Garuda Purana

महादेवं पूजयित्वा च सम्यक् हरेत्युक्त्वा स्वगृहे विद्यमाने । यदा गृहं दह्यते वह्निना तु तदा हरः कुत्र पलायितोभूत् ॥ ३,२८.

Having properly worshipped Mahadeva, uttering 'Hari' while present in your house, when your house is burned by fire, then where has Hara fled?

शाकंभरीदिवसे सर्वमेव शाकंभरी सा च देवी महात्मन् । पलायिता कुत्र मे त्वं वदस्व कुलालदेवं पूजयित्वा च भक्त्या ॥ ३,२८.

On the day of Śākaṃbharī, all is indeed Śākaṃbharī, that great-souled goddess. Tell me, where have you fled after devoutly worshipping the potter-god?

कार्पासं वै तेन दत्तं गृहीत्वा संतिष्ठमाने यमदूतैश्च सम्यक् । संहन्यमानस्तीक्षणधारैः कुठारैः कुलालदेवं च सुदंष्ट्रनेत्रम् । विहाय वै कुत्र पलायितोभून्न ज्ञायतेऽन्वेषणाच्चापि केन ॥ ३,२८.

Having given cotton, while the messengers of Yama stood by, as he was being struck with sharp-edged axes, the potter-god, with fierce teeth and eyes, was abandoned—where did he flee, and by whom was he sought, it is not known.

यदा पञ्चम्यां मृन्मयीं शेषमूर्तिं संपूज्य भक्त्या विद्यमाने स्वगेहे । तदा बद्ध्वा यमदूताश्च सम्यक्संनह्यमाने नागपाशैश्च बद्ध्वा ॥ ३,२८.

When, on the fifth day, the clay image of Śeṣa was devoutly worshipped at home, then, as the messengers of Yama bound him tightly with serpent-nooses, he was being restrained.

स्वभक्तवर्यं प्रविहाय नागः पलायितः कुत्र वै संवद त्वम् । दूर्वाङ्कुरैर्मोदकैः पूजयित्वा विनायकं पञ्चखाद्यैस्तथैव ॥ ३,२८.

Having abandoned his foremost devotee, where did the serpent flee? Speak! After worshipping Vināyaka with dūrvā grass sprouts, sweets, and five kinds of food, just so.

संतिष्ठंमाने यमदूतैश्च सम्यक्संताड्यमाने तप्तदण्डैश्च मूढ । दन्तं विहायैव च विघ्नराजः पलायितः कुत्र मे तं वदत्वम् ॥ ३,२८.

While the messengers of Yama stood by, and he was being beaten with heated rods, the Lord of Obstacles, leaving his devotee, fled—where did he go? Tell me.

विवाहकाले पिष्टदेवीं सुभक्त्या संपूजयित्वा विद्यमानो गृहे स्वे । यदा तदा यमदूतैश्च बद्ध्वा संपीड्यमानो यममार्गे स मूढः ॥ ३,२८.

At the time of marriage, after devoutly worshipping the flour goddess at home, then, bound by the messengers of Yama, that deluded one was being tormented on the path of Yama.

विष्ठादेवी पीड्यमानं च भक्तं विहाय सा कुत्र पलायिताभूत् । विवाहकाले रजकस्य गेहं गत्वा सम्यक्प्रार्थयित्वा च मूढः ॥ ३,२८.

Viṣṭhādevī, having abandoned her suffering devotee, where did she flee? At the time of marriage, he went to the washerman's house and earnestly entreated, being deluded.

यस्तंभसूत्रं कलशे परीत्य पूजां कृत्वा विद्यमानो गृहे स्वे । यदा तदा यमदूतश्च सम्यक्तं स्तंभसूत्रं तस्य मुखे निधाय ॥ ३,२८.

Having tied the thread of the post on the pot and performed worship, being present in his own house, then the messenger of Yama placed that post-thread in his mouth.

संताड्यमाने स्तंभसूत्रस्थदेवी पलायिता कुत्र मे संवदस्व । विवाहकाले पूजयित्वा च सम्यक्चण्डालदेवीं भक्तवश्यां च तस्याः ॥ ३,२८.

While being beaten, the goddess residing in the post-thread fled—where did she go? Tell me. At the time of marriage, after properly worshipping the goddess of the outcaste, who is controlled by devotion to her.

तद्भक्तवर्यैः शूर्पमध्ये च तीरे संसेवयित्वा विद्यमानो गृहे स्वे । यदा तदा यमदूतैश्च बद्ध्वा संताड्यमानो यममार्गे महद्भिः ॥ ३,२८.

Having served her with her foremost devotees, in the middle of the winnowing basket, on the bank, while present at home, then, bound and beaten by the messengers of Yama on the path of Yama, with great force.

चऊलदेवी क्व पलायिताभूत्सुमूढबुद्धे विष्णुपादं भजस्व । ज्वरादिभिः पीड्यमाने स्वपुत्रे गृहे स्थितं ब्रह्मदेवं च सम्यक् ॥ ३,२८.

Where did the goddess of the winnowing basket flee, O thoroughly deluded one? Worship the feet of Viṣṇu. While your son at home is afflicted by fever and other ailments, properly worship Brahmadeva.

धूर्पैर्दीपैर्भक्ष्यभोज्यैश्च पुष्पैः पूजां कृत्वा विद्यमानश्च गेहे । यदा तदा यमदूतैश्च बद्ध्वा संताड्यमाने वेणुपाशादिभिश्च ॥ ३,२८.

Having performed worship at home with yokes, lamps, food and offerings, and flowers, then, bound and beaten by the messengers of Yama with bamboo nooses and the like.

स ब्रह्मदेवः क्व पलायितोभूत्सुमूढबुद्धे विष्णुपादं भजस्व । सन्तानार्थं बृहतीं पूजयित्वा गलेन बद्ध्वा बृहतीं वै फलं च ॥ ३,२८.

Where did that Brahmadeva flee, O thoroughly deluded one? Worship the feet of Viṣṇu. For the sake of offspring, after worshipping the brāhatī plant and tying it around the neck, as well as its fruit.

संतिष्ठमाने यमदूतैश्च बद्ध्वा संताड्यमाने बृहतीकण्टकैश्च । तदा देवी बृहती मूढबुद्धे पलायिता कुत्र मे तद्वद त्वम् ॥ ३,२८.

While being bound and beaten by the messengers of Yama with brāhatī thorns, then the goddess Brāhatī, O deluded one, fled—where did she go? Tell me that.

भजस्व मूढ परदैवतं च नारायणं तारकं सर्वदुःखात् । सुक्षुद्रदेवेषु मतिं च मा कुरु न च शृणु त्वं फल्गुवाक्यं तथैव ॥ ३,२८.

O fool, worship the supreme deity Nārāyaṇa, the deliverer from all suffering. Do not fix your mind on minor deities, nor listen to trivial words.

सुक्षुद्रदेवान् भिन्दिपाले निधाय विसर्जयित्वा दूरदेशे महात्मन् । संधार्य त्वं स्वकुलाचारधर्मं संपातने नरकं हेतुभूतम् ॥ ३,२८.

Having set aside the minor deities in the winnowing basket and dismissed them to a distant place, O great-souled one, you should uphold the righteous conduct of your own lineage, which is the cause of falling into hell.

पुनीहि गात्रं सर्वदा मूढबुद्धे मन्त्राष्टकैर्जन्मतीर्थे पवित्रे । हृदि स्थितां मौर्ख्यमुद्रां विहाय कृत्वा भूषां विष्णुमुद्राभिरग्र्याम् ॥ ३,२८.

Purify your body always, O deluded one, with the eightfold mantras at the sacred birthplace. Abandon the seal of folly fixed in your heart, and instead adorn yourself with the foremost seals of Viṣṇu.

सदा मूढो हरिवार्तां भजस्व ह्यायुर्गतं व्यर्थमेवं कुबुद्ध्या । सद्वैष्णवानां संगमो दुर्लभश्च क्षुब्धं ज्ञानं तारतम्यस्वरूपम् ॥ ३,२८.

Always, O fool, worship the tales of Hari; your life has passed in vain through such misguided thinking. The company of true Vaiṣṇavas is rare, and knowledge is disturbed, having the nature of gradation.

हरिं गुरुं ह्यनुसृत्यैव सत्यं गतिं स्वकीयां तेन जानीहि मूढ । दग्ध्वा दुष्टां बुद्धिमेवं च मूढ सुबुद्धिरूपं मा भजस्वैव नित्यम् ॥ ३,२८.

By following Hari, the Guru, know your true path through him, O deluded one. Burn away your wicked mind in this way, and do not ever embrace a mind of false wisdom, but always seek true understanding.

मया सार्धं सद्गुरुं प्राप्य सम्यग्वैराग्यपूर्वं तत्त्वमात्रं विदित्वा । तेनैव मोक्षं प्राप्नुमो नार्जवैर्यत्तार्या विष्णोः संप्रसादाच्च लक्ष्म्याः ॥ ३,२८.

Having attained the true Guru together with me, and having understood the essence through proper detachment, by that alone we attain liberation—not by hypocrisy, but by the grace of noble Vishnu and Lakshmi.

इत्याशयं मनसा सन्निधाय तथा चोक्तं भक्तवर्यो मदीयः । अतो भक्तः प्रवहेत्येव संज्ञामवाप वीन्द्र प्रकृतं तं शृणु त्वम् ॥ ३,२८.

With this intention established in his mind, as spoken, my devotee became foremost among devotees. Therefore, he was known as Pravaha; now, O best of birds, listen to his story.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् २९ प्रवहानन्तरान्वक्ष्ये शृणु पक्षीन्द्रसत्तम । यो धर्मो ब्रह्मणः पुत्रो ह्यादिसृष्टौ त्वगुद्भवः

I will now describe the successors of Pravaha; listen, O best of bird-kings. The Dharma who is the son of Brahma, born at the beginning of creation, emerged from his body.

सज्जनान्सौम्यरूपेण धारणाद्धर्मनामकः । स एव सूर्यपुत्रोभूद्यमसंज्ञामवाप सः । पापिनां शिक्षकत्त्वात्स यम इत्युच्यते बुधैः

By sustaining the virtuous in a gentle form, he was called Dharma. That same one became the son of the Sun and was named Yama. Because he disciplines the wicked, the wise call him Yama.

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । प्रह्लादानन्तरं गङ्गा भार्या वै वरुणस्य च । प्रह्लादादधमा ज्ञेया महिम्ना वरुणाधिका

Śrī Krishna said: After Prahlāda comes Gaṅgā, who is also the wife of Varuṇa. Though lower than Prahlāda by birth, she surpasses Varuṇa in greatness.

स्वरूपादधमा ज्ञेया नात्र कार्या विचारणा । ज्ञानस्वरूपदं विष्णुं यमो जानाति सर्वदा

She is considered lower by nature—there is no need for further deliberation. Yama always knows Viṣṇu, who is the embodiment of knowledge.

अतो गङ्गेति सा ज्ञेया सर्वदा लोकपावनी । भक्त्या विष्णुपदीत्येव कीर्तिता नात्र संशयः

Therefore, she is always known as Gaṅgā, the purifier of the worlds. By devotion, she is called Viṣṇupadī—of this there is no doubt.

या पूर्वकाले यज्ञलिङ्गस्य विष्णोः साक्षाद्धरेर्विक्रमतः खगेन्द्र । वामस्य पादस्य नखाग्रतश्च निर्भिद्य चोर्ध्वाण्डकटाहखण्डम्

In ancient times, O king of birds, from the left foot of Viṣṇu, from the tip of his toenail, Gaṅgā burst forth, piercing the upper shell of the cosmic egg, as Viṣṇu strode forth in the form of the sacrificial emblem.

तदुदरमतिवेगात्सम्प्रविश्यावहन्तीं जगदघततिहन्तुः पादकिञ्जल्कशुद्धाम् । निखिलमलनिहन्त्रीं दर्शनात्स्पर्शनाच्च सकृदवगहनाद्वा भक्तिदां विष्णुपादे । शशिकरवरगौरां मीननेत्रां सुपूज्यां स्मरति हरिपदोत्थां मोक्षमेति क्रमेण

Entering with great speed through that opening, she carried away the multitude of worlds; purified by the dust of Viṣṇu’s foot, she destroys all impurities. By seeing, touching, or even bathing once in her, one attains devotion at Viṣṇu’s feet. Remembering her, who arose from Hari’s foot, who is bright as the best moon, with fish-like eyes and worthy of worship, one gradually attains liberation.