Garuda Purana

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.

सद्यः कृतं नमनं न त्वदीयं सद्यः कृतं स्मरणं न त्वदीयम् । कदा प्राप्स्ये मरणं तन्न जाने न विश्वासं कुरु गात्रे महात्मन् ॥ ३,२०.

A bow made instantly is not yours, nor is instant remembrance yours; I do not know when death will come, so do not place trust in your body, O great soul.

एतच्छ्रुत्वा नलो वीन्द्र पुत्रीवाक्यं सुनिर्मलम् । नमस्कारं च कृतवान्यथाशक्त्या प्रदक्षिणम् ॥ ३,२०.

Hearing these pure words from Indra's son, Nala performed salutations and circumambulation to the best of his ability.

सापि प्रदक्षिणं चक्रे नमस्कारं सदा हरेः । एवं बहुदिनं कृत्वा ध्यात्वा नारायणं परम् ॥ ३,२०.

She too performed circumambulation and salutations to Hari; after doing so for many days, she meditated on the supreme Narayana.

कलेवरं च तत्याज मरणे हरिचिन्तया । मत्पितुर्वसुदेवस्य भगिन्या उदरे खग ॥ ३,२०.

At the time of death, she abandoned her body while thinking of Hari; in the womb of my father Vasudeva's sister, O bird.

कैकेयीति च नाम्ना सा त्वभवद्भद्रसंज्ञका । यस्माद्भद्रगुणैर्युक्ता भद्रा सा भद्रनामिका ॥ ३,२०.

She became known as Kaikeyi, called Bhadrasaṃjñakā; because she was endowed with auspicious qualities, she was called Bhadra, the auspicious one.

तस्यात्मजैश्च कैकेयैः पञ्चभिः खगसत्तम । प्रत्याहृतामिमां भद्रां प्राप्तवान् खगसत्तम ॥ ३,२०.

O best of birds, with her five sons born of Kaikeyi, she was brought back by them, O best of birds, and attained.

वक्ष्येहं मित्रविन्दायाः पाणिग्रहणकारणम् । सावधानमना भूत्वा शृणु पक्षीन्द्र सत्तम ॥ ३,२०.

I shall now speak of the reason for Mitravinda's marriage; listen attentively, O king of birds, O noble one.

मित्रविन्दोवाच । यान्पूर्वसर्गेप्यवृणोन्निकामतो ह्यग्नीषोमान्नामिका मित्रविन्दा । मित्रं हरिं प्राप्तुकामा सदैक तत्रोपायं चिन्तयामासदेवी ॥ ३,२०.

Mitravinda spoke: In the previous creation, I chose, out of desire, the name Agniṣomā, called Mitravinda; always wishing to attain Hari as my friend, the goddess pondered the means there.

हरिप्राप्तौ साधनाः संति तेषु मुख्यं कचिच्चिन्तयामास देवी । तेषां मध्ये श्रवणं श्रेष्ठमाहुः पुराणानां सात्त्विकानां सदापि ॥ ३,२०.

When seeking to attain Hari, there are many means; among them, the goddess considered which is foremost. Of these, hearing is said to be the best, especially of the sattvic Puranas.

विष्णोरुत्कर्षो वर्तते यत्र वायोस्तथोत्कर्षः सज्जनानां पुराणे । श्राद्धं सदा विष्णुबुद्ध्या सदैव नान्यच्छ्राव्यं साधनं तत्र चैव ॥ ३,२०.

Where the greatness of Vishnu is present, there too is the greatness of Vayu and of virtuous people in the Purana. One should always perform shraddha with the thought of Vishnu; nothing else should be heard as a means there.

यस्मिन्दिने श्रवणं नास्ति विष्णोस्तेषां जन्म व्यर्थमाहुः कथायाम् । स्नान जपः पञ्चयज्ञं व्रतं च इष्टापूर्ते कृच्छ्रचान्द्रो च दत्तम् ॥ ३,२०.

On any day when there is no hearing of Vishnu's stories, their birth is said to be wasted, according to the tradition. Bathing, recitation, the five sacrifices, vows, acts of charity, and austerities—all are in vain.

सर्वं व्यर्थं वैष्णवानां च दीक्षा कथां विना सम्यगनुष्ठितां वै । यैर्न श्रुतं भागवतं पुराणं ससंप्रदायैर्गुरुभिः संयुतैश्च ॥ ३,२०.

All is futile for those initiated into Vishnu's path if the stories are not properly performed. Those who have not heard the Bhagavata Purana, accompanied by proper lineage and teachers, are deprived.

यैर्न श्रुतं भागवतं पुराणं यैर्न श्रुतं ब्रह्मकाण्डं पुराणम् । तेषां जन्म व्यर्थमाहुर्ममहान्तस्तस्माच्छ्राव्या हरिवार्ता सदैव ॥ ३,२०.

Those who have not heard the Bhagavata Purana, nor the Brahma section of the Purana, their birth is said to be wasted by the great ones. Therefore, the stories of Hari should always be heard.

न यत्र गोविन्दकथामहानदी न यत्र नारायणपादसंश्रयः । न यत्र विष्णोः सततं वचोस्ति न संवसेत्तत्क्षणमात्रं कथञ्चित् ॥ ३,२०.

Where the great river of Govinda's stories does not flow, where there is no refuge at Narayana's feet, where Vishnu's words are not constantly present, one should not dwell there even for a moment.

यस्मिन् ग्रामे भागवतं न शास्त्रं न वर्तते भागवता रसज्ञाः । यस्मिन् गृहे नास्ति गीतार्थसारः यस्मिन् ग्रामे नाम सहस्रकं वा ॥ ३,२०.

In any village where the Bhagavata scripture does not exist, where connoisseurs of the Bhagavata are not found, in any house where the essence of the Gita is absent, or in any village lacking the thousand names (of Vishnu),

तयो रसज्ञा यत्र न सन्ति तत्र न संवसेत्क्षणमात्रं कथञ्चित् । यस्मिन् दिने दिव्यकथा च विष्णोर्न वास्ति जन्तोस्तस्य चायुर्वृथैव ॥ ३,२०.

Wherever those connoisseurs are not present, one should not reside there even for a moment. On any day when there is no divine story of Vishnu, the lifespan of that creature is truly wasted.

गर्भे गते नात्र विचार्यमस्ति तन्मन्यते दुर्लभं मर्त्यलोके । कर्णं कल्पैर्भूषितं सुंदरं च न सुंदरं चाहुरार्या रसज्ञाः ॥ ३,२०.

Once in the womb, there is no further deliberation; it is considered rare in the mortal world. An ear adorned with beautiful ornaments is not truly beautiful, say the noble connoisseurs.

विष्णोः कथाख्याभरणैश्च युक्तं तदेव कर्णं सुंदरं चाहुरार्याः । तस्मात्सदा भागवतार्थसारं शृण्वन्ति ये सततं वाचयन्ति ॥ ३,२०.

An ear adorned with the ornaments of Vishnu's stories alone is said to be beautiful by the noble ones. Therefore, those who always listen to and recite the essence of the Bhagavata are blessed.

तेषां जन्म स्वस्थमाहुर्महान्तो महत्फलं चास्ति तथैव तेषाम् । सोष्णीषकञ्चुकयुताश्च हरेः कथां वै शृण्वन्ति येपि च पठन्ति सदैव मर्त्याः ॥ ३,२०.

The birth of such people is considered auspicious by the great ones, and they attain great fruit. Even those mortals who, wearing turbans and cloaks, listen to or recite Hari's stories are always blessed.

सर्वेपि ते पूजनीया हि लोके न वै शिश्रे चोदरे चैव सक्ताः । ये दाक्षिण्यादर्थलोभाद्वदन्ति सदा पुराणं भगवत्तत्त्वसारम् ॥ ३,२०.

All of them are worthy of worship in the world, not those attached to children or to the belly. Those who, out of generosity or greed for wealth, always speak the Purana, the essence of the divine truth,