Garuda Purana

कदा द्रक्ष्ये श्रीनिवासस्य चोरु तलातलस्याश्रयं सर्वदैव । कदा द्रक्ष्ये श्रीनिवासस्य जानु सुकोमलं सुतलस्याश्रयं च ॥ ३,२३.

When will I behold the thighs of Śrīnivāsa, always the refuge of Talātala? When will I behold the tender knees of Śrīnivāsa, the refuge of Sutala?

कदा द्रक्ष्ये श्रीनिवासस्य जङ्घे रसातलस्याश्रयेः सर्वदैव । कदा द्रक्ष्ये पादतलं हरेश्च पाताललोकस्याश्रयं सर्वदैव ॥ ३,२३.

When will I behold the shanks of Śrīnivāsa, always the refuge of Rasātala? When will I behold the soles of Hari's feet, always the refuge of Pātālaloka?

इत्थं मार्गे चिन्तयन्ती च देवी शेषाचले शेषदेवं ददर्श । फणैः सहस्रैः सुविराजमानं नानाद्रुमैर्वानरैर्वानरीभिः ॥ ३,२३.

Thus, as she pondered along the path, the goddess saw the Lord of Śeṣa on Śeṣācala, splendid with a thousand hoods, surrounded by various trees, monkeys, and she-monkeys.

अनन्त जन्मार्जितपुण्यसंचयान्मयाद्य दृष्टः परमाचलो हि । तद्दर्शनाद्वाष्पकलाकुलेक्षणा सद्यः समुत्थाय ननाम मूर्ध्ना ॥ ३,२३.

Today, by the accumulation of merit earned through countless births, I have seen the supreme mountain. At that sight, her eyes filled with tears, and she immediately rose and bowed her head.

मुखं च दृष्ट्वा नमनं च कार्यं पृष्ठादिभागे नमनं न कार्यम् । सापि द्विषट्कं नमनं च चक्रे शालग्रामं स्थापयित्वा पुरोऽस्य ॥ ३,२३.

Having seen the face, one should bow; bowing to the back and other parts is not proper. She performed the twelve-fold prostration, placing the Śālagrāma stone before him.

इत्थं कार्यं वैष्णवैः पर्वतस्य त्वं वैष्णवैर्विपरीतं च कार्यम् । मध्वान्तःस्थः पर्वताग्रेस्ति नित्यं रमाब्रह्माद्यैः पूजितः श्रीनिवासः ॥ ३,२३.

Thus should the Vaiṣṇavas act on the mountain; you must not act contrary to the Vaiṣṇavas. Śrīnivāsa dwells eternally within the mountain's summit, worshipped by Ramā, Brahmā, and others.

सुसत्तमं परमं श्रीनिवासं द्रक्ष्येऽथाहं ह्यारुरुक्षेऽचलञ्च । इत्येवमुक्त्वा कपिलाख्यतीर्थे स्थानं चक्रे सा स्वपित्रा सहैव ॥ ३,२३.

I shall behold Śrīnivāsa, the supremely pure and highest, and now I will ascend the mountain. Having spoken thus, at the Kapila-named sacred place, she established her abode together with her father.

अत्रैवास्ते श्रीनिवासो हरिस्तु द्रव्येण रूपेण न चान्यथेति । आदौ स्नात्वा मुण्डनं तत्र कृत्वा तीर्थश्राद्धं कारयित्वा सुतीर्थे ॥ ३,२३.

Here Śrīnivāsa, Hari, abides in substance and form, not otherwise. First bathing and shaving her head there, she performed the ancestral rites at the holy place.

गोभूहिरण्यादिसमस्तदानं दत्त्वा शैलं चारुरोहाथ साध्वी । शालग्रामं स्थापयित्वा स चाग्रे पुनः प्रणामं सापि चक्रे सुभक्त्या ॥ ३,२३.

Giving all gifts—cows, land, gold, and others—she then ascended the mountain. Placing the Śālagrāma stone ahead, she again made reverent prostration with great devotion.

सोपानानां शतपर्यन्तमेवमारुह्य सा ह्युपविष्टा तु तत्र । शुश्राव सा भागवतं पुराणं शुश्राव वै वेङ्कटाद्रेः प्रशंसाम् ॥ ३,२३.

Ascending thus, up to a hundred steps, she sat there. She listened to the Bhāgavata Purāṇa and heard the praise of Veṅkaṭādri.

जैगीषव्याद्गुरुपादात्सुभक्त्या सुश्राव तत्त्वं वेङ्कटाद्रेश्च सर्वम् ॥ ३,२३.

With deep devotion, she heard the truth of Veṅkaṭādri in its entirety from the feet of her guru, Jaigīṣavya.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् २४ जैगीषव्य उवाच । कन्ये शृणु त्वं वेङ्कटाख्याचलस्य स्मेराननां पुण्यमांरोहणेऽस्य । श्रीगीतायाः पठनं चैव कुर्वन्नारोहणं कुरुते सर्वलोकः ॥ ३,२४.

Jaigīṣavya said: O maiden, listen to the merit of ascending the mountain called Veṅkaṭa with a smiling face. Reciting the holy Gītā while ascending, one attains all worlds.

पदेपदे श्रीनिवासश्च देवस्त्वलं ह्यलं प्रीयते भक्तवर्गः । तं प्रीणयन्मोक्षमायान्ति सर्वे हरौ तुष्टे किमलभ्यं च कन्ये ॥ ३,२४.

At every step, the god Śrīnivāsa is greatly pleased with the devotees. Pleasing him, all attain liberation; when Hari is satisfied, what is unattainable, O maiden?

सोपानदेशे यः पुराणं शृणोति तदा कृता सर्वतीर्थादियात्रा । तदा दिवा प्रस्तुवन्तीह मार्गे सदा हरिं श्रीनिवासं गुरुं च ॥ ३,२४.

Whoever listens to the Purāṇa at the place of the steps, has thereby completed the pilgrimage to all holy places. During the day, praising Hari, Śrīnivāsa, and the guru along the path.

सोपानानां महिमानं च श्रुत्वा शालग्रामं स्थापयित्वा च तत्र । नमस्कृत्वा पुनरेवापि सा तु सोपानानि त्वारुरोहाथ साध्वी ॥ ३,२४.

Having heard the glory of the steps and placed the Śālagrāma stone there, bowing again, she, the virtuous one, ascended the steps.

सोपानानां वीन्द्र चारोहणेन त्ववैष्णवानां हरितोषो न चैव । तेनैव तेषां साधनं भूय एव तमस्यन्धे पातयितुं खगेन्द्र ॥ ३,२४.

O king of birds, ascending the steps of the Vaiṣṇava shrines does not please Hari. By this very act, their merit increases, but again, it casts them into deep darkness.

स्थलेस्थले एवमेवापि कार्यं जैगीषव्यं पुनरेवाह देवी । कन्योवाच । जैगीषव्यः श्रीनिवासो हरिस्तु ब्रह्मादीनां दृश्यते श्रीनिवासः ॥ ३,२४.

In each place, likewise, the Jaigīṣavya rite must be performed, the goddess again spoke. The maiden said: Jaigīṣavya, Śrīnivāsa Hari is visible to Brahmā and the others; Śrīnivāsa is manifest.

जैगीषव्य कृपया त्वं वदस्व जैगीषव्यो ह्येवमुक्तो हरिं तु । उवाच कन्यां सोमपुत्रीं सतीं च ब्रह्मादीनां दृश्यते श्रीनिवासः ॥ ३,२४.

Jaigīṣavya, kindly speak; thus addressed, Jaigīṣavya spoke to Hari. The maiden, daughter of Soma, and Satī, he said: Śrīnivāsa is visible to Brahmā and the others.

अनन्तरूपोधिककान्तकान्तिमान्रूद्रादीनां दृश्यते वेङ्कटेशः । ससूर्यलक्षाधिककान्तकान्तितो रुद्रादीनां दृश्यते श्रीनिवासः ॥ ३,२४.

Veṅkaṭeśa, whose beauty surpasses countless forms, is seen by Rudra and the others. Śrīnivāsa, whose radiance exceeds that of a hundred thousand suns, is seen by Rudra and the others.

सहस्रसूर्याधिककान्तिकान्तः सविद्युत्त्वान्मानुषाणां रमेशः । ऋष्यादीनां दृश्यते चन्द्रवच्च सन्मानुषाणामपरोक्षो हरिस्तु ॥ ३,२४.

Rameśa, whose brilliance surpasses a thousand suns and flashes like lightning, is seen by humans. Hari is visible to sages like the moon, yet among virtuous humans, he is not directly perceived.

नक्षत्रवद्दृश्यते श्रीनिवासः सदा ऋषीणामपरोक्षो हरिस्तु । स सूर्यवद्दृश्यते श्रीनिवासः संसारिणां वेङ्कटेशः खगेन्द्र ॥ ३,२४.

Śrīnivāsa is always seen by the sages like a star; Hari is directly perceived by them. Śrīnivāsa is seen like the sun by those bound in worldly existence, O king of birds.

संदोहवद्दृश्यते वै प्रकाशो मिथ्यावतां दृश्यते श्रीनिवासः । पाषाणवन्नैल्यरूपप्रकाशः शिलामात्रे दृष्यते वै कलौ च ॥ ३,२४.

Śrīnivāsa is seen like a cluster of light by those who are false incarnations. His form shines like stone, and in the age of Kali, he is perceived only as a stone image.

नृणां सर्वेषां श्रीनिवासो हरिस्तु कलौ स्वरूपं श्रीनिवासस्य देवी । न मानुषाः प्रविजानन्ति सर्वे यतः कलौ तामसा राजसास्तु ॥ ३,२४.

Śrīnivāsa Hari is present for all people in Kali, O goddess, but his true form is not recognized. Because in Kali, all are dominated by tamas and rajas.

तत्संगिनः सात्त्विकाः केचिदेव ह्यतो भक्ता दुर्लभा वै कलौ च । ये दृश्यन्ते भक्तवत्ते न भक्ताः शिश्रोदरयोर्भरणे चैव सक्ताः ॥ ३,२४.

Only a few, who are sāttvika and associated with him, are devotees; thus, in Kali, true devotees are rare. Those who appear as devotees are not truly so, being attached only to the nourishment of children and their own needs.

कुर्वन्ति यात्रां च तदर्थमेव भक्तिज्ञानं दुर्लभं वै कलौ च । भक्ता ये वै न विरक्ताः सदैव तेषां हरेर्दर्शनं दुर्लभं च ॥ ३,२४.

They undertake pilgrimages only for their own purposes; in Kali, devotion and knowledge are rare. Those who are devotees but not detached, for them the vision of Hari is always difficult to attain.

भक्तस्वरूपं तव वक्ष्ये खगेन्द्र यो ज्ञानपूर्णः परमे स्निग्ध एव । न च द्वेषैर्बन्धुरो भक्तियुक्तस्तव द्वेषाञ्छृणु वक्ष्ये च सम्यक् ॥ ३,२४.

I will describe to you the nature of a devotee, O king of birds: one who is full of knowledge and deeply affectionate, who is not bound by hatred, endowed with devotion. Now listen, I will properly explain the nature of hatred.

जीवाभिदा हरिणाप्राकृतेन स्वतन्त्रेण ह्यस्वतन्त्रस्य नित्यम् । ज्ञानानन्दैः परिपूर्णे हरौ च गुणैरपूर्णो हरिरित्येव चिन्ता ॥ ३,२४.

The living being, called jīva, is eternally dependent, while Hari is independent and not of the world. Hari is complete in knowledge and bliss, but the thought arises that Hari is incomplete in qualities.

श्रीब्रह्मरुद्रादिदिवौकसां सदा तथा द्विजानां संमानायाश्च चिन्ता । विष्णोः सकाशाद्ब्रह्मरुद्रादिकानां सदाधिक्यालोचनं द्वेष एव ॥ ३,२४.

There is always concern for honoring Brahmā, Rudra, and other celestial beings, as well as the twice-born. From the perspective of Viṣṇu, the constant contemplation of the superiority of Brahmā, Rudra, and others is called hatred.

विष्णोर्भद्रे हस्तपादादिकानां भेदज्ञानं द्वेषमाहुर्महान्तः । अवताराणा छेदभेदादिकं च तथोच्यते मरणस्यापि चिन्ता ॥ ३,२४.

The great ones say that knowledge of difference in the limbs of Viṣṇu, such as hands and feet, is hatred. Likewise, the distinction and separation among his incarnations, and even the thought of his mortality, is so described.