Garuda Purana

वरं वरय भद्रं ते वरदोहमिहागतः । हरिणोदीरितं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा प्राह स्मितानना ॥ ३,१९.

Choose your boon, auspicious one; I have come here as the grantor of boons. Hearing the words spoken by Hari, she replied with a smiling face.

उवाच परया भक्त्या श्रीनिवासं जगत्प्रभुम् । अहं हि भार्या भूयासं तव माधव सुंदर ॥ ३,१९.

With supreme devotion, she spoke to Śrīnivāsa, the Lord of the universe: 'O beautiful Mādhava, may I become your wife.'

इति तस्या वचः श्रुत्वा श्रीनिवासोऽब्रवीद्वचः । श्रीभगवानुवाच । अहं कुमारि सुभगे कृष्णजन्मनि भूतले ॥ ३,१९.

Hearing her words, Śrīnivāsa replied: The Blessed Lord said: 'O fortunate maiden, in the earthly birth as Kṛṣṇa—'

भवामि तव भर्ताहं नात्र कार्या विचारणा । एवमुक्ता सुता कन्या पुरण्यराशिं हरिं परम् ॥ ३,१९.

'I shall be your husband; there is no need for further deliberation.' Thus addressed, the maiden, daughter of Puraṇya, beheld Hari, the Supreme One.

उवाच परमप्रीता हर्षगद्गदया गिरा । कन्योवाच । कृष्णजन्मन्यहं पत्नी भूयासं प्रथमेहनि ॥ ३,१९.

Overwhelmed with joy, she spoke with a voice choked with happiness: The maiden said: 'In Kṛṣṇa’s birth, may I become your wife on the very first day.'

संस्कारात्प्रथमं चाहमं गनाभ्यः समावृणे । ओमित्युक्तः पुनर्वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः ॥ ३,१९.

'From the very first rite, I choose you above all others.' When she had spoken thus, saying 'Om,' Madhusūdana spoke again.

श्रीभगवानुवाच । कुमार्या विधृतत्वाच्च मत्प्रदानाच्च भामिनि । तेषां मनोभीष्टसिद्धिर्भविष्यति न संशयः ॥ ३,१९.

The Blessed Lord said: 'Because the maiden has chosen and been given by me, O beautiful one, their heart’s desires will surely be fulfilled—there is no doubt.'

इति तस्यै वरं दत्त्वा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । देहं तत्रैव संत्यज्य कुमारी चैव पुत्रिका ॥ ३,१९.

Having granted her this boon, he vanished there itself. There, the maiden left her body and became a daughter.

कुम्भ कस्य गृहे जाता नीला नाम्ना तु सा स्मृता । कुंभकस्तु महाभाग नन्दशोभस्य शालकः ॥ ३,१९.

She was born in the house of Kumbhaka and became known by the name Nīlā. Kumbhaka, O most fortunate one, was the son of Nandaśobha.

कल्पवाहः स विज्ञेयः पितॄणां प्रथमः स्मृतः । तस्य गत्वा गृहमहं वृषभाचलवासिनः । शिवस्य वरतश्चैव त्वजेयः खगसत्तम ॥ ३,१९.

He is to be known as Kalpavāha, remembered as the foremost among the ancestors. I went to the house of that resident of Vṛṣabhācala, by the boon of Śiva, O best of birds, unconquered.

दितिजान्विनिहत्यैव नीला प्राप्ता खगेश्वर । ततो नाग्निजितो राज्ञो गृहे जाता कुमारिका ॥ ३,१९.

Having slain the offspring of Diti, Nīlā attained the Lord of birds. Then, she was born as a maiden in the house of King Nāgnijit.

नाग्निजित्कव्यवाहोभूत्कन्या नीलाह्वयाभवत् । तस्याः स्वयंवरे चाहं गोवृषान्सप्तसंख्यकान् ॥ ३,१९.

By the marriage arrangement of Nāgnijit, the maiden was called Nīlā. At her svayaṃvara, I subdued seven bulls.

शिवस्य वरतश्चैवाप्यवध्यान्देवमानुषैः । बद्ध्वा वृषान्नृपाञ्जित्वा प्राप्ता नीला महाखग ॥ ३,१९.

By the boon of Śiva, the bulls could not be overcome by gods or men. Binding the bulls and defeating the kings, Nīlā was won, O great bird.

कुंभकस्य सुता नीला देहस्थाः प्राविशन् भृशम् । एकावयवतो यस्मात्तस्मात्तत्रैव साविशत् ॥ ३,१९.

Nīlā, daughter of Kumbhaka, entered her body with great force. Since she was of one body, she entered there itself.

भूमौ द्विधा संप्रजाता कुमार्येव न संशयः । भद्राजन्म प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु पक्षीन्द्रसत्तम ॥ ३,१९.

On earth, she was born as two maidens—there is no doubt. I will now tell you of Bhadrā’s birth; listen, O best of bird-kings.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् २० श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । या पूर्वसर्गे नलसंज्ञस्य वीन्द्र पुत्री भूत्वा विष्णुपत्नी सकामा । प्रदक्षिणं भ्रमणं वै चकार गुणेन भद्रा भद्रसंज्ञा बभूव ॥ ३,२०.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: In a previous creation, Bhadrā, daughter of Nala, became the wife of Viṣṇu by her own wish. By her virtue, she performed circumambulation and became known as Bhadrā.

कन्याभावे संस्थितां भद्रसंज्ञां पिता नलस्त्वब्रवीत्तां स पश्यन् । भद्रे किमर्थं गात्रपीडां करोषि फलं हि तन्नन्दिनि मे वदस्व ॥ ३,२०.

While Bhadrā remained in maidenhood, her father Nala, seeing her, spoke: 'Bhadrā, why do you inflict pain upon your body? Tell me, dear one, what fruit you seek.'

भद्रोवाच । शृणुत्वं मे तात नमस्क्रियादेः फलं वक्तुं का समर्था भवेच्च ॥ ३,२०.

Bhadrā said: 'Listen, father, who is truly able to describe the fruit of salutation and worship?'

तथाप्यहं तव वक्ष्यामि तात यथाशक्त्या शृणु सम्यग्घिताय । सदा हरिमर्म नाथो दयालुरहं हरेस्तव दासानुदासी । मां पाहि विष्णोस्तव वन्दे पदे इत्युक्त्वा प्रणामं चाकरोद्दण्डरूपम् ॥ ३,२०.

‘Still, I will tell you as best I can, father; listen well for your benefit. Always, Hari is my Lord, compassionate; I am a servant of the servants of Hari. I say, “Protect me, O Viṣṇu; I bow at your feet,” and thus performed a full prostration.'

हरेः प्रणामं त्विति कर्तव्यशून्यं व्यर्थं तमाहुर्ज्ञानिनस्तच्छृणु त्वम् । रमेश मध्वेश सरस्वतीशेत्येवं वदन्प्रणमेद्विष्णुदेवम् ॥ ३,२०.

The wise declare that offering empty, pointless salutations to Hari is fruitless; listen to this. One should bow to Vishnu, the Lord, uttering names such as Ramesha, Madhvesha, Sarasvatiesha.

यथा प्रसन्नो वन्दनाद्देवद्देव स्तथा न तुष्टः पूजनात्कर्मतश्च । यथा नामस्मरणाद्वन्दनाद्वा पापान्नियच्छेतु तथा न चान्यैः ॥ ३,२०.

Just as the deity is pleased by salutations, not by ritual worship or actions; only by remembrance of his name or by bowing are sins restrained, not by other means.

देहं तु ये पोषयन्त्येव तात हरेः प्रणामैः शून्यभूतं च पुष्टम् । तदेवमाहुर्व्यर्थमेवेति तात तत्पोषकाणां नरके दुः खमाहुः ॥ ३,२०.

Those who nourish their bodies, O dear one, with salutations to Hari that are empty and devoid of meaning, are said to act in vain; such nourishers are declared to suffer in hell.

यमोऽपि तं तत्र उलूखले तु निधाय पिष्टं सुखलैः करोति । यो वा परं न करोत्येव तात प्रदक्षिणं देवदेवस्य विष्णोः ॥ ३,२०.

Yama places such a person at the mortar and grinds him with pleasure, who does not perform circumambulation of Vishnu, the Lord of gods, O dear one.

तस्यैव पादौ तलयन्त्रे निधाय यमश्च नित्यं प्रकरोति पिष्टम् । एषां जिह्वा हरिकृष्णेति नाम न वक्ति नित्यं व्यर्थभूतां वदन्ति ॥ ३,२०.

Yama places their feet in a device and continually grinds them; those whose tongues do not always utter the name 'Hari' or 'Krishna' are declared to be fruitless.

तेषां जिह्वा यमलोके यमस्तु निष्कास्य पिष्टं प्रकरोति नित्यम् । काशीनिवासेन च किं प्रयोजनं किं वा प्रयागे मरणेन तात ॥ ३,२०.

In Yama's realm, Yama removes their tongues and continually grinds them; what is the use of residing in Kashi, or dying at Prayag, O dear one?

किं वारणाग्रे मरणेन सौख्यं किं वा मखादेः समनुष्ठितेन । समस्ततीर्थेष्वटनेन किं किमधीतशास्त्रेण सुतीक्ष्णबुद्ध्या ॥ ३,२०.

What happiness comes from dying at Varanasi's front? What benefit from performing sacrifices? What use is there in wandering all holy places, or in studying scriptures with sharp intellect?

येषां जिह्वाग्रे हरिनामैव नास्ति येषां गात्रैर्नमनं नापि विष्णोः । येषां पद्भ्यां नास्ति हरेः प्रदक्षिणं तेषां सर्वं व्यर्थमाहुर्महान्तः ॥ ३,२०.

Those whose tongue-tip lacks the name of Hari, whose bodies do not bow to Vishnu, whose feet do not circumambulate Hari—all their actions are declared fruitless by the great ones.

हर्यर्पणाद्रिहितं नाम कस्मात्प्रदक्षिणं नमनं चाहुरर्घ्यम् । अतो विष्णोर्नमनं कार्यमेव हरेर्नामस्मरणं तात कार्यम् ॥ ३,२०.

They say that offering, circumambulation, and bowing are all for Hari; therefore, one must bow to Vishnu and, O dear one, one must remember Hari's name.

जन्म ह्येतद्दुर्लभं नश्वरं तु यथा जलस्थं तत्तथैव । नो विस्वासं कुरु गात्रे त्वदीये जीवेष्वपि स्वः परश्चेति तात ॥ ३,२०.

This birth is rare and perishable, just like something in water; do not place trust in your body, nor in your own life or that of others, O dear one.