01.027
Library: Significance of the birth of Garuda explained.
śaunaka uvāca॥
Śaunaka spoke:
ko'parādho mahendrasya kaḥ pramādaśca sūtaja। tapasā vālakhilyānāṃ sambhūto garuḍaḥ katham ॥1-27-1॥
O son of Suta, what offense or negligence did Mahendra commit? How did Garuda come into being through the penance of the Valakhilyas?
kaśyapasya dvijāteśca kathaṁ vai pakṣirāṭsutaḥ। adhṛṣyaḥ sarvabhūtānāmavadhyaścābhavatkatham ॥1-27-2॥
How did the son of Kaśyapa and the twice-born, the king of birds, become invincible and immortal among all beings?
kathaṁ ca kāmacārī sa kāmavīryaśca khecaraḥ| etadicchāmyahaṁ śrotuṁ purāṇe yadi paṭhyate ॥1-27-3॥
I wish to hear how he, who moves with desire and is powerful in desire, becomes a sky-walker, if this is mentioned in the Purana.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
viṣayo'yaṃ purāṇasya yanmāṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi। śṛṇu me vadataḥ sarvametatsaṅkṣepato dvija ॥1-27-4॥
This is the subject of the Purāṇa that you inquire about; listen to my brief explanation, O learned one.
yajataḥ putrakāmasya kaśyapasya prajāpateḥ। sāhāyyamṛṣayo devā gandharvāśca daduḥ kila ॥1-27-5॥
The sages, gods, and Gandharvas indeed assisted Kaśyapa, the lord of creatures, in his sacrifice as he desired a son.
tatre'dhmānayane śakro niyuktaḥ kaśyapena ha। munayo vālakhilyāśca ye cānye devatāgaṇāḥ ॥1-27-6॥
In that place, Indra was indeed appointed by Kashyapa to bring the fuel, along with the sages, Valakhilyas, and other groups of deities.
śakrastu vīryasadṛśamidhmabhāraṃ giriprabham। samudyamyānayāmāsa nātikṛcchrādiva prabhuḥ ॥1-27-7॥
Indra, the lord, effortlessly lifted and brought a mountain-like load of fuel, as if it was not difficult for him.
athāpaśyadṛṣīnhrasvānaṅguṣṭhodaraparvaṇaḥ। palāśavṛntikāmekāṃ sahitānvahataḥ pathi ॥1-27-8॥
Then he saw the sages, who were short and had thumb-sized bellies and joints, carrying together a single palāśa leaf stalk on the path.
pralīnān sveṣv ivāṅgeṣu nirāhārāṃs tapodhanān। kliśyamānān mandabalān goṣpade samplutodake ॥1-27-9॥
The ascetics, appearing as if absorbed in their own limbs, were weak and suffering without food, in a cow's hoofprint filled with water.
tāṁś ca sarvān smayāviṣṭo vīryonmattaḥ puraṁdaraḥ| avahasyātyagāc chīghraṁ laṅghayitvāvamanya ca ॥1-27-10॥
Indra, overwhelmed with pride and drunk with power, laughed at them all, swiftly moved past, crossing over and disregarding them.
te'tha roṣasamāviṣṭāḥ subhṛśaṃ jātamanyavaḥ। ārebhire mahatkarma tadā śakrabhayaṅkaram ॥1-27-11॥
Then, filled with intense anger and greatly enraged, they began a formidable task that was terrifying to Indra.
juhuvuste sutapaso vidhivajjātavedasam। mantrairuccāvacairviprā yena kāmena tacchṛṇu ॥1-27-12॥
The sages, with great austerity and according to the rules, offered to the fire god with various chants. Listen to the desire by which they did so.
kāmavīryaḥ kāmagamo devarājabhayapradaḥ। indro'nyah sarvadevānāṃ bhavediti yatavratāḥ ॥1-27-13॥
The one who possesses the power of love and strength, who fulfills desires and instills fear in the king of gods, is considered another Indra among all gods, as those with disciplined vows believe.
indrācchataguṇaḥ śaurye vīrye caiva manojavaḥ। tapaso naḥ phalenādya dāruṇaḥ sambhavatviti ॥1-27-14॥
Let the one who is a hundred times more valorous and stronger than Indra, and who possesses the speed of mind, be born today as a result of our penance.
tadbud'dhvā bhṛśasantapto devarājaḥ śatakratuḥ। jagāma śaraṇaṃ tatra kaśyapaṃ saṃśitavratam ॥1-27-15॥
Realizing the situation, the greatly troubled king of gods, Indra, sought refuge with Kashyapa, who was steadfast in his vows.
tacchrutvā devarājasya kaśyapo'tha prajāpatiḥ। vālakhilyānupāgamya karmasiddhimapṛcchat ॥1-27-16॥
Upon hearing this, Kaśyapa, the progenitor, approached the Vālakhilyas and inquired about the success of their task.
evam astv iti taṃ cāpi pratyūcuḥ satyavādinaḥ। tān kaśyapa uvācedaṃ sāntvapūrvaṃ prajāpatiḥ ॥1-27-17॥
The truth-speakers replied to him, "Let it be so." Then Kaśyapa, the lord of creatures, addressed them with words of conciliation.
ayam indras tribhuvane niyogād brahmaṇaḥ kṛtaḥ। indrārthaṃ ca bhavanto'pi yatnavantas tapodhanāḥ ॥1-27-18॥
This Indra was appointed by Brahma's command in the three worlds. For the sake of Indra, you all, the diligent sages, must also act.
na mithyā brahmaṇo vākyaṃ kartumarhatha sattamāḥ। bhavatāṃ ca na mithyāyaṃ saṅkalpo me cikīrṣitaḥ ॥1-27-19॥
O best ones, the word of Brahma is never false. You should not act otherwise. Your resolve and my intention are true.
bhavatveṣa patatrīṇāmindro'tibalasattvavān। prasādaḥ kriyatāṃ caiva devarājasya yācataḥ ॥1-27-20॥
Let Indra, who is very powerful and virtuous, be the lord of the birds. May the grace of the king of gods be granted to the one who is asking.
evamuktāḥ kaśyapena vālakhilyāstapodhanāḥ। pratyūcurabhisampūjya muniśreṣṭhaṃ prajāpatiṃ ॥1-27-21॥
After being addressed by Kashyapa, the Valakhilya sages, who were ascetics, respectfully replied to the eminent sage and lord of creatures.
indrārtho'yaṃ samārambhaḥ sarveṣāṃ naḥ prajāpate। apatyārthaṃ samārambho bhavataścāyamīpsitaḥ ॥1-27-22॥
This endeavor is meant for Indra, O lord of creatures, and is desired by you for the sake of progeny, for all of us.
tad idaṃ saphalaṃ karma tvayā vai pratigṛhyatām। tathā caiva vidhatsvātra yathā śreyo'nupaśyasi ॥1-27-23॥
Accept this fruitful action indeed, and act here in such a way as you perceive to be for the best.
etasmínneva kāle tu devī dākṣāyaṇī śubhā। vinatā nāma kalyāṇī putrakāmā yaśasvinī ॥1-27-24॥
At this very moment, the auspicious goddess Dākṣāyaṇī, known as Vinatā, who was virtuous and desired a son, was renowned.
tapastaptvā vrataparā snātā puṃsavane śuciḥ। upacakrāma bhartāraṃ tāmuvācātha kaśyapaḥ ॥1-27-25॥
After performing austerities and being dedicated to her vows, she bathed in the puṃsavana rite and approached her husband in purity. Then, Kaśyapa spoke to her.
ārambhaḥ saphalo devi bhavitāyaṃ tavepsitaḥ। janayiṣyasi putrau dvau vīrau tribhuvaneśvarau ॥1-27-26॥
O goddess, your desired beginning will be successful. You will give birth to two heroic sons who will be lords of the three worlds.
tapasā vālakhilyānāṃ mama saṅkalpajau tathā। bhaviṣyato mahābhāgau putrau te lokapūjitau ॥1-27-27॥
By the penance of the Vālakhilyas, my sons born of resolve will be greatly fortunate and worshipped by the world.
uvāca caināṃ bhagavānmārīcaḥ punareva ha। dhāryatāmapramādena garbho'yaṃ sumahodayaḥ ॥1-27-28॥
The divine sage Mārīca advised her once more, emphasizing the importance of carefully nurturing the highly auspicious embryo.
ekaḥ sarvapatatrīṇāmindratvaṃ kārayiṣyati। lokasambhāvito vīraḥ kāmavīryo vihaṅgamaḥ ॥1-27-29॥
One bird, renowned in the world and possessing desired strength, will become the lord of all birds.
śatakratum atho vācā prīyamāṇaḥ prajāpatiḥ। tvat-sahāyau khagāv etau bhrātarau te bhaviṣyataḥ ॥1-27-30॥
Then, pleased, the lord of creatures, Indra, said: "These two birds will become your companions and brothers."
naitābhyāṃ bhavitā doṣaḥ sakāśātte puraṃdara। vyetu te śakra santāpastvamevendro bhaviṣyasi ॥1-27-31॥
There will be no fault from these two towards you, Purandara. Let your sorrow go, Shakra; you will indeed become Indra.
na cāpy evaṃ tvayā bhūyaḥ kṣeptavyā brahmavādinaḥ। na cāvamānyā darpāt te vāgviṣā bhṛśakopanāḥ ॥1-27-32॥
The speakers of Brahman should not be insulted again by you, nor should they be disrespected out of arrogance with your poisonous words, which make them very angry.
evamukto jagāmendro nirviśaṅkastriviṣṭapam। vinatā cāpi siddhārthā babhūva muditā tadā ॥1-27-33॥
Having been addressed in this way, Indra went fearlessly to heaven. At that time, Vinata also became successful and was filled with joy.
janayāmāsa putrau dvāvaruṇaṃ garuḍaṃ tathā। aruṇastayostu vikala ādityasya puraḥsaraḥ ॥1-27-34॥
Two sons were born, Varuna and Garuda. Among them, Aruna, though imperfect, became the charioteer of Aditya.
patatrīṇāṃ tu garuḍa indrattvenābhyaṣicyata. tasyaitatkarma sumahacchrūyatāṃ bhṛgunandana ॥1-27-35॥
Garuda was appointed as the king of birds. Listen to this great deed of his, O descendant of Bhrigu.
