Garuda Purana

सद्ब्राह्मणान्वन्दयेत्पादमूले हस्तौ च द्वौ संपुटीकृत्य देवि । साष्टाङ्गरुपं वन्दनं चैव विष्णोः कुर्यात्तथा गुरवे विष्णुबुद्ध्या ॥ ३,२४.

One should honor true Brahmanas at their feet, joining both hands, O goddess; one should perform eight-limbed prostration to Vishnu, and likewise to the guru, considering him as Vishnu.

गङ्गादीनां वन्दनं कार्यमेव साष्टाङ्गं वै तुलसीनां तथैव । अश्वत्थानां नमनं कार्यमेव गवादीनां नमनं मानसेन ॥ ३,२४.

One should always offer full prostration to the Ganges and other sacred rivers, and likewise to the tulasi plant; one should bow to the ashvattha trees, and mentally bow to cows and similar beings.

पूजा सदा देवदेवस्य विष्णोः कार्या भक्त्या वैष्णवैरेव नान्यैः । ये नामका ज्ञानवन्तः सुभक्ताः सदैव कार्या विष्णुपूजा च कन्ये ॥ ३,२४.

The worship of the Lord of gods, Vishnu, should always be performed with devotion, and only by Vaishnavas, not by others; those who are named after Him, who are wise and truly devoted, should always worship Vishnu, O maiden.

ये नामका ज्ञानवन्तः सुभक्ताः सदैवं कार्या विष्णुपूजा च कन्ये । येनामका विष्णुभक्ताः सदैव पूजा विष्णोर्नैव कार्यात्र देवि ॥ ३,२४.

Those who bear His names, who are wise and deeply devoted, should always worship Vishnu, O maiden; those who are named after Him and are devoted to Vishnu should always perform His worship, O goddess, and none else.

मोहाद्यो वै पूजयेद्देवदेवं महाधर्माद्याति चान्धं तमो वै । ब्रह्मादिनामानि हरेर्हि देवीं विष्णोः स्वनामानि ददौ दिवौकसाम् ॥ ३,२४.

Whoever, out of delusion, worships the Lord of gods but follows a great unrighteous path, goes into deep darkness; O goddess, Brahma and the other gods received their names from Hari, and Vishnu gave His own names to the dwellers of heaven.

नादाद्धीरः केशवादीनि कन्ये स्वकं पुरं प्रविहायैव राजा । एवं मयोक्तं कन्यके सर्वमेतदेतत्परं सम्यगारोहणीयम् ॥ ३,२४.

A wise person should not abandon his own city and take up names such as Keshava, O maiden; thus, O maiden, I have explained everything—this supreme teaching should be properly adopted.

गोविन्द नारायण माधवेति यूयं मया सर्वमाराधितव्यम् । सर्वे मिलित्वा पुनरेवं खगेन्द्र समारुहन्वैङ्कटाद्रिं गृणन्तः ॥ ३,२४.

Govinda, Narayana, Madhava—by all these names you must worship Me in every way; all of you, gathering together, O king of birds, ascended Vaikuntha Hill, singing praises.

हरेर्नामान्यत्र पूर्वं गृणन्तस्त्वास्वादयन्तः श्रीनिवासस्य नाम । द्रष्टुं सर्वे श्रीनिवासं तथैव कुर्वन्तस्ते तलशब्दं नदन्तः ॥ ३,२४.

Reciting the names of Hari as before, relishing the name of Srinivasa, all of them went to see Srinivasa, making the sound of clapping their hands as they went.

इति कृष्णवचः श्रुत्वा तार्क्ष्यः कृष्णमुवाचह कथमास्वादनं चक्रुरेतद्विस्तीर्यमे वद । श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । भो श्रीनिवास तव नामैव चैतन्नाम स्वामी ननु नामैव स्वामी । यां ब्रह्माद्या आश्रयन्तीत्ति यस्मात्तस्माद्रमा श्रीरिति नाम चाप ॥ ३,२४.

Hearing these words of Krishna, Tarkshya asked Krishna: 'How did they relish this? Tell me this in detail.' Shri Krishna said: 'O Srinivasa, Your very name is indeed the Lord's name; the Lord is truly known by His name. Because Brahma and the others take refuge in You, therefore You are called Rama, Shri, and by other such names.'

रमाश्रयत्वान्नितरां सर्वदा चेत्यतो हरिः श्रीनिवासाभिधानः । भो श्रीनिवासेति तु नर्तयन्तो रोमाञ्चमात्रास्तलशब्दकारिणः ॥ ३,२४.

Because You are always the refuge of Shri, therefore Hari is known as Srinivasa; O Srinivasa, as they danced, their hairs stood on end and the sound of their clapping arose.

अद्यैव पश्याम हरेस्तवास्यं कदा वयं कृत कृत्या भवामः । भोः केशवाद्यैव पदारविन्दं संदर्शयित्वा सुदयां कुरुष्व ॥ ३,२४.

Let us see the face of Hari today itself—when will we become fulfilled? O Keshava, show us Your lotus feet today and bestow Your great compassion.

ब्रह्माणमाहुश्च पुराणमाहुः कशब्दवाच्यं सर्वलोकेशमाहुः । ईशं चार्हं रुद्रमित्येव चाहुस्तत्प्रेरकं सृष्टिसंहारकार्ये ॥ ३,२४.

They call Him Brahma, they call Him the Ancient One, they call Him the Lord of all worlds, indicated by the syllable 'ka'; they also call Him Ishvara and Rudra, the one who directs creation and destruction.

अतो हरिः केशवनामधेयो भोः केशवेति च नर्तयन्तः । आनन्दवापीं संस्त्रवन्तोभि जग्मुर्नारायणेति प्रवदन्तो हि जग्मुः ॥ ३,२४.

Therefore, Hari is known by the name Keshava; as they danced, saying 'O Keshava,' they went to the Pool of Bliss, and, uttering 'Narayana,' they proceeded onward.

अतो दोषास्तद्विरुद्धा गुणाश्च नाराश्च तेषामाश्रयत्वान्मुरारिः । नारायणेति प्रवदन्तीह लोके नारानुबन्धात्सर्वमुक्ताः खगेन्द्र ॥ ३,२४.

Therefore, O king of birds, the faults opposed to Him and the virtues, as well as the souls who take refuge in Him, are all connected to Murari; in this world, people say 'Narayana' because of this connection with the souls, and all are liberated thereby.

नाराः प्रोक्ता आश्रयत्वाच्च तेषामतोपि नारायण एव वीन्द्र । मुक्ताश्च ये तु प्रपदंनु जग्मुरण्डोदकं यस्य कटाक्षमात्रात् ॥ ३,२४.

Because He is always the refuge of those souls, He is called Narayana, O king of birds; those who have attained liberation have reached His supreme abode, the cosmic waters, by merely a glance from Him.

यदुत्पन्नं तेन नाराः खगेन्द्र तेषां सदाप्याश्रयत्वाच्च वीन्द्र । नारायणेति प्रवदन्तीह लोके ह्यनन्तब्रह्माण्डविसर्जकत्वात् ॥ ३,२४.

O king of birds, those souls who were produced by Him are always sheltered by Him; thus, in this world, He is called Narayana, because He creates countless universes.

एवं ननृतुः परिशंसयन्तो गोविन्द नान्यो हि न चैव दर्शनम् । गोशब्दवाच्यास्तु समस्तवाचो गोभिश्च सर्वैः प्रतिपाद्यते यतः ॥ ३,२४.

Thus, praising Him, they danced, saying, 'There is no one else like Govinda, nor is there any other vision'; all words are denoted by the syllable 'go,' and everything is established by all the cows.

अतो हि गोविन्द इति स्मृतः सदा भो वेदवेद्येति तथा न ननृतुः । आनन्दबाष्पैश्च समन्विता हि हरे मुरारे तव दर्शनं हि ॥ ३,२४.

Therefore, He is always remembered as Govinda, O Lord, and as the one known through the Vedas; they danced thus, filled with tears of joy, O slayer of Mura, at the sight of You.

देहि प्रभो वै तवदासदासाश्चतुर्दशे भुवने सर्वदापि । यतस्त्वमेवं वसतीति वासुश्चात्रैव नित्यं क्रीडते सर्वदैव ॥ ३,२४.

Grant, O Lord, that in all the fourteen worlds, Your servants may always exist; for You, being thus, dwell here as Vasu and eternally play here at all times.

यतो देवेत्येवमाहुर्महान्तस्त्वतो हरिं वासुदेवेति चाहुः । भो वासुदेवेति ननृतुः सर्वदैव भो माधवेति ननृतुश्चैव सर्वे ॥ ३,२४.

Therefore, the great ones say, 'He is the god,' and thus they call Hari 'Vāsudeva.' O, 'Vāsudeva!'—so they always danced, and likewise, all danced saying, 'O Mādhava!'

लक्ष्मीपते चेति वदन्ति सर्वे धनीति शब्दः स्वाभिवाची यतो हि । अतोप्यार्या माधवेति ब्रुवन्ति लक्ष्मीपते पाहि तथैव भक्तान् ॥ ३,२४.

All call him 'Lord of Lakṣmī,' for the word 'wealth' truly refers to him. Therefore, noble ones address him as 'Mādhava.' O Lord of Lakṣmī, likewise protect your devotees.

ते वै ब्रुवन्तो ननृतुश्च जग्मुर्विष्णो सदास्मान्परिपाहि नित्यम् । सर्वत्र यस्माद्विततोसि तस्मादित्यादिनामानि गृणन्त एव । जग्मुश्च सर्वे ददृशुश्च तीर्थं भक्त्योपेताः श्रीनिवासं स्मरन्तः ॥ ३,२४.

While uttering these names and dancing, they went forth, always praying, 'O Viṣṇu, protect us always.' Because you are present everywhere, they continued reciting such names. All of them went, beheld the sacred place, and, filled with devotion, remembered Śrīnivāsa.

कन्योवाच । किं नामकं तीर्थमिदं मुनीन्द्र किं कार्यमत्र प्रवदास्मान्कृतीश । कस्मै प्रसन्नो भगवाञ्छ्रीनिवासस्त्वस्मिन्सुतीर्थं वद विस्तरेण ॥ ३,२४.

The maiden said: O revered sage, what is the name of this sacred place, and what should be done here? Tell us, O lord of the wise. For whom did the blessed Śrīnivāsa become pleased at this holy site? Please explain in detail.

जैगीषव्य उवाच । कन्ये शृणु त्वं ह्यभवत्सुबुद्धिमान्प्रह्रादसंज्ञो हरिभक्तवर्यः । निष्कामबुद्ध्या तु यदा जगाम शेषाचलस्थं श्रीनिवासं च द्रष्टुम् ॥ ३,२४.

Jaigīṣavya said: O maiden, listen. There was a most wise devotee of Hari named Prahlāda. With selfless intent, he went to see Śrīnivāsa, who dwells on Śeṣācala.

अस्मिंस्थले दैत्यकुमारकान्प्रति हरेश्च तत्त्वं परिपृष्टवान्प्रभुः । नृसिंहरूपं श्रीनिवासं भजस्व सुदुर्लभं मानुषं जन्म कन्ये ॥ ३,२४.

At this place, the lord questioned the sons of the Daityas about the true nature of Hari. O maiden, worship Śrīnivāsa in the form of Narasiṃha; human birth is exceedingly rare.

तत्रापि विष्णोर्नृहरे सुतत्त्वं सुदुर्लभं सुष्ठु यात्रा तथैव । यस्यां यात्रायां यत्र कुत्रापि देशे हरेः कथा वर्तते दैत्यवर्याः ॥ ३,२४.

Even there, the true essence of Viṣṇu as Narasiṃha is most difficult to attain, as is the pilgrimage itself. In whatever land that pilgrimage takes place, O best of Daityas, there the stories of Hari are recited.

तत्र स्थले हरिरास्ते सदैव यतो व्याप्तः सर्वतो वै नृसिंहः । एतच्छ्रुत्वा दैत्यकुमारकास्ते प्रह्लादमूचुर्भक्तवर्यं हरेश्च ॥ ३,२४.

At that place, Hari always abides, for Narasiṃha pervades all. Hearing this, the sons of the Daityas spoke to Prahlāda, the foremost devotee of Hari.

व्याप्तो हरिश्चेत्कथमत्र वै सखे न दृश्यते जलरूपी नृसिंहः । स एवमुक्तो दानवानां सुतैश्च तुष्टाव विष्णुं परमादरेण ॥ ३,२४.

If Hari is all-pervading, O friend, why is Narasiṃha, the form in water, not seen here? Thus addressed by the sons of the Dānavas, he praised Viṣṇu with utmost reverence.

तव स्वरूपं मम दर्शयस्व स्वयोग्यरूपं दानवानां सुतानाम् । इति स्तुतः श्रीनिवासो हरिस्तु तस्मिन्नन्तर्जलरूपं समायात् ॥ ३,२४.

Show your true form to me, the form appropriate for the sons of the Dānavas. Thus praised, Śrīnivāsa, Hari, appeared there in the form within the water.