Garuda Purana

नित्यशुद्धबुद्धंमुक्तमहामानन्दमद्वयम् । अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिर्ज्ञानरूपो विमुक्तये ॥ १,२२६.

Eternally pure, awakened, liberated, of great bliss and non-dual; I am Brahman, the supreme light, of the nature of knowledge, for liberation.

सूत उवाच । इत्यष्टाङ्गो मया योग उक्तः शौनक मुक्तिदः । नित्यनैमित्तिकं गत्वा लयं प्राकृतबन्धनाः ॥ १,२२६.

Sūta said: Thus, O Śaunaka, I have described the eightfold yoga, which grants liberation. By practicing both regular and occasional duties, one attains dissolution, freed from the bonds of nature.

उत्पद्यन्ते हि संसारे नैकं यात्वा परात्मनाम् । विमुच्यते विमुक्तश्च ज्ञानादज्ञानमोहितः ॥ १,२२६.

Indeed, in the cycle of rebirth, many selves arise; but having reached the Supreme Self, one is released and becomes free, dispelling ignorance through knowledge.

ततो नं म्रियते दुः खी न रोगी न च वन्धवान् । न पापैर्युज्यते योगी नरके न विपच्यते ॥ १,२२६.

Then, he does not die in suffering, nor is he afflicted by disease, nor bound by ties; the yogi is not seized by sins, nor is he tormented in hell.

गर्भवासे स नो दुः खी स स्यान्नारायणोऽव्ययः । भक्त्या त्वनन्यया लभ्यो भगवान्भुक्तिमुक्तिदः ॥ १,२२६.

In the womb, he does not suffer; he becomes the imperishable Nārāyaṇa. The Blessed Lord, giver of enjoyment and liberation, is attained only through unwavering devotion.

ध्यानेन पूजया जप्यैः सम्यक्स्तोत्रैर्यतव्रतैः । यज्ञैर्दानैश्चित्तशुद्धिस्तया ज्ञानञ्च लभ्यते ॥ १,२२६.

Through meditation, worship, recitation, proper hymns, discipline, vows, sacrifices, and gifts, the mind is purified; by that, knowledge is attained.

प्रणवादिकमन्त्रैश्च जप्यैर्मुक्तिं गता द्विजाः । इन्द्रोऽपि परमं स्थानं गन्धर्वाप्सरसो वराः ॥ १,२२६.

By reciting mantras beginning with Praṇava, the twice-born have attained liberation; even Indra, the best of Gandharvas and Apsarases, have reached the supreme state.

प्राप्ता देवाश्च देवत्वं मुनित्वं मुनयो गताः । गन्धर्वत्वञ्च गन्धर्वा राजत्वञ्च नृपादयः ॥ १,२२६.

The gods have attained divinity, sages have become sages, Gandharvas have become Gandharvas, and kings and others have attained sovereignty.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् २२७ सूत उवाच । विष्णुभक्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि यया सर्वमवाप्यते । यथा भक्त्या हरिस्तुष्येत्तथा नान्येन केनचित् ॥ १,२२७.

Sūta said: I will now declare devotion to Viṣṇu, by which all is attained. Only by such devotion is Hari truly pleased, not by any other means.

महतः श्रेयसो मूलं प्रसवः पुण्यसन्ततेः । जीवितस्य फलं स्वादु नियतं स्मरणं हरेः ॥ १,२२७.

The root of the highest good and the source of a lineage of merit is this: the sweet fruit of life is surely the remembrance of Hari.

तस्मात्सेवा बुधैः प्रोक्ता भक्तिसाधनभूयसी । ते भक्ता लोकनाथस्य नामकर्मादिकीर्तने ॥ १,२२७.

Therefore, service has been declared by the wise as the foremost means to devotion; those devotees of the Lord of the worlds praise His name, deeds, and so forth.

मुञ्चन्त्यश्रूणि संहर्षाद्ये प्रहृष्टनूरुहाः । जगद्धातुर्महेशस्य दिव्याज्ञाचरणा वयम् ॥ १,२२७.

Those who, out of joy, shed tears and whose hair stands on end, say, 'We are the followers of the divine command of the great Lord, the creator of the world.'

इह नित्यक्रियाः कुर्युः स्निग्धा ये वैष्णवास्तु ते । ब्रह्माक्षरं न शृण्वन्वै तया भगवतेरितम् ॥ १,२२७.

Here, those affectionate Vaiṣṇavas perform their daily duties; but if they do not hear the Brahman syllable, which is the command of the Blessed Lord, it is in vain.

प्रणामपूर्वकं भक्त्या यो वदेद्वैष्णवो हि सः । तद्भक्तजनवात्सल्यं पूजनं चानुमोदनम् ॥ १,२२७.

He who, with devotion and preceded by salutation, speaks—he is truly a Vaiṣṇava; his affection for the Lord's devotees is shown by honoring and approving them.

तत्कथाश्रवणे प्रीतिरश्रुनेत्राङ्गविक्रियाः । येन सर्वात्मना विष्णौ भक्त्या भावो निवेशितः ॥ १,२२७.

Delight in hearing His stories, eyes filled with tears, bodily transformations—by these, one knows that devotion to Viṣṇu has been established with one's whole being.

विप्रेभ्यश्च कृतात्मत्वान्महाभागवतो हि सः । विश्वोपकरणं नित्यं तदर्थं सङ्गवर्जनम् । स्वयमभ्यर्चनञ्चैव यो विष्णुञ्चोपजीवति ॥ १,२२७.

Because of self-control, he is a great devotee among the twice-born; always working for the benefit of the world, avoiding unsuitable company, and personally worshipping Viṣṇu.

भक्तिरष्टविधा ह्येषा यस्मिन्म्लेच्छोऽपि वर्तते । स विप्रेन्द्रो मुनिः श्रीमान्स याति परमां गतिम् ॥ १,२२७.

This devotion is of eight kinds; even if a foreigner possesses it, he is the foremost of Brāhmaṇas, a sage, a fortunate one—he attains the highest state.

तस्मै देयं ततो ग्राह्यं स च पूज्यो यथा हरिः । स्मृतः संभाषितो वापि पूजितो वा द्विजोत्तमः । पुनाति भगवद्भक्तश्चण्डालोऽपि यदृच्छया ॥ १,२२७.

To him should gifts be given and from him received; he is to be honored like Hari. Whether remembered, spoken to, or worshipped, even a chance devotee of the Lord, though of low birth, purifies.

दयां कुरु प्रपन्नाय तवास्मीति च यो वदेत् । अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो दद्यादेतद्व्रतं हरेः ॥ १,२२७.

Show compassion to one who seeks refuge and says, 'I am yours.' This is the vow of Hari: to grant fearlessness to all beings.

मन्त्रजापिसहस्रेभ्यः सर्ववेदान्तपारगः । सर्ववेदान्तवित्कोट्यां विष्णुभक्तो विशिष्यते ॥ १,२२७.

Among thousands who recite mantras and those who have mastered all the Vedāntas, even among millions who know the Vedānta, the devotee of Viṣṇu surpasses them all.

एकान्तिनः स्ववपुषा गच्छन्ति परमं पदम् । एकान्तेन समो विष्णुस्तस्मादेषां परायणः ॥ १,२२७.

Those who are single-minded reach the supreme abode by their own form; for them, Viṣṇu alone is the highest goal, equal to their exclusive devotion.

यस्मादेकान्तिनः प्रोक्तास्तद्भागवतचेतसः । प्रियाणामपि सर्वेषां देवदेवस्य सुप्रियः ॥ १,२२७.

Because they are called single-minded, their hearts are devoted to Him; among all who are dear, they are most beloved to the God of gods.

आपत्स्वपि सदा भस्य भक्तिरव्यभिचारिणा । या प्रीतिरधिका विष्णोर्विषयेष्वनपायिनी ॥ १,२२७.

Even in calamities, unwavering devotion is always praised; the love for Viṣṇu, greater than for any object, never fades.

विष्णुं संस्मरतः सा मे हृदयान्नोपसर्पति । दृढभक्तोऽपि वेदादिसर्वशास्त्रार्थपारगः ॥ १,२२७.

That devotion does not depart from my heart when I remember Viṣṇu; even one who is steadfast in devotion and has mastered all the meanings of the Vedas and other scriptures.

यो न सर्वेश्वरे भक्तस्तं विद्यात्पुरुषाधमम् । नाधीतवेदशास्त्रोऽपि न कृतोऽध्वरसम्भवः । यो भक्तिं वहते विष्णौ तेन सर्वं कृतं भवेत् ॥ १,२२७.

One who is not devoted to the Lord of all should be known as the lowest of men; even if he has not studied the Vedas or scriptures, nor performed Vedic rituals, if he bears devotion to Viṣṇu, all is accomplished by him.

यज्वानः क्रतुमुख्यानां वेदानां पारगा अपि । न तां यान्ति गतिं भक्ता यां यान्ति मुनिसत्तमाः ॥ १,२२७.

Those who perform sacrifices, even the foremost of rituals, and those who have mastered the Vedas, do not attain that state which devoted sages reach.

यः कश्चिद्वैष्णवो लोके मिथ्याचारोऽप्यनाश्रमी । पुनाति सकलांल्लोकान्सहस्रांशुरिवोदितः ॥ १,२२७.

Any Vaiṣṇava in the world, even if his conduct is false or he is outside the āśramas, purifies all the worlds like the sun when it rises.

ये नृशंसा दुरात्मानः पापाचररतास्तथा । तेऽपि यान्ति परं स्थानं नारायणपरायणाः ॥ १,२२७.

Even those who are cruel, wicked, and delight in sinful acts, if they are devoted to Nārāyaṇa, they too attain the supreme abode.

दृढा जनार्दने भक्तिर्यदैवाव्यभिचारिणी । तदा कियत्स्वर्गसुखं सैव निर्वाणहेतुका ॥ १,२२७.

When there is firm, unwavering devotion to Janārdana, then, O best of twice-born, whatever happiness is in heaven, that very devotion becomes the cause of liberation.