Garuda Purana

नरैस्तुष्टैश्च पुष्टैश्च यत्प्रोक्तं च कृतं च यत् । सर्वमावेदयन्ति स्म चित्रगुप्ते यमे च तत् ॥ २,१६.

Whatever is spoken or done by satisfied and nourished men, all this they report to Chitragupta and Yama.

दूराच्छ्रवणविज्ञाना दूराद्दर्शनगोचराः । एवञ्चेष्टास्तु ते ह्यष्टौ स्वर्भूपातालचारिणः ॥ २,१६.

They possess knowledge of hearing from afar and are visible from a distance; these eight, moving among heaven, earth, and the netherworld, act in this way.

तेषां पत्न्यस्तथै वोग्रा श्रवण्यः पृथगाह्वयाः । एवं तेषां शक्तिरस्ति यर्त्ये मर्त्याधिकारिणः ॥ २,१६.

Their wives, too, are fierce, known separately as Shravanis; such is their power over mortals.

व्रतैर्दानैस्तवैर्यश्च पूजयेदिह मानवः । जायन्ते तस्य ते सौम्याः सुखमृत्युप्रदायिनः ॥ २,१६.

If a man honors them here with vows, gifts, and worship, they become gentle to him, bestowing an easy death.

श्रीगरुडमाहापुराणम् १७ गरुड उवाच । एको मे संशयो देव हृदये सम्प्रबाधते । श्रमणाः कस्य पुत्राश्च कथं यमपुरे स्थिताः ॥ २,१७.

Garuḍa said: 'O Lord, one doubt troubles my heart: whose sons are the Shravanās, and how do they reside in Yama's city?'

मानुषैश्च कृतं कर्म कस्माज्जानन्ति ते प्रभो । कथं शृण्वन्ति ते सर्वे कस्माज्ज्ञानं समागतम् ॥ २,१७.

And how, O Lord, do they know the actions performed by humans? How do they all hear, and how does knowledge come to them?

कुत्र भुञ्जन्ति देवेश क्रथयस्व प्रसादतः । पक्षिराजवचः श्रुत्वा भगवान्वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ २,१७.

Where do they dwell, O Lord of the gods? Kindly explain. Having heard the words of the king of birds, the Blessed Lord spoke.

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । शृणुष्व वचनं सत्यं सर्वेषां सौख्यदायकम् । तदहं कथयिष्यामि श्रवणानां विचेष्टितम् ॥ २,१७.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: 'Listen to my true words, which bring happiness to all. I shall tell you of the activities of the Shravanās.'

एकीभूतं यदा सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् । क्षीरोदसागरे पूर्वं मयि सुप्ते जगत्पतौ ॥ २,१७.

When all the world, moving and unmoving, was united as one, in the past, in the ocean of milk, while I, the Lord of the universe, slept—

नाभिस्थोजस्तपस्तेपे वर्षाणि सुबहून्यपि । एकीभूतं जगत्सृष्टं भूतग्रामचतुर्विधम् ॥ २,१७.

From the lotus at my navel, he performed austerities for many years; the world, united as one, was created, consisting of the four classes of beings.

ब्रह्मणा निर्मितं पूर्वं विष्णुना पालितं तदा । रुद्रः संहारमूर्तिश्च निर्मितो ब्रह्मणा ततः ॥ २,१७.

First, Brahmā created it; then Viṣṇu protected it; then Rudra, the form of destruction, was created by Brahmā.

वायुः सर्वगतः सृष्टः सूर्यस्तेजोभिवृद्धिमान् । धर्मराजस्ततः सृष्टश्चित्रगुप्तेन संयुत) ॥ २,१७.

Vāyu, all-pervading, was created; the sun, full of brilliance, was made; then Dharmarāja was created, accompanied by Chitragupta.

सृष्ट्वैतदादिकं सर्वं तपस्तेपे तु पद्मजः । गतानि बहुवर्षाणि ब्रह्मणो नाभिपङ्कजे ॥ २,१७.

Having created all this in the beginning, Padmaja (Brahmā) performed austerities; many years passed in the lotus of Brahmā's navel.

योयो हि निर्मितः पूर्वं तत्तत्कर्म समाचरेत् । कस्मिंश्चित्समये तत्र ब्रह्मा लोकसमन्वितः ॥ २,१७.

Whatever actions each being was created to perform, at some particular time, Brahma, accompanied by the worlds, directs them there.

रुद्रो विष्णुस्तथा धर्मः शासयन्ति वसुन्धराम् । न जानीमो वयं किञ्चिल्लोककृत्यमिहोच्यताम् ॥ २,१७.

Rudra, Vishnu, and Dharma govern the earth; we do not know anything—let the duties of the worlds be spoken here.

इति चिन्तापराः सर्वे देवा विममृशुस्तदा । संचिन्त्य ब्रह्मणो मन्त्रं विबुधैः प्रेरितस्तदा ॥ २,१७.

Thus, all the gods, absorbed in thought, deliberated at that time; having considered Brahma's mantra, they were prompted by the wise.

गृहीत्वा पुष्पपत्राणि सोसृजद्द्वादशात्मजान् । तेजोराशीन्विशालाक्षान्ब्रह्मणो वचनात्तु ते ॥ २,१७.

Taking flower petals, he created twelve sons—radiant, broad-eyed, from Brahma's command, they were so.

योयं वदति लोकेस्मिञ्छुभं वा यदि वाशुभम् । प्रापयन्ति ततः शीघ्रं ब्रह्मणः कर्णगोचरम् ॥ २,१७.

Whatever is spoken in this world, whether auspicious or inauspicious, they quickly bring it to Brahma's hearing.

दूराच्छ्रवणविज्ञानं दूराद्दर्शनगोचरम् । सर्वे शृण्वन्ति यत्पक्षिंस्तेनैव श्रवणा मताः ॥ २,१७.

Knowledge of hearing from afar, perception from a distance—all birds hear whatever is spoken, thus they are called 'Śravaṇā.'

स्थित्वा चैव तथाकाशे जन्तूनां चेष्टितं च यत् । तज्ज्ञात्वा धर्मराजाग्रे मृत्युकाले वदन्ति च ॥ २,१७.

Standing in the sky, whatever actions are performed by creatures, knowing them, they declare before the Lord of Dharma at the time of death.

धर्मं चार्थं च कामं च मोक्षं च कथयन्ति ते । एको हि धर्ममार्गश्च द्वितीयश्चार्थमार्गकः ॥ २,१७.

They speak of Dharma, Artha, Kāma, and Mokṣa; one follows the path of Dharma, the second the path of Artha.

अपरः काममार्गश्च मोक्षमार्गश्चतुर्थकः । उत्तमा धममार्गेण वैनतेय प्रयान्ति हि ॥ २,१७.

Another follows the path of Kāma, the fourth the path of Mokṣa; those who are excellent proceed by the path of Dharma, O Vainateya.

अर्थदाता विमानैस्तु अश्वैः कामप्रदायकः । हंसयुक्तविमानैश्च मोक्षाकाङ्क्षी विसर्पति ॥ २,१७.

The giver of wealth travels in chariots with horses; the fulfiller of desires moves in chariots drawn by swans; the seeker of liberation soars forth.

इतरः पादचारेण त्वसिपत्रवनानि च । पाषाणैः कण्टकैः क्लिष्टः पाशबद्धोऽथ याति वै ॥ २,१७.

The others go on foot, through forests of sword-leaves, afflicted by stones and thorns, bound by fetters, they proceed.

यः कश्चिन्मानुषे लोके श्रवणान्पूजयेदिह । वर्धन्या जलपात्रेम पक्वान्नपरिपूर्णया ॥ २,१७.

Whoever, in the human world, worships the Śravaṇā here, with a vessel of water for growth, filled with cooked food,

श्रवणान्पूजयेत्तत्र मया सह खगेश्वर । तस्याहं तत्प्रदास्यामि यत्सुरैरपि दुर्लभम् ॥ २,१७.

Worships the Śravaṇā there, together with me, O lord of birds; I will grant him that which is difficult even for the gods to obtain.

संभोज्य ब्राह्मणान् भक्त्या त्वेकादश शुभाञ्छुचीन् । द्वादशं सकलत्रं च मम प्रीत्यै प्रपूजयेत् ॥ २,१७.

Having fed eleven pure, auspicious Brahmins with devotion, he should worship the twelfth, together with his wife, for my pleasure.

देवैः सर्वैश्च संपूज्य स्वर्गं यान्ति सुखेप्सया । तैः पूजितैरह तुष्टश्चित्रगुप्तेन धर्मराट् ॥ २,१७.

Having been worshipped by all the gods, they go to heaven desiring happiness; when worshipped by them, I am pleased, as is Dharmarāja with Citragupta.

तैस्तुष्टैर्मत्पुरं यान्ति लोका धर्मपारायणाः । श्रवणानां च माहात्म्यमुत्पत्तिं चेष्टितं शुभम् ॥ २,१७.

When they are pleased, those devoted to Dharma go to my abode; the greatness, origin, and auspicious deeds of the Śravaṇā,