तमुवाच महाप्राज्ञश्चराचरगुरुं हरिम्। कस्त्वं किं वा प्रियं तेद्य करिष्यामि च सांप्रतम्
That most wise one addressed Hari, the teacher of all moving and unmoving beings: 'Who are you, and what favor shall I do for you now?'
नारायण उवाच-। विद्धि नारायणं मां हि त्वत्प्रियार्थं समागतम्। रूपं स्वं दर्शयामास प्रत्ययार्थं च तस्य वै
Nārāyaṇa said: 'Know me as Nārāyaṇa, who has come here for your sake.' He then revealed his true form to him, for his assurance.
पीतवस्त्रं घनश्यामं चतुर्भुजमनोहरम्। शंखचक्रगदापद्मधरं सर्वसुरेश्वरम्
Clad in yellow garments, dark as a rain cloud, four-armed and captivating, holding the conch, discus, mace, and lotus, the lord of all gods.
तं च दृष्ट्वा गरुत्मांश्च प्रणम्य शिरसा हरिम्। प्रियं किं ते करिष्यामि वद नः पुरुषोत्तम
Seeing him, Garuda bowed his head to Hari and said, 'O Supreme Person, tell me what dear thing I may do for you.'
तमब्रवीन्महातेजा देवदेवेश्वरो हरिः। भव मे वाहनं शूर सखे त्वं सार्वकालिकम्
Hari, the lord of gods and of great brilliance, spoke to him: 'Be my vehicle, O hero, my friend, at all times.'
तमुवाच खगश्रेष्ठो धन्योहं विबुधेश्वर। सफलं जन्म मे नाथ त्वां च दृष्ट्वाद्य मे प्रभो
The foremost among birds replied: 'I am blessed, O lord of the wise; my birth is fruitful, O master, for today I have seen you.'
प्रार्थयित्वा च पितरावागमिष्यामि तेऽन्तिकम्। प्रीतो विष्णुरुवाचेदं भव त्वमजरामरः
Having requested, 'Let me approach my parents,' he said, 'I will come to you.' Vishnu, pleased, replied, 'Become ageless and immortal.'
अवध्यः सर्वभूतेभ्यः कर्म तेजश्च मत्समम्। सर्वत्र ते गतिश्चास्तु निखिलं तु सुखं ध्रुवम्
You shall be inviolable by all beings; your actions and power shall equal mine. May you have freedom everywhere, and assured happiness in all things.
संमिलतु द्रुतं सर्वं यत्ते मनसि वर्तते। यथेष्टं प्रीतिमाहारमकष्टेन प्रलप्स्यसे
Let all that is in your mind swiftly come together; you will obtain whatever you desire, without hardship, and enjoy delight.
व्यसनान्मातरं सद्यो मोचयिष्यसि नान्यथा। एवमुक्त्वा हरिः सद्यस्तत्रैवांतरधीयत
You will immediately free your mother from distress; there is no other way. Having spoken thus, Hari at once vanished there.
तार्क्ष्योपि पितरं गत्वा कथयच्चाखिलं ततः। स तच्छ्रुत्वा प्रहृष्टात्मा तनयं पुनरब्रवीत्
Tārkṣya, too, went to his father and told him everything. Hearing this, his father, delighted in heart, spoke again to his son.
धन्योहं च खगश्रेष्ठ धन्या ते जननी शिवा। धन्यं क्षेत्रं कुलं चैव यस्य पुत्रस्त्वमीदृशः
I am blessed, O best of birds; your auspicious mother is blessed; blessed is the field and the lineage in which you are born as a son such as this.
यस्य पुत्रः कुले जातो वैष्णवः पुरुषोत्तमः। कुलकोटिं समुद्धृत्य विष्णुसायुज्यतां व्रजेत्
In whose family a son is born who is devoted to Vishnu, the Supreme Person, that family, numbering millions, is uplifted and attains union with Vishnu.
विष्णुं यः पूजयेन्नित्यं विष्णुं ध्यायेत गायति। जपेन्मंत्रं सदा विष्णोः स्तोत्रं तस्य पठिष्यति
He who worships Vishnu daily, meditates upon him, sings his praise, always recites Vishnu's mantra and hymn—
प्रसादं च भजेन्नित्यमुपवासं हरेर्दिने। क्षयाच्च सर्वपापानां मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
And who always partakes of his grace, fasts on Hari's day, is freed from all sins by their destruction; there is no doubt about this.
यस्य तिष्ठति गोविंदो मानसे च सदैव हि। स एव च लभेद्दास्यं सपुण्यैः पुरुषोत्तमः
He in whose mind Govinda always dwells, he alone, with merit, attains the service of the Supreme Person.
जन्मकोटिसहस्रेभ्यः कृत्वा सत्कर्मसंचयम्। क्षयाच्च सर्वपापानां विष्णोः किंकरतां व्रजेत्
After accumulating virtuous deeds over thousands of millions of births, and the destruction of all sins, one attains the status of Vishnu's servant.
धन्योसौ मानवो लोके विष्णोस्सादृश्यमाव्रजेत्। नित्यः सुरवरैः पूज्यो लोकनाथोऽच्युतोऽव्ययः
That man in the world is blessed who attains resemblance to Vishnu; eternal, worshipped by the best of gods, lord of the worlds, imperishable and infallible.
सुप्रसन्नो भवेद्यस्य स एव पुरुषोत्तमः। तपोभिर्बहुभिर्धर्मैर्मखैर्नानाविधैरपि
He whose Supreme Person is well-pleased, even by many austerities, virtues, and various sacrifices—
विष्णुर्न लभ्यते देवैस्त्वयासौ विप्र लभ्यते। सपत्नीव्यसनाद्धोरान्मातरं ते प्रमोचय
Vishnu is not attained by the gods, but by you, O Brahmin, he is attained. Free your mother from the terrible distress caused by your stepmother.
ततो यास्यसि देवेशं कृत्वा मातुः प्रतिक्रियाम्। गृहीत्वा जनकस्याज्ञां लब्ध्वा विष्णोर्वरं महत्
Then you will go to the Lord of gods, having fulfilled your mother's request, having obtained your father's permission, and having received a great boon from Viṣṇu.
अंबापार्श्वं गतो हृष्टस्तां प्रणम्याग्रतः स्थितः। विनतोवाच-। अभवद्भोजनं तेऽद्य पुत्र दृष्टः पितापि च
He went joyfully to his mother, bowed before her, and stood in front; Vinatā said: 'Today you have eaten, my son, and you have seen your father as well.'
किमर्थं वा विलंबस्ते चिंतया व्यथिता ह्यहम्। स मातुर्वचनं श्रुत्वा गरुडः प्रहसन्निव
'Why were you delayed? I have been anxious, thinking about you.' Hearing his mother's words, Garuḍa smiled.
कथयामास वृत्तांतं सा श्रुत्वा विस्मिताऽभवत्। कथं च दुःष्करं कर्म शिशुभावात्त्वया कृतम्
He recounted the events; hearing this, she was astonished: 'How did you, still a child, accomplish such a difficult task?'
धन्याहं मे कुलं धन्यं यस्त्वं विष्णुसखोऽभवः। लब्ध्वा वरं महात्मानं दृष्ट्वा मे हृष्यते मनः
'I am blessed, my family is blessed, for you have become a friend of Viṣṇu; having received a boon from the great soul, my heart rejoices to see you.'
पौरुषेण त्वया वत्स उद्धृतं मे कुलद्वयम्। सुपर्ण उवाच-। मातः किं ते करिष्यामि प्रियमेव तदुच्यताम्
'By your valor, my child, you have uplifted both our lineages.' Suparṇa said: 'Mother, what shall I do to please you? Just tell me.'
कार्यं कृत्वाथ यास्यामि पार्श्वं नारायणस्य च। एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु सा प्राह गरुडं विनता सती
'After fulfilling your wish, I will go to the side of Nārāyaṇa as well.' Hearing this, Vinatā spoke to Garuḍa.
महद्दुःखं च मे चास्ति कुरु तात प्रतिक्रियाम्। भगिनी मे सपत्नी सा पणितहं तया पुरा
'I have great sorrow, my child; please remedy it. My co-wife, my sister, once made a wager with me.'
तस्या दास्यमहं प्राप्ता कस्तारयति मामितः। कृष्णं कृत्वा विषैरश्वं तस्याः पुत्रैर्महोरगैः
'Because of that, I became her slave. Who will rescue me from this? Her sons, the mighty serpents, made the horse of Viṣṇu black with poison.'
उषःकालेऽवदत्सा च अश्वोयं कृष्णतां व्रजेत्। ततोहमवदं तत्र सदा चायं रुचासितः
'At dawn, she said: "This horse will become black." Then I replied there: "This horse is always bright and dark in hue."'