2 - Tradition of Garuda Purana

The sages said: 

1. How did Vyasa narrate this Garuda Purana to you? Please elucidate this in full, for it is essentially based on the anecdotes of Vishnu.

Suta said: 

2. In the company of the sages I had been to Badarika Ashrama.1 There I saw Vyasa in deep contemplation on the Supreme Lord.

1. A place sacred to Vishnu, on the Ganges in the Himalayas, particularly to Vishnu's dual form of Nara-Narayana. Thus, in the Mahabharata, Shiva, addressing Arjuna, says, "you were Nara in the former body and, with Narayana for your companion, you performed dreadful austerity at Badari for myriads of years". It is now known as Badarinatha though this is properly a title of Vishnu, as Lord of Badari. (Vide SP (AITM) p. 927 fn. 142; CDHM P. 39). 

3. With due salutation to the great sage, I sat down there and asked him. 

Suta said: 

O sage Vyasa, please explain the form of Hari and narrate the full process of creation of the universe, 

4. Since you ponder over the all-pervasive Lord, I think you know him. Thus asked, what he said, the same o brahmanas! you learn from me. 

Vyasa said: 

5. O Suta, hear, I shall narrate Garuda Purana as it has been narrated to me by Brahma, in the presence of Narada, Daksha2 and others.

2. A son of Brahma. (for details SP (AITM) p. 2099, Linga (AITM) p. 795).

Suta said: 

6. How did Brahma narrate the holy Garuda Purana expounding all essential things-to you accompanied by Narada, Daksha and others? 

Vyasa said: 

7. Narada, Daksha, I, Bhrugu3 and others saluted Brahma in his Brahmaloka and requested him to tell us what was essentially important.

3. A Vedic age, one of the Prajapatis and founder of the race of the Bhrugus or Bhargavas. (SP (AITM) p. 2097; Linga (AITM) p. 794; CDHM PP. 54-55. 

Brahma said: 

8. O Vyasa, I shall narrate to you the story of Garuda Purana just as narrated by Vishnu to me and Rudra in the company of the gods? 

Vyasa said: 

9. O Brahman, How did Lord Hari narrate in the past the essence of Garuda Purana, pregnant with meaning to Rudra accompanied by the gods?

Brahma said: 

10. I had been to the mount Kailasa1 accompanied by Indra and other gods. There I saw Rudra contemplating upon the highest state.

1. Name of a mountain in the Himalaya-range. (Mbh ii 503; SP (AITM) p. 2103: Linga (AITM), P.798, SED. P. 301).

11-12. After due salutation, I asked him, O Lord Shankara, whom do you ponder over? Since I do not know of a greater god than you, please tell me the essential of all essentials. I am desirous of hearing along with the gods.

Rudra said:

It is Lord Vishnu whom I contemplate upon. He is the Supreme Soul, the Almighty. 

13. He is the giver of everything, the omnipresent, the cosmic form, and present in the form of every living being. I have smeared the sacred ash all over my body. I have decorated my head with matted hair. 

14, O Pitamaha, this is the sacred rite I follow for the worship of Lord Vishnu. We shall go to him and ask him about the essence I have been contemplating upon. 

15. Lord Vishnu known as Padmanabha and Hari is devoid of physical body and is ever victorious. He is pure, the source of purity, he is Supreme Soul, the Almighty, connected by the word Tad (in the Upanishads).2

2. The mystical and philosophical writings of the ancient Indian sages. These discuss the nature of Brahman the supreme soul, jivatman, the personal soul, worldly existence, human action (karma) etc. These are also called Vedanta. They generally form the last stage of the Vedic text. Their number is plenty but Shankara bas commented only upon ten Upanishads. (Vide details in CDHM Pp. 325-6; CSL PP. 354-55).

16-17. Uniting myself with that universal Soul, I am meditating on that very God-The Lord of creatures, the uniting string, in whom the entire universe consisting of all living beings lies preserved and later on, becomes merged, like closely clustering beads in thread. 

He who has thousand eyes, thousand feet, thousand thighs and a handsome face; 

18. Who is the subtlest among the subtle, the stablest among the stable, the biggest among the big and the sublimest among the sublime. 

19. Who is preserved in the sacred literature and the Upanishads, in sentences and phrases and the true Samans,1 as true and of true activities.

1. The mantras of the Shamaveda are called samans since they are meant for singing. Majority of them occur in the Rugveda.

20. He is called purana purusha (the Primordial being), among the twice-born. He is Spoken of as Brahman2 and in the process of annihilation he is termed as Sankarshana.3 We adore that adorable one.

2. Vide P. 2. fn. 5. 

3. Name of Balarama. This conforms to the system of Pancharatra which enjoins the worship of Vishnu in five forms viz., Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Narayana.

2). All the worlds quicken in him like the Shakula-fish in water. He who is Ruta4 (the cosmic order) and the one-syllabled god, the syllable Om5, is beyond the existent and the non-existent.

4. Ruta is a significant term in the Vedic literature. It generally means 'cosmic order’ ‘divine law or truth’, ‘settled rule or sacred custom.’ 

5. Om is a word of solemn affirmation and respectful assent. It is generally placed at the beginning of a treatise, as a mark of auspiciousness. It appears in the Upanishads as a mystic monosyllable set forth as the object of profound religious meditation, the highest Spiritual efficacy being attributed not only to the whole word but also to the three sounds an um, of which it consists. In later time. Om is the mystic name for the Hindu triad, and represents the union of the three gods; viz., a (Vishnu) u (Shiva), m (Brahma); it may also be typical of the three Vedas. It is also called akshara or ekakshara, (Also refer SP (AITM), p. 2108; Linga (AITM) p. 801; SED p. 235).

22. Who is worshipped by the deities, Yakshas,1 Rakshasas2 and serpents, whose mouth is fire, crest the firmament, navel the horizon, feet the earth;

1. A class of demi-gods. Attendants of Kubera, the deity of Wealth, SP (AITM), P. 2120; (Linga (AITM) p. 808). 

2. The demons (for details, SP (AITM), P. 2111; Linga (AITM) P. 802; CDHM, PP. 252-5).

23. Eyes the sun and the moon. I am contemplating upon that lord, in whose belly are the three worlds and whose arms are the different directions. 

24. I am contemplating upon that Lord whose breath is the wind, in whose hair are the clouds and in whose joints are the rivers. 

25. I am contemplating upon that Lord whose belly are the oceans, who is beyond sacrifices and beyond the Existent and the Non-existent. 

26. He is beginningless but the beginning of the universe can be traced to him. I am contemplating upon him. The moon has come out of his mind and the sun out of his eyes. 

27. The fire has come out of his mouth. I am contemplating upon him. The earth has come out of his feet, the quarters out of his ears. 

28-29. The heaven has come out of his head. I am contemplating upon him. The creation, the subsidiary creation, the lineage, the Manvantaras and the records of kings and great personages can all be traced to him. I am contemplating upon him. We shall go to him to see the True Essence on whom I contemplate. 

Brahma said: 

30. Thus I was Spoken to by Rudra who, having worshipped and bowed to Vishnu, the dweller of Shvetadvipa3, stood by, along with the gods desirous of hearing the narrative.

3. Refer (SP (AITM) p. 2118; Linga (AITM) p. 806).

31. From amongst us Rudra addressed Vishnu the almighty, the essence of essences and after due salutations asked him.

Brahma said: 

32. As Vyasa asked me, so Lord Rudra asked Vishnu while the gods, along with other immortals stood listening.

Rudra said: 

33. O Lord Vishnu, the foremost among gods, please tell us, who is the most powerful among gods? Who has to be contemplated upon? Who is the most worthy of our worship? By what sacred rites, is that great Lord propitiated? 

34. With what sacred rituals, observations, pious worships and conduct of life can he be pleased? What is his divine form like? 

35. Of what god is the universe born? Who protects it and by what sort of incarnations? In whom does the universe merge ultimately?

36. The creation, the subsidiary creation, the lineage, the Manvantaras-from what god do they proceed? In whom are these well-established? 

37. O Hari! please narrate all this, and also if there is anything else. Then Lord Hari narrated to Rudra the glory of the almighty, the yogic means etc. and also the eighteen varieties of lores (vidyas).1

1. Eighteen Vidyas constitute 4 Vedas, 4 Upa-Vedas, 6 Vedangas, Puranas, Mimarhas, Nyaya and Dharma. 

Hari said: 

38. O Rudra, listen along with Brahma and other gods. I shall tell you I am the God of gods, the master of all the worlds. 

39. I am the most worthy of contemplation and worship. I am to be praised with prayers by the gods. 

40. O Rudra, I award the loftiest of positions on being worshipped and gratified by sacred rites, observances and good conduct by men. 

41. O Shiva, I am the seed of the existence of the world. I am the creator of the world. I punish the wicked. I protect religion.

42. I sustain the entire universe by my incarnations as fish etc. I am the sacred mantras1 and their purport. I am engaged in worship and contemplation.

1. Generally used to denote Vedic prayers, Specially the ruks. Also used for a prayer or formula sacred to any deity.

43. I am the creator of Heaven and other worlds. Verily I am myself the heaven and other worlds. I am the first yogi and also the yoga.2 I am the Puranas.

2. Deep meditation on the Supreme Soul with an aim to unite one's own soul with it. A system of philosophy, propounded by Patanjali, elaborating the aforesaid idea. 

44. I am the knower, the hearer, the thinker, the Speaker and the object of Speech. I am all. I am the soul of all. I am the highest god who bestow enjoyment and find beatitude. 

45. O Rudra, verily I am the activity of contemplation, worship and offering. I am the mystical orbs3 and mythological epics.4 O Shiva, I know everything.

3. The mystical drawings, generally known as mandalas for worship, particularly in Tantric treatises.

4. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata. 

46. O Shambhu, I am all knowledge. I am the universal soul. O Shiva, I am Brahma. I am the entire universe. I am the inner soul of all gods. 

47. Verily, I am the good conduct. I am the Vaishnava5 cult. I am the castes and the ashramas, and their ancient religion I am.

5. One of the three main cults of Modern Hinduism. Its followers believe in the supremacy of Vishnu. The other two sects shaiva and shakta believe in the supremacy of Shiva and Shakti respectively.

48. I am the various religions and moral curbs and observances. I am the different kinds of rites. O Rudra, I am the Sun, the Moon and the Mars etc. 

49. In days of yore, Garuda propitiated me with penance which he undertook on the earth. Peeling gratified I said: "ask me a boon", and he chose a boon. 

Garuda said: 

50-52. O Hari, my mother Vinata6 has been made a slave by serpents. Act thus, O god, that conquering them I may bring the nectar; that I, your carrier, may secure her release from bondage; that I may become strong, mighty, omniscient, destroyer of serpents and expounder of Purana Samhita.

6. A daughter of Daksha, a wife of Kashyapa.

Vishnu said: 

O Garuda, everything shall happen as you have requested for. 

53. You will secure the release of your mother, Vinata from her slavery to the serpents. Conquering the gods, you will bring the divine nectar, 

54-55. You will be strong. You will be my carrier. You will be the devourer of poison. With my blessings you will know the Purana glorifying me and expounding my divine form. By your name, it will be celebrated in the world as Garuda Purana. 

56. O son of Vinata, just as I am known as the essential glory of all gods, so also Garuda Purana will attain the greatest fame among the Puranas. 

57. You too shall be glorified like me, O Garuda. O chief of birds, contemplating upon me propound this Garuda Purana. 

58-59. Thus, initiated by me, Garuda expounded this Purana to Kashyapa who sought it from him. By the power he received on hearing Garuda Purana, he resuscitated a burnt tree. With his mind fixed on another, he revived others by means of this learning. Yakshi om um svaha. This is the sacred vidya Garudi. O Rudra, please hear the Garuda Purana dealing with my personality and narrated by Garuda.