Garuda Battles the Gods

Verse 1 (1.32.1)

ततस्तस्माद्गिरिवरात्समुदीर्णमहाबलः । गरुडः पक्षिराट् तूर्णं संप्राप्तो विबुधान्प्रति ॥

tatastasmādgirivarātsamudīrṇamahābalaḥ | garuḍaḥ pakṣirāṭ tūrṇaṃ saṃprāpto vibudhānprati

Then from that best of mountains Garuda, king of the birds, rose up in all his great might and swiftly reached the gods.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (a backtick and ') around the first line, which is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE reads tatas tasmin dvijaśreṣṭha samudīrṇe tathāvidhe).

Verse 2 (1.32.2)

तं दृष्ट्वातिबलं चैव प्राकम्पन्त सुरास्ततः । परस्परं च प्रत्यघ्नन्सर्वप्रहरणान्युत ॥

taṃ dṛṣṭvātibalaṃ caiva prākampanta surāstataḥ | parasparaṃ ca pratyaghnansarvapraharaṇānyuta

Seeing how mighty he was, the gods trembled, and they even struck at one another with all their weapons.

Verse 3 (1.32.3)

तत्र चासीदमेयात्मा विद्युदग्निसमप्रभः । भौमनः सुमहावीर्यः सोमस्य परिरक्षिता ॥

tatra cāsīdameyātmā vidyudagnisamaprabhaḥ | bhaumanaḥ sumahāvīryaḥ somasya parirakṣitā

Among them was Bhaumana, the guardian of the soma, of immeasurable spirit and very great valour, shining like lightning and fire.

Verse 4 (1.32.4)

स तेन पतगेन्द्रेण पक्षतुण्डनखैः क्षतः । मुहूर्तमतुलं युद्धं कृत्वा विनिहतो युधि ॥

sa tena patagendreṇa pakṣatuṇḍanakhaiḥ kṣataḥ | muhūrtamatulaṃ yuddhaṃ kṛtvā vinihato yudhi

Torn by the wings, beak and talons of the lord of birds, he fought an incomparable fight for a short while and was slain in the battle.

Verse 5 (1.32.5)

रजश्चोद्धूय सुमहत्पक्षवातेन खेचरः । कृत्वा लोकान्निरालोकांस्तेन देवानवाकिरत् ॥

rajaścoddhūya sumahatpakṣavātena khecaraḥ | kṛtvā lokānnirālokāṃstena devānavākirat

With the wind of his wings the ranger of the sky raised a vast cloud of dust; he plunged the worlds into darkness and buried the gods in it.

Verse 6 (1.32.6)

तेनावकीर्णा रजसा देवा मोहमुपागमन् । न चैवं ददृशुश्छन्ना रजसाऽमृतरक्षिणः ॥

tenāvakīrṇā rajasā devā mohamupāgaman | na caivaṃ dadṛśuśchannā rajasā'mṛtarakṣiṇaḥ

Covered by that dust the gods were bewildered, and the guardians of the amrita, shrouded in it, could see nothing.

Verse 7 (1.32.7)

एवं संलोडयामास गरुडस्त्रिदिवालयम् । पक्षतुण्डप्रहारैस्तु देवान्स विददार ह ॥

evaṃ saṃloḍayāmāsa garuḍastridivālayam | pakṣatuṇḍaprahāraistu devānsa vidadāra ha

In this way Garuda threw the realm of heaven into turmoil, and with blows of his wings and beak he tore the gods apart.

Verse 8 (1.32.8)

ततो देवः सहस्राक्षस्तूर्णं वायुमचोदयत् । विक्षिपेमां रजोवृष्टिं तवेदं कर्म मारुत ॥

tato devaḥ sahasrākṣastūrṇaṃ vāyumacodayat | vikṣipemāṃ rajovṛṣṭiṃ tavedaṃ karma māruta

Then the thousand-eyed god quickly urged on Vayu: "Scatter this rain of dust, Maruta; this is your task."

Verse 9 (1.32.9)

अथ वायुरपोवाह तद्रजस्तरसा बली । ततो वितिमिरे जाते देवाः शकुनिमार्दयन् ॥

atha vāyurapovāha tadrajastarasā balī | tato vitimire jāte devāḥ śakunimārdayan

Then mighty Vayu swiftly swept the dust away, and once the darkness had lifted the gods fell upon the bird.

Verse 10 (1.32.10)

ननादोच्चैः स बलवान्महामेघ इवाम्बरे । वध्यमानः सुरगणैः सर्वभूतानि भीषयन् ॥

nanādoccaiḥ sa balavānmahāmegha ivāmbare | vadhyamānaḥ suragaṇaiḥ sarvabhūtāni bhīṣayan

Struck by the hosts of gods, the mighty bird roared aloud like a great cloud in the sky, terrifying all creatures.

Note on the text: Wikisource divides verses 10–14 differently from the critical edition (CE 1.28.10 has three lines). This verse = CE 1.28.10ab–cd.

Verse 11 (1.32.11)

उत्पपात महावीर्यः पक्षिराट् परवीरहा । समुत्पत्यान्तरिक्षस्थं देवानामुपरि स्थितम् ॥

utpapāta mahāvīryaḥ pakṣirāṭ paravīrahā | samutpatyāntarikṣasthaṃ devānāmupari sthitam

The mighty king of birds, slayer of enemy heroes, flew upward. As he rose and hovered in the sky above the gods,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides verses 10–14 differently from the critical edition (CE 1.28.10 has three lines). This verse = CE 1.28.10ef + 11ab.

Verse 12 (1.32.12)

वर्मिणो विबुधाः सर्वे नानाशस्त्रैरवाकिरन् । पट्टिशैः परिधैः शूलैर्गदाभिश्च सवासवाः ॥

varmiṇo vibudhāḥ sarve nānāśastrairavākiran | paṭṭiśaiḥ paridhaiḥ śūlairgadābhiśca savāsavāḥ

the gods, all in armour, Vasava among them, showered him with every kind of weapon: spears, iron bars, tridents and maces,

Note on the text: Corrected वर्मिमो → वर्मिणो (misprint in Wikisource; "armoured"; CE varmiṇo). Wikisource divides verses 10–14 differently from the critical edition (CE 1.28.10 has three lines). This verse = CE 1.28.11cd + 12ab.

Verse 13 (1.32.13)

क्षुरप्रैर्ज्वलितैश्चापि चक्रैरादित्यरूपिभिः । नानाशस्त्रविसर्गैस्तैर्वध्यमानः समन्ततः ॥

kṣuraprairjvalitaiścāpi cakrairādityarūpibhiḥ | nānāśastravisargaistairvadhyamānaḥ samantataḥ

blazing razor-headed arrows and discuses bright as the sun. Though he was struck on every side by that discharge of many weapons,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides verses 10–14 differently from the critical edition (CE 1.28.10 has three lines). This verse = CE 1.28.12cd + 13ab.

Verse 14 (1.32.14)

कुर्वन्सुतुमुलं युद्धं पक्षिराण्ण व्यकम्पत । निर्दहन्निव चाकाशे वैनतेयः प्रतापवान् । पक्षाभ्यामुरसा चैव समन्ताद्व्यक्षिपत्सुरान् ॥

kurvansutumulaṃ yuddhaṃ pakṣirāṇṇa vyakampata | nirdahanniva cākāśe vainateyaḥ pratāpavān | pakṣābhyāmurasā caiva samantādvyakṣipatsurān

the king of birds fought a most tumultuous battle and did not waver. Blazing in the sky as though he would burn it up, the mighty son of Vinata scattered the gods on every side with his wings and his breast.

Note on the text: Wikisource divides verses 10–14 differently from the critical edition (CE 1.28.10 has three lines). This verse = CE 1.28.13cd + 14.

Verse 15 (1.32.15)

ते विक्षिप्तास्ततो देवा दुद्रुवुर्गरुडार्दिताः । नखतुण्डक्षताश्चैव सुस्रुवुः शोणितं बहु ॥

te vikṣiptāstato devā dudruvurgaruḍārditāḥ | nakhatuṇḍakṣatāścaiva susruvuḥ śoṇitaṃ bahu

Scattered in this way and harried by Garuda, the gods ran; gashed by his talons and beak, they streamed with blood.

Verse 16 (1.32.16)

साध्याः प्राचीं सगन्धर्वा वसवो दक्षिणां दिशम् । प्रजग्मुः सहिता रुद्राः पतगेन्द्रप्रधर्षिताः ॥

sādhyāḥ prācīṃ sagandharvā vasavo dakṣiṇāṃ diśam | prajagmuḥ sahitā rudrāḥ patagendrapradharṣitāḥ

Overpowered by the lord of birds, the Sadhyas fled east with the gandharvas, and the Vasus went south together with the Rudras;

Verse 17 (1.32.17)

दिशं प्रतीचीमादित्या नासत्यावुत्तरां दिशम् । मुहुर्मुहुः प्रेक्षमाणा युध्यमानं महौजसः ॥

diśaṃ pratīcīmādityā nāsatyāvuttarāṃ diśam | muhurmuhuḥ prekṣamāṇā yudhyamānaṃ mahaujasaḥ

the Adityas went to the western quarter and the two Nasatyas to the north, those mighty ones looking back again and again at him as he fought.

Verse 18 (1.32.18)

अश्वक्रन्देन वीरेण रेणुकेन च पक्षिराट् । क्रथनेन च शूरेण तपनेन च खेचरः ॥

aśvakrandena vīreṇa reṇukena ca pakṣirāṭ | krathanena ca śūreṇa tapanena ca khecaraḥ

The king of birds, the ranger of the sky, did battle with the hero Ashvakranda and with Renuka, with the valiant Krathana and with Tapana,

Verse 19 (1.32.19)

उलूकश्वसनाभ्यां च निमेषेण च पक्षिराट् । प्ररुजेन च संग्रामं चकार पुलिनेन च ॥

ulūkaśvasanābhyāṃ ca nimeṣeṇa ca pakṣirāṭ | prarujena ca saṃgrāmaṃ cakāra pulinena ca

with Uluka and Shvasana, with Nimesha, with Praruja and with Pulina.

Verse 20 (1.32.20)

तान्पक्षनखतुण्डाग्रैरभिनद्विनतासुतः । युगान्तकाले संक्रुद्धः पिनाकीव परंतप ॥

tānpakṣanakhatuṇḍāgrairabhinadvinatāsutaḥ | yugāntakāle saṃkruddhaḥ pinākīva paraṃtapa

With the tips of his wings, talons and beak the son of Vinata tore them apart, scorcher of foes, like the wrathful bearer of the Pinaka bow at the end of an age.

Verse 21 (1.32.21)

महाबला महोत्साहास्तेन ते बहुधा क्षताः । रेजुरभ्रघनप्रख्या रुधिरौघप्रवर्षिणः ॥

mahābalā mahotsāhāstena te bahudhā kṣatāḥ | rejurabhraghanaprakhyā rudhiraughapravarṣiṇaḥ

Those mighty and high-spirited warriors, wounded by him in many places, looked like massed clouds pouring down torrents of blood.

Verse 22 (1.32.22)

तान्कृत्वा पतगश्रेष्ठः सर्वानुत्क्रान्तजीवितान् । अतिक्रान्तोऽमृतस्यार्थे सर्वतोऽग्निमपश्यत ॥

tānkṛtvā patagaśreṣṭhaḥ sarvānutkrāntajīvitān | atikrānto'mṛtasyārthe sarvato'gnimapaśyata

When the best of birds had left them all lifeless, he went on in quest of the amrita and saw fire on every side of it,

Verse 23 (1.32.23)

आवृण्वानं महाज्वालमर्चिर्भिः सर्वतोऽम्बरम् । दहन्तमिव तीक्ष्णांशुं चण्डवायुसमीरितम् ॥

āvṛṇvānaṃ mahājvālamarcirbhiḥ sarvato'mbaram | dahantamiva tīkṣṇāṃśuṃ caṇḍavāyusamīritam

a fire of huge flames that filled the whole sky with its blaze, driven by a fierce wind, as though it would burn up the sun itself.

Verse 24 (1.32.24)

ततो नवत्या नवतीर्मुखानां । कृत्वा तरस्वी गरुडो महात्मा । नदीः समापीय मुखैस्ततस्तैः । सुशीघ्रमागम्य पुनर्जवेन ॥

tato navatyā navatīrmukhānāṃ | kṛtvā tarasvī garuḍo mahātmā | nadīḥ samāpīya mukhaistatastaiḥ | suśīghramāgamya punarjavena

Then mighty, great-souled Garuda made ninety times ninety mouths, drank up rivers with those mouths, and came back again with great speed.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (1.28.24): Wikisource's numbering skips verse 24, and the next verse (Garuda smothering the fire with rivers) presupposes this one, in which he makes his mouths and drinks the rivers.

Verse 25 (1.32.25)

ज्वलन्तमग्निं तममित्रतापनः । समास्तरत्पत्ररथो नदीभिः । ततः प्रचक्रे वपुरन्यदल्पं । प्रवेष्टुकामोऽग्निमभिप्रशाम्य ॥

jvalantamagniṃ tamamitratāpanaḥ | samāstaratpatraratho nadībhiḥ | tataḥ pracakre vapuranyadalpaṃ | praveṣṭukāmo'gnimabhipraśāmya

Borne on his wings, that scorcher of foes smothered the blazing fire with the rivers. Then, having quenched the fire, he took on another, tiny body, meaning to make his way in.