Garuda Purana

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् २४० हरिरुवाच । पुराणं गारुडं रुद्र प्रोक्तं सारं मयातव । ब्रह्मादीनां शृण्वतां च भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम् ॥ १,२४०.

Hari said: Rudra, I have told you the essence of the Garuda Purana, which grants enjoyment and liberation to Brahma and the others who hear it.

विद्याकीर्तिप्रभालक्ष्मीजयारोग्यादिकारकम् । यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्रुद्र सर्ववित्स दिवं व्रजेत् ॥ १,२४०.

It brings knowledge, fame, radiance, prosperity, victory, health, and more; whoever reads or hears it, Rudra, knowing all, will go to heaven.

ब्रह्मोवाच । इति व्यास मया विष्णोः पुराणं मुक्तिदं श्रुतम् । व्यास उवाच । श्रुत्वैतद्गारुडं पुण्यं ब्रह्मास्मानित्युवाच ह ॥ १,२४०.

Brahma said: Thus, Vyasa, I have heard from you the Purana of Vishnu, which grants liberation. Vyasa said: Having heard this sacred Garuda Purana, Brahma spoke to us thus.

दक्षनारद मुख्यादिन् ब्रह्म ध्यान्हरिं गतः । मयापि तुभ्यं सूतेन पुराणं कथितं परम् ॥ १,२४०.

Daksha, Narada, and the chief sages, meditating on Hari, approached Brahma; and I, Suta, have told you this supreme Purana.

यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्ववित्प्राप्तकामो ब्रह्म फलं भवेत् । विष्णुः सारतमंप्राह गरुडं गारुडं ततः ॥ १,२४०.

Hearing which, one who knows all and desires fulfillment attains the fruit of Brahman; Vishnu spoke the very essence to Garuda, thus it is called Garuda [Purana].

महासारं धर्मकामधनमोक्षादिदायकम् । सूत उवाच । शौनक प्रवरं प्रोक्तं पुराणं गारुडं तव ॥ १,२४०.

It is of great essence, bestowing dharma, desire, wealth, and liberation. Suta said: O best of the Shaunakas, the Garuda Purana has been told to you.

यदब्रवीत्पुरा व्यासः सारं मां गारुडेरितम् । व्यासः श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणश्च पुराणं गारुडं शुभम् । देवं ध्यायन्वेदमेकं चतुर्धा व्यभजद्धरिः ॥ १,२४०.

What Vyasa formerly declared, the essence spoken by me from the Garuda [Purana]; Vyasa, having heard the auspicious Garuda Purana from Brahma, meditated on the one Veda, which Hari divided into four.

अष्टादशपुराणानि तानि मां प्राह वै शुकः । इदं तु गारुडं श्रेष्ठं मया ते शौनकेरितम् ॥ १,२४०.

Shuka told me all the eighteen Puranas; but this Garuda [Purana] is the best, which I have declared to you, Shaunaka.

मुनीनां शृण्वतां मध्ये पृच्छतः सर्ववाचकम् । यः पठेच्छणुयाद्वापि श्रावयेद्वा समाहितः ॥ १,२४०.

Among the sages who listen, asking all questions, whoever reads, hears, or causes it to be heard with concentration—

संलिखेल्लेखयेद्वापि धारयेत्पुस्तके ननु । धर्मार्थो प्राप्नुयाद्धर्मर्थार्थो चार्थमाप्नुयात् ॥ १,२४०.

Or writes it down, or preserves it in a book—he attains dharma and wealth; and one who desires both dharma and wealth attains wealth.

कामा नवाप्नुयात्कामी मोक्षार्थो मोक्षमाप्नुयात् । यद्यदिच्छति तत्सर्वं गारुडश्रवणाल्लभेत् ॥ १,२४०.

One who desires pleasure attains pleasure; one who seeks liberation attains liberation; whatever one desires, all that is obtained by hearing the Garuda [Purana].

ब्राह्मणो वेदपारस्य गन्ता स्यान्नात्र संशयः । क्षत्त्रियो क्षत्त्रियस्यापि रक्षिता भवतीह च ॥ १,२४०.

A Brahmin who is a knower of the Vedas will surely attain the highest; a Kshatriya, even among Kshatriyas, becomes a protector here.

नान्यस्य श्रवणं हि स्यात्पुराणं वेदसंमितम् । वदेद्यदि स मूढात्मा कीर्तिहानिमवाप्नुयात् ॥ १,२४०.

No one else should hear this Purana, which is equal to the Veda; if a foolish person tells it, he incurs loss of fame.

अन्यस्मै च वदेद्विद्वान् ब्राह्मणोन्तरितो य दि । ब्राह्मणान्तरितै सर्वैः श्रोतव्यं गारुडं त्विदम ॥ १,२४०.

If a learned Brahmin tells it to another, it should be heard only by Brahmins; this Garuda [Purana] is to be heard by all Brahmins.

यथा विष्णुस्तथा तार्क्ष्यस्तार्क्ष्यस्तोत्राद्धरिः स्तुतः । गारुडं वसुराजश्च श्रुत्वा सर्वमवाप ह ॥ १,२४०.

Just as Vishnu is praised by Garuda and by hymns to Garuda, so also King Vasu, having heard the Garuda [Purana], obtained everything.

वरुरुवाच । नमस्यामि महाबाहुं खगेद्र हरिवाहनम् । विष्णोर्ध्वसंस्थानं वित्रासितमहासुरम् ॥ १,२४०.

Varuru said: I bow to the mighty-armed king of birds, the carrier of Hari, the one established above Vishnu, who terrified the great demons.

नमस्ते नागदर्पघ्न विनतानन्दवर्धन । सुपक्षपात निद्दभ दीनदैत्यनिरीक्षित ॥ १,२४०.

Salutations to you, destroyer of the pride of serpents, increaser of Vinata's joy, whose wings cast shade, whose roar resounds, who is watched by distressed demons.

परस्परस्य शापेन सुप्रतीकविभावसू । गजकच्छपतां प्राप्तौ भ्रातरौचैव संयुतौ ॥ १,२४०.

By mutual curse, the two brothers, Supratika and Vibhavasu, attained the forms of elephant and tortoise, and were joined together.

यदुच्छ्रितौ योजनानि जस्तद्द्विगुणायतः । कूर्मस्त्रियोजनोत्सोधा शतयोजनवमडलः ॥ १,२४०.

When they were raised, their length was twice the measure of a yojana; the tortoise was three yojanas deep, and its circumference was a hundred yojanas.

न खाद्यौ तौ त्वयानीचौ चतुर्भुजौ च पक्षिप? । परस्परकृताच्छापदोषाच्च परिमोचितौ ॥ १,२४०.

Those two, not to be eaten by you, were humble and four-armed, O bird; and, freed from the fault of the mutual curse, were released.

निषाददेशस्वादेन देवं ब्रूस्मानिदितम्? । विषादीशस्ततो मुक्तस्तत्रापि ब्राह्मणस्त्वया ॥ १,२४०.

By tasting the land of the Nishadas, I speak to the god as instructed; the lord of poison was then released, and there too, a Brahmin was freed by you.

वटारोहिणवृक्षस्य योजनानां शतायुता । शाखा भिन्ना त्वया यत्र वालखिल्याः समास्थिताः ॥ १,२४०.

On the banyan tree, whose roots stretch for a hundred thousand yojanas, the branch broken by you was where the Valakhilyas were settled.

त्वया यत्नकृता कृत्वानखस्थौ गजकच्छपौ । नभस्पपिनिरालंबे सर्वतः परिवारितौ ॥ १,२४०.

By your effort, you placed the elephant and tortoise upon your nails, suspending them in the sky, surrounded on all sides.

त्वया जिता रणे देवाः सर्वे शक्रपुरोगमाः । आहृतं तत्पुरा सोमं वाह्निं निर्वाप्य काश्यपे ॥ १,२४०.

You conquered all the gods in battle, led by Indra; you brought the soma then, extinguishing the fire for Kashyapa.

नागौ दृष्टिविषौ कृत्वा रजसा तु विचक्षुषौ । तीक्ष्णाग्रेण न सा भङ्क्त्वाविक्रवेतौ मनोहतः? ॥ १,२४०.

Making the serpents blind by your gaze and dust, with sharp-pointed beak, you did not break them, but subdued them by your resolve.

आहृत्यापि त्वया सोमं नीतमेव न भक्तितः । तेन विष्णोर्ध्वजस्थानं वाहनत्वं गतो ह्यसि ॥ १,२४०.

Even after bringing the soma, you did not take it for yourself; thus, you became the vehicle established above Vishnu.

त्वया निः क्षिप्य दर्भेषु सोमं नागाश्च वञ्चिताः । जहार चामृतं पात्रं शीघ्रं वै ब्रह्मसूदन ॥ १,२४०.

By casting the soma among the blades of grass, you deceived the serpents; you swiftly seized the vessel of nectar, O slayer of Brahmins.

यत्र जिह्वाद्विधाभूताः पन्नगानां द्विजोत्तम । विनता मोचिता दास्यात्कद्वा पूर्वजिता रणे ॥ १,२४०.

Where the tongues of serpents were divided, O best of twice-born, Vinata was freed from servitude, having been previously defeated in battle.

उच्चैः श्रवाः स किंवर्णः शुक्ल इत्येव भाषते । कृष्णवर्णमहं मन्ये पूर्वदृष्टमुवाच ह ॥ १,२४०.

Uccaiḥśravas is said to be white in color; I consider him black, as was seen before and spoken.