ASTIKA PARVA: Chapter 25

Story of Garuda

सौतिरुवाच ततः कामगम: पक्षी महावीर्यो महाबलः। मातुरन्तिकमागच्छत्परं पारं महोदधेः॥
Sauti said: Then the bird, of great strength and energy, capable of going every where at will, went to his mother on the other side of the great ocean.

यत्र सा विनता तस्मिन्पणितेन पराजिता। अतीव दुःखसंतप्ता दासीभावमुपागता॥
There lived Vinata in great affliction after losing the wager and becoming a slave.

ततः कदाचिद्विनतां प्रणतां पुत्रसंनिधौ। काले चाहूय वचनं कदूरिदमभाषत।। नागानामालयं भद्रे सुरम्यं चारुदर्शनम्। समुद्रकुक्षावेकान्ते तत्र मां विनते नय॥
Sometime after on a certain day, Kadru called Vinata, who prostrated herself before her and said before her son (Garuda). "O gentle Vinata, take me to the beautiful and delightful abode of the Nagas which is situated in the deep recess of the sea.”

ततः सुपर्णमाता तामवहत्सर्पमातरम्। पन्नगागरुडश्चापि मातुर्वचनचोदितः॥
Thereupon the mother of the bird took upon her shoulder the mother of the snakes. Garuda also, requested by his mother, took the snakes on his back.

स सूर्यमभितो याति वैनतेयो विहंगमः। सूर्यरश्मिप्रतप्ताश्च मूर्च्छिताः पन्नगाऽभवन्।॥
The son, of Vinata, the bird, began to ascend towards the sun; and the snakes, scorched by the rays of the sun, all fainted away.

तदवस्थान्सुतान्दृष्ट्वा कदूः शक्रमथास्तुवत्। नमस्ते सर्वदेवेश नमस्ते बलसूदन॥
Seeing her sons in this plight, Kadru began to praise Indra thus : "I bow to you, O Lord of the celestials, I bow to you, O slayer of Bala.

नमुचिघ्न नमस्तेऽस्तु सहस्राक्ष शचीपते। सर्पाणां सूर्यतप्तानां वारिणा त्वं प्लवो भव॥
O slayer of Namuchi, I bow to thee, O god of thousand eyes, O Lord of Sachi, save my sons, oppressed by the rays of the sun by your showers.

त्वमेव परमं त्राणमस्माकममरोत्तम। ईशो ह्यसि पयः स्रष्टुं त्वमनल्पं पुरन्दर॥
You are our great protector. O best of gods, O Purandara, you can grant rains in torrents.

त्वमेव मेघस्त्वं वायुस्त्वमग्निर्विद्युतोऽम्बरे। त्वमभ्रगणविक्षेप्ता त्वामेवाहुर्महाधनम्॥
You are Vayu, you are the clouds, you are Agni, you are the lightning in the sky, you are the propellers of the clouds and therefore you are called the great clouds.

त्वं वज्रमतुलं घोरं घोषवांस्त्वं बलाहकः। स्रष्टा त्वमेव लोकानां संहर्ता चापराजितः॥
You are the incomparable thunder, you are the roaring clouds, you are the creator and the destroyer of the worlds, you are unconquerable.

त्वं ज्योतिः सर्वभूतानां त्वमादित्यो विभावसुः। त्वं महद्भूतमाश्चर्यं त्वं राजा त्वं सुरोत्तमः॥
You are the light of all creatures you are Aditya and Vibhavasu, you are the highest knowledge, you are wonderful, you are king, you are the best of the celestials.

त्वं विष्णुस्त्वं सहस्राक्षस्त्वं देवस्त्वं परायणम्। त्वं सर्वमनृतं देवः त्वं सोमः परमार्चितः॥
You are Vishnu, you have one thousand eyes, you are a deity, you are the final refuge, you are all Ambrosia, you are the much adored Soma.

त्वं मुहूर्तस्तिथिस्त्वं च त्वं लवस्त्वं पुनः क्षणः। शुक्लस्त्वं बहुलस्त्वं च कला काष्ठा त्रुटिस्तथा। संवत्सरर्तवो मासा रजन्यश्च दिनानि च॥
You are moments, you are the Tithis, you are the Lava you are the Kshana, you are the white fortnight, you are Kala, Kashtha, Truti, you are the year, seasons, months, the nights and the days.

त्वमुत्तमा सगिरिवना वसुन्धरा सभास्करं वितिमिरमम्बरं तथा। महोदधिः सतिमितिमिगिलस्तथा महोर्मिमान्बहुमकरो झषाकुलः॥
You are the beautiful earth with its mountains and forests, you are the clear sky with the sun that drives away all darkness. You are the great ocean with heaving billows and abounding in Timingilas, Timis, Makaras and various other fishes.

महायशास्त्वमिति सदाऽभिपूज्यसे मनीषिभिर्मुदितमना महर्षिभिः। अभिष्टुतः पिबसि च सोममध्वरे वषट् कृतान्यपि च हवींषि भूतये॥
You are of renown, you are always adored by the wise and the great contemplative Rishis, you drink the Soma juice and the clarified butter offered with sacred invocation in the sacrifices.

त्वं विप्रैः सततमिहेज्यसे फलार्थ वेदाङ्गेष्वतुलबलौघ गीयसे च। त्वद्धतोर्यजनपरायणा द्विजेन्द्रा वेदाङ्गान्यभिगमयन्ति सर्वयत्नैः॥
You are always worshipped in the sacrifices by the Brahmanas, desirous of receiving fruits. O God of incomparable strength, you are sung in the Vedas. It is for this reason that the learned Brahmanas, engaged in sacrifices, study the Vedangas with all care."