कार्पासद्रोणशिखरे आसीनं ताम्रभाजने । यमं हैमं प्रकुर्वीत लोहदण्डसमन्वितम् । इक्षुदण्डमयं बद्ध्वा प्लवं सुदृढबन्धनैः ॥ २,४७.
Seated atop a cotton mound, in a copper vessel, one should make a golden image of Yama, furnished with an iron staff, and bind a raft made of sugarcane with strong ties.
उडुपोपरि तां धेनुं सूर्यदेहसमुद्भवाम् । कृत्वा प्रकल्पयेद्विप्रश्छत्रोपानहसंयुतम् ॥ २,४७.
Above the stars, place that cow, born from the body of the sun, and arrange it with a Brahmin, with umbrella and shoes.
अङ्गुलीयकवासांसि ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् । इममुच्चारयेन्मन्त्रं संगृह्य सजलान्कुशान् ॥ २,४७.
Present finger-rings and garments to the Brahmin; recite this mantra, holding a water-pot and a goad.
यमद्वारे महाघोरे श्रुत्वा वैतरणीं तदीम् । तर्तुकामो ददाम्येनां तुभ्यं वैतरणीं नमः ॥ २,४७.
At the dreadful gate of Yama, having heard of the Vaitarani, desiring to cross, I give this to you: homage to the Vaitarani.
गावो मे अग्रतः सन्तु गावो मे सन्तु पार्श्वतः । गावो मे हृदये सन्तु गवां मध्ये वसाम्यहम् ॥ २,४७.
May cows be before me, may cows be beside me; may cows be within my heart—among cows I dwell.
विष्णुरूप द्विजश्रेष्ठ मामुद्धर महीसुर । सदक्षिणा मया दत्ता तुभ्यं वैतरणीनमः ॥ २,४७.
O best of twice-born, O divine form of Viṣṇu, rescue me, O lord of the earth; I have given you a cow with proper gifts—salutations to the Vaitaraṇī.
धर्मराजञ्च सर्वेशं वैतरण्याख्यधेनुकाम् । सर्वं प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् ॥ २,४७.
Having circumambulated Dharmarāja, the lord of all, and the cow named Vaitaraṇī, let it all be offered to the brāhmaṇa.
पुच्छं संगृह्य धेन्वाश्च अग्रे कृत्वा तु वै व्दिजम् । धेनुके त्वं प्रतीक्षस्व यमद्वारे महाभये ॥ २,४७.
Grasping the tail of the cow, with the brāhmaṇa placed in front, wait with the cow at the dreadful gate of Yama.
उत्तारणाय देवेशि वैतरण्ये नमोऽस्तु ते । अनुव्रजेत्तु गच्छन्तं सर्वं तस्य गृहं नयेत् ॥ २,४७.
O goddess of gods, salutations to you, O Vaitaraṇī, for deliverance; follow the one who goes, and lead all his household.
एवं कृते वैनतेय सा सरित्सुतरा भवेत् । सर्वान्कामानवाप्नोति यो दद्याद्भुवि मानवः ॥ २,४७.
O son of Vinatā, when this is done, that river becomes easy to cross; whoever gives thus on earth attains all desires.
सुकृतस्य प्रभावेण सुखञ्चेह परत्र च । स्वस्थे सहस्रगुणितमातुरे शतसंमितम् ॥ २,४७.
By the power of good deeds, happiness is obtained here and hereafter; for the healthy, it is a thousandfold, for the sick, a hundredfold.
मृतस्यैव तु यद्दानं परोक्षे तत्समं स्मृतम् । स्वहस्तेन ततो देयं मृते कः कस्य दास्यती ॥ २,४७.
Whatever gift is made for the dead, in their absence, is considered equal; therefore, one should give with one's own hand—after death, who will give to whom?
दानधर्मविहीनानां कृपणैर्जीवेतक्षितैः । अस्थिरेण शरीरेण स्थिरं कर्म समाचरेत् ॥ २,४७.
Those lacking in charity and righteousness, misers clinging to life, should perform steadfast deeds with this unstable body.
अवश्यमेव यास्यन्ति प्राणाः प्राघुणि (घूर्णि) का इव ॥ २,४७.
Surely, life-breaths will depart, just as a herd (of cattle) moves on.
इतीदमुक्तं तव पक्षिराज विडम्बनं जन्तुगणस्य सर्वम् । प्रेतस्य मोक्षाय तदौद्ध्वन्दैहिकं हिताय लोकस्य चरेच्छुभाय तु ॥ २,४७.
Thus, O king of birds, all this has been spoken to you—the mockery of all creatures; for the liberation of the departed, one should perform these rites for the benefit and welfare of the world.
सूत उवाच । एवं विप्राः समाद्दिष्टो विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना । गरुड प्रेतचरितं श्रुत्वा सन्तुष्टिमागतः ॥ २,४७.
Sūta said: Thus, O brāhmaṇas, having been instructed by mighty Viṣṇu, Garuḍa, after hearing the account of the departed, became satisfied.
व्रततीर्थादिकं सर्वं पुनः पप्रच्छ केशवम् । ध्यात्वा मनसि सर्वेशं सर्वकारणकारणम् ॥ २,४७.
He again asked Keśava about all vows, pilgrimages, and the like, meditating in his mind on the Lord of all, the cause of all causes.
ऋषयः सर्वमेवैतज्जन्तूनां प्रभवादिकम् । मरणं जन्म च तथा प्रेतत्वञ्चौर्ध्वदैहिकम् ॥ २,४७.
The sages (said): All this—origin and so forth, death, birth, and also the state of the departed and the rites after death—has been declared.
मया प्रोक्तं वै मुक्त्यै निदानं चैव सर्वशः । लाभस्तेषां जयस्तेषां कुतस्तेषां पराजयः । येषामिन्दीवरश्यामो हृदयस्थो जनार्दनः ॥ २,४७.
I have spoken all this for liberation, and the cause as well; for those whose hearts hold Janārdana, dark as a blue lotus, there is gain, there is victory—how can there be defeat for them?
धर्मो जयति नाधर्मः सत्यं जयति नानृतम् । क्षमा जयति न क्रोधो विष्णुर्जयति नासुराः ॥ २,४७.
Dharma prevails, not adharma; truth prevails, not falsehood; forgiveness prevails, not anger; Viṣṇu prevails, not the demons.
विष्णुर्माता पिता विष्णुर्विष्णुः स्वजनबान्धवाः । येषामेव स्थिरा बुद्धिर्न तेषां दुर्गतिर्भवेत् ॥ २,४७.
Viṣṇu is mother, Viṣṇu is father, Viṣṇu is kin and friend; for those whose understanding is firm in him, there is no misfortune.
मङ्गलं भगवान्विष्णुर्मङ्गलं गरुडध्वजः । मङ्गलं पुण्डरीकाक्षो मङ्गलायतनं हरिः ॥ २,४७.
Auspicious is Lord Viṣṇu, auspicious is he who bears Garuḍa on his banner; auspicious is the lotus-eyed one, auspicious is Hari, the abode of auspiciousness.
हरिर्भागीरथी विप्रा विप्रा भागीरथी हरिः । भागीरथी हरिर्विप्राः सारमेतज्जगत्त्रये ॥ २,४७.
Hari, the Bhagirathi, and the brahmins—brahmins, the Bhagirathi, and Hari; the Bhagirathi, Hari, and the brahmins—this is the essence in all three worlds.
इति सूतमुखोद्गीर्णां सर्वशास्त्रार्थमण्डिताम् । वैष्णविं वाक्सुधां पीत्वा ऋषयस्तुष्टिमाययुः ॥ २,४७.
Having drunk the nectar-like words of Vaishnavi teaching, adorned with the meaning of all the scriptures and uttered by Suta, the sages attained satisfaction.
प्रशशंसुस्तथान्योन्यं सूतं सर्वार्थदर्शिनम् । प्रहर्षमतुलं प्रापुर्मुनयः शौनकादयः ॥ २,४७.
Thus, praising one another and Suta, who sees the meaning of all things, the sages headed by Shaunaka experienced incomparable joy.
अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोपि वा । यः स्मरेत्पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरं शुचिः ॥ २,४७.
Whether impure or pure, or having reached any condition whatsoever, whoever remembers the lotus-eyed one becomes pure both outwardly and inwardly.
श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् ४८ तार्क्ष्य उवाच । ये मर्त्यलोके निवसन्ति मानवास्ते सर्वजातौ निधनं प्रयान्ति । काले स्वकीये निजपुण्यसंख्यया वदन्ति लाक कथस्व तन्मे ॥ २,४८.
Tarkshya said: All humans who dwell in the world of mortals, of every kind, go to death at their appointed time, according to the measure of their own merit. Tell me about this, recount it to me.
गच्छन्ति मार्गेण सुदुस्तरेण विधातृनिष्पादितवर्त्मनि स्थिताः । केनैव पुण्येन मुदं प्रयान्ति तिष्ठन्ति केनैव कुलं बलं वयः ॥ २,४८.
They proceed along a path that is very hard to cross, set by the Creator; by what merit do they attain happiness, and by what do they maintain family, strength, and age?
सूत उवाच । श्रुत्वाथ देवो गरुडं त्ववोचत्स्मृत्वा वपुः कर्मभयञ्च रूपम् । सृष्टा धरा येन चराचरं जगत्स येन शस्ता विहितो यमो विभुः ॥ २,४८.
Suta said: Hearing this, the Lord spoke to Garuda, recalling his own form and the fearsome nature of karma: He by whom the earth was created, along with all moving and unmoving beings, by whom Yama the mighty was established as the ruler.
श्रीभगवानुवाच । धर्मार्थकामं चिरमोक्षसञ्चयमन्यं द्वितीयं यममार्गगामिनाम् । प्रविश्यचाङ्गुष्ठसमे स तत्र वै तं प्राप्य देहं स्वमन्दिरम्? ॥ २,४८.
The Blessed Lord said: For those who pursue righteousness, wealth, desire, or the long accumulation of liberation, there is another path, leading to Yama; entering there, equal to the size of a thumb, he attains that body and then his own abode.