01.030
Library: Strength of Garuda, Vinita’s release, Snakes deceived.
garuḍa uvāca॥
Garuda spoke:
sakhyaṁ me'stu tvayā deva yathecchasi puraṁdara। balaṁ tu mama jānīhi mahaccāsahyameva ca ॥1-30-1॥
O Indra, let there be friendship between us as you desire. However, you must recognize that my strength is immense and truly formidable.
kāmaṃ naitatpraśaṃsanti santaḥ svabalasaṃstavam। guṇasaṅkīrtanaṃ cāpi svayameva śatakrato ॥1-30-2॥
O Indra, wise ones do not praise self-strength or sing of virtues by themselves.
sakheti kṛtvā tu sakhe pṛṣṭo vakṣyāmyahaṃ tvayā। na hyātma stavasanyuktaṃ vaktavyamanimittataḥ ॥1-30-3॥
O friend, having done so, I will tell you as you have asked. Indeed, your self should not be spoken of without reason.
saparvatavanāmurvīṃ sasāgaravanāmimām। pakṣanāḍyaikayā śakra tvāṃ caivātrāvalambinam ॥1-30-4॥
Indra, you are supporting this earth, which is filled with mountains, forests, oceans, and forests, by a single winged artery.
sarvān sampiṇḍitān vā api lokān sathāṇujaṅgamān। vaheyam apariśrānto viddhīdaṃ me mahadbalam ॥1-30-5॥
Understand the extent of my great strength: I am capable of carrying all the worlds, whether they are stationary or moving, without any fatigue.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
ityuktavacanaṃ vīraṃ kirīṭī śrīmatāṃ varaḥ। āha śaunaka devendraḥ sarvabhūtahitaḥ prabhuḥ ॥1-30-6॥
Thus, the crowned hero, the best among the glorious, was addressed by Śaunaka, the lord of the gods and benefactor of all beings.
pratigṛhyatām idānīṃ me sakhyam ānantyam uttamam। na kāryaṃ tava somena mama somaḥ pradīyatām ॥ asmāṃs te hi prabādheyur yebhyo dadyād bhavān imam ॥1-30-7॥
Let my supreme eternal friendship be accepted now. It is not necessary for you to have soma; let my soma be given. They would indeed oppress us from those to whom you would give this.
garuḍa uvāca॥
Garuda spoke:
kiñcitkāraṇamuddiśya somo'yaṃ nīyate mayā। na dāsyāmi samādātuṃ somaṃ kasmaicidapyaham ॥1-30-8॥
For a certain reason, I am taking this Soma. I will not give Soma to anyone at all.
yatremaṃ tu sahasrākṣa nikṣipeyamahaṃ svayam। tvamādāya tatastūrṇaṃ harethāstridaśeśvara ॥1-30-9॥
O thousand-eyed one, I will place this here myself, and then you should quickly take it away, O lord of the gods.
śakra uvāca॥
Indra spoke:
vākyenānena tuṣṭo'haṃ yattvayoktamihāṇḍaja। yadicchasi varaṃ mattastadgṛhāṇa khagottama ॥1-30-10॥
I am pleased with what you have said here, O bird. Ask for any boon you desire from me, and it shall be granted, O best of birds.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
ityuktaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ kadrūputrān anusmaran। smṛtvā caivopadhikṛtaṃ mātur dāsyanimittataḥ ॥1-30-11॥
Thus addressed, he replied, recalling the sons of Kadru and the deception caused by his mother's servitude.
īśo'hamapi sarvasya kariṣyāmi tu te'rthitām। bhaveyurbhujagāḥ śakra mama bhakṣyā mahābalāḥ ॥1-30-12॥
I, the lord, will fulfill your request for all. O Indra, the mighty serpents may become my food.
tathetyuktvānvagacchattaṃ tato dānavasūdanaḥ। hariṣyāmi vinikṣiptaṃ somamityanubhāṣya tam ॥1-30-13॥
After saying thus, the destroyer of demons followed him, declaring that he would take away the deposited Soma.
ājagāma tatastūrṇaṃ suparṇo māturantikam। atha sarpānuvācedaṃ sarvānaparamahṛṣṭavat ॥1-30-14॥
Suparna swiftly approached his mother and, in great delight, addressed all the serpents.
idamānītamamṛtaṃ nikṣepsyāmi kuśeṣu vaḥ| snātā maṅgalasaṃyuktāstataḥ prāśnīta pannagāḥ ॥1-30-15॥
I will place this nectar, which has been brought, on the kusha grass for you. After bathing and being endowed with auspiciousness, you may then consume it, O serpents.
adāsī caiva māteyam adyaprabhr̥ti cāstu me। yathoktaṃ bhavatāmetad vaco me pratipāditam ॥1-30-16॥
You have given this to me, mother, and from today onwards, let it be mine. As you have stated, my word has been fulfilled.
tataḥ snātuṃ gatāḥ sarpāḥ pratyuktvā taṃ tathetyuta। śakro'pyamṛtamākṣipya jagāma tridivaṃ punaḥ ॥1-30-17॥
Then the serpents agreed and went to bathe, while Indra seized the nectar and returned to heaven once more.
athāgatāstamuddeśaṃ sarpāḥ somārthinastadā| snātāśca kṛtajapyāśca prahṛṣṭāḥ kṛtamaṅgalāḥ ॥1-30-18॥
Then the serpents, in search of soma, arrived at the designated place. They bathed, performed their prayers, and were filled with joy after completing the auspicious rites.
tadvijñāya hṛtaṃ sarpāḥ pratimāyākṛtaṃ ca tat। somasthānamidaṃ ceti darbhāṃste lilihustadā ॥1-30-19॥
Upon realizing that it was stolen, the serpents crafted an image and declared, 'This is the Soma place,' after which they licked the sacred grass.
tato dvaidhīkṛtā jihvā sarpāṇāṃ tena karmaṇā। abhavaṃścāmṛtasparśāddarbhāste'tha pavitriṇaḥ ॥1-30-20॥
Then, as a result of that action, the tongues of the serpents were split in two. Additionally, the sacred grass became pure due to the touch of nectar.
tataḥ suparṇaḥ paramaprahṛṣṭavā; nvihṛtya mātrā saha tatra kānane। bhujaṅgabhakṣaḥ paramārcitaḥ khagai; rahīnakīrtirvinatāmanandayat ॥1-30-21॥
Then Suparna, the serpent-eater, who was highly revered by the birds and famous, was extremely delighted and enjoyed with his mother Vinata in the forest.
imāṃ kathāṃ yaḥ śṛṇuyānnaraḥ sadā; paṭheta vā dvijajanamukhyasaṃsadi. asaṃśayaṃ tridivamiyātsa puṇyabhā; ṅmahātmanaḥ patagapateḥ prakīrtanāt ॥1-30-22॥
Whoever always hears or reads this story in the assembly of the best of the twice-born, undoubtedly goes to heaven, being virtuous, by the glorification of the great soul Garuda.
