.

अतो नेच्छामि भर्तारं कृष्णादन्यं कदाचन । एवमुक्त्वा सा पितरं ययौ शेषाचलं प्रति ॥ ३,१९.

Therefore, I do not wish for any husband other than Krishna, ever. Having spoken thus to her father, she departed towards Shesha Hill.

कपिलाख्यमहातीर्थे आरुरोह महागिरिम् । तत्रस्थं श्रीनिवासं च दृष्ट्वा नत्वा महासती ॥ ३,१९.

At the great Kapila sacred river, she ascended the great mountain; seeing Srinivasa there, the noble lady bowed to him.