Garuda Seizes the Amrita and Wins Vishnu's Boon

Verse 1 (1.33.1)

जाम्बूनदमयो भूत्वा मरीचिनिकरोज्ज्वलः । प्रविवेश बलात्पक्षी वारिवेग इवार्णवम् ॥

jāmbūnadamayo bhūtvā marīcinikarojjvalaḥ | praviveśa balātpakṣī vārivega ivārṇavam

Taking on a golden form, blazing with a mass of rays, the bird forced his way in, as a rush of water pours into the ocean.

Verse 2 (1.33.2)

स चक्रं क्षुरपर्यन्तमपश्यदमृतान्तिके । परिभ्रमन्तमनिशं तीक्ष्णधारमयस्मयम् ॥

sa cakraṃ kṣuraparyantamapaśyadamṛtāntike | paribhramantamaniśaṃ tīkṣṇadhāramayasmayam

Near the amrita he saw a wheel of iron, edged with razors and sharp of rim, whirling without pause.

Verse 3 (1.33.3)

ज्वलनार्कप्रभं घोरं छेदनं सोमहारिणाम् । घोररूपं तदत्यर्थं यन्त्रं देवैः सुनिर्मितम् ॥

jvalanārkaprabhaṃ ghoraṃ chedanaṃ somahāriṇām | ghorarūpaṃ tadatyarthaṃ yantraṃ devaiḥ sunirmitam

Bright as fire and the sun, terrible, it was there to cut down anyone who tried to steal the soma: an engine of utterly dreadful form, skilfully built by the gods.

Verse 4 (1.33.4)

तस्यान्तरं स दृष्ट्वैव पर्यवर्तत खेचरः । अरान्तरेणाभ्यपतत्संक्षिप्याङ्गं क्षणेन ह ॥

tasyāntaraṃ sa dṛṣṭvaiva paryavartata khecaraḥ | arāntareṇābhyapatatsaṃkṣipyāṅgaṃ kṣaṇena ha

Spotting a gap in it, the ranger of the sky wheeled about; then, shrinking his body in an instant, he darted through between the spokes.

Note on the text: Corrected दृष्ट्वै → दृष्ट्वैव (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara leaves the line a syllable short; CE dṛṣṭvaiva).

Verse 5 (1.33.5)

अधश्चक्रस्य चैवात्र दीप्तानलसमद्युती । विद्युज्जिह्वौ महावीर्यौ दीप्तास्यौ दीप्तलोचनौ ॥

adhaścakrasya caivātra dīptānalasamadyutī | vidyujjihvau mahāvīryau dīptāsyau dīptalocanau

There, below the wheel, were two serpents bright as blazing fire, with tongues of lightning, of great might, with flaming mouths and flaming eyes.

Note on the text: Corrected समद्व्युती → समद्युती (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct; CE samadyutī).

Verse 6 (1.33.6)

चक्षुर्विषौ महाघोरौ नित्यं क्रुद्धौ तरस्विनौ । अमृतस्यैव रक्षार्थं ददर्श भुजगोत्तमौ ॥

cakṣurviṣau mahāghorau nityaṃ kruddhau tarasvinau | amṛtasyaiva rakṣārthaṃ dadarśa bhujagottamau

He saw those two great serpents, whose very eyes were venom, most terrible, ever angry and swift, set there to guard the amrita.

Verse 7 (1.33.7)

सदा संरब्धनयनौ सदा चानिमिषेक्षणौ । तयोरेकोऽपि यं पश्येत्स तूर्णं भस्मसाद्भवेत् ॥

sadā saṃrabdhanayanau sadā cānimiṣekṣaṇau | tayoreko'pi yaṃ paśyetsa tūrṇaṃ bhasmasādbhavet

Their eyes were always ablaze with rage and never blinked; anyone at whom even one of them looked would at once be burned to ashes.

Verse 8 (1.33.8)

तौ दृष्ट्वा सहसा खेदं जगाम विनतात्मजः । कथमेतौ महावीर्यौ जेतव्यौ हरिभोजिनौ ॥

tau dṛṣṭvā sahasā khedaṃ jagāma vinatātmajaḥ | kathametau mahāvīryau jetavyau haribhojinau

Seeing them, the son of Vinata was suddenly dismayed: "How are these two mighty ones, who live on air, to be overcome?"

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki backtick. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 9 (1.33.9)

इति संचिन्त्य गरुडस्तयोस्तूर्णं निराकरोत् । तयोश्चक्षूंषि रजसा सुपर्णः सहसाऽऽवृणोत् । ताभ्यामदृष्टरूपोऽसौ सर्वतः समताडयत् ॥

iti saṃcintya garuḍastayostūrṇaṃ nirākarot | tayoścakṣūṃṣi rajasā suparṇaḥ sahasā''vṛṇot | tābhyāmadṛṣṭarūpo'sau sarvataḥ samatāḍayat

Having thought it over, Garuda quickly found a way to foil them. The fair-winged one suddenly covered their eyes with dust and, unseen by them, struck them from every side.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (') after the first line. Corrected निराकरः → निराकरोत् (probable misprint in Wikisource; निराकरः gives no sense here, while "he warded them off" fits the sense and the metre; the passage is not in the CE, so this is uncertain). The first line is not in the critical edition (vulgate); lines 2–3 = CE 1.29.8 (variant).

Verse 10 (1.33.10)

तयोरङ्गे समाक्रम्य वैनतेयोऽन्तरिक्षगः । आच्छिनत्तरसा मध्ये सोममभ्यद्रवत्ततः ॥

tayoraṅge samākramya vainateyo'ntarikṣagaḥ | ācchinattarasā madhye somamabhyadravattataḥ

Swooping onto their bodies, the son of Vinata, ranger of the sky, swiftly cut them through the middle and then rushed at the soma.

Verse 11 (1.33.11)

समुत्पाट्यामृतं तत्र वैनतेयस्ततो बली । उत्पपात जवेनैव यन्त्रमुन्मथ्य वीर्यवान् ॥

samutpāṭyāmṛtaṃ tatra vainateyastato balī | utpapāta javenaiva yantramunmathya vīryavān

Then the mighty son of Vinata tore the amrita loose, smashed the engine, and in his valour flew up at full speed.

Verse 12 (1.33.12)

अपीत्वैवामृतं पक्षी परिगृह्याशु निःसृतः । आगच्छदपरिश्रान्त आवार्यार्कप्रभां ततः ॥

apītvaivāmṛtaṃ pakṣī parigṛhyāśu niḥsṛtaḥ | āgacchadapariśrānta āvāryārkaprabhāṃ tataḥ

Without drinking the amrita, the bird took it and swiftly came out; then he flew on, unwearied, veiling the light of the sun.

Verse 13 (1.33.13)

विष्णुना च तदाकाशे वैनतेयः समेयिवान् । तस्य नारायणस्तुष्टस्तेनालौल्येन कर्मणा ॥

viṣṇunā ca tadākāśe vainateyaḥ sameyivān | tasya nārāyaṇastuṣṭastenālaulyena karmaṇā

Then in the sky the son of Vinata met Vishnu, and Narayana was pleased with him for that deed done without greed.

Verse 14 (1.33.14)

तमुवाचाव्ययो देवो वरदोऽस्मीति खेचरम् । स वव्रे तव तिष्ठेयमुपरीत्यन्तरिक्षगः ॥

tamuvācāvyayo devo varado'smīti khecaram | sa vavre tava tiṣṭheyamuparītyantarikṣagaḥ

The imperishable god said to the ranger of the sky, "I will grant you a boon." The bird chose: "Let me stand above you."

Verse 15 (1.33.15)

उवाच चैनं भूयोऽपि नारायणमिदं वचः । अजरश्चामरश्च स्याममृतेन विनाऽप्यहम् ॥

uvāca cainaṃ bhūyo'pi nārāyaṇamidaṃ vacaḥ | ajaraścāmaraśca syāmamṛtena vinā'pyaham

And again he said these words to Narayana: "Let me be free from age and death even without the amrita."

Verse 16 (1.33.16)

एवमस्त्विति तं विष्णुरुवाच विनतासुतम् । प्रतिगृह्य वरौ तौ च गरुडो विष्णुमब्रवीत् ॥

evamastviti taṃ viṣṇuruvāca vinatāsutam | pratigṛhya varau tau ca garuḍo viṣṇumabravīt

"So be it," Vishnu said to the son of Vinata. Having accepted those two boons, Garuda said to Vishnu:

Note on the text: Corrected वनौ → वरौ (misprint in Wikisource; "the two boons"; CE varau). Wikisource divides verses 16–25 differently from the critical edition and adds vulgate lines. The first line is not in the critical edition (vulgate); the second = CE 1.29.15ab.

Verse 17 (1.33.17)

भवतेऽपि वरं दद्यां वृणोतु भगवानपि । तं वव्रे वाहनं विष्णुर्गरुत्मन्तं महाबलम् ॥

bhavate'pi varaṃ dadyāṃ vṛṇotu bhagavānapi | taṃ vavre vāhanaṃ viṣṇurgarutmantaṃ mahābalam

"Let me grant you a boon as well; let the Lord choose too." Vishnu chose mighty Garutman to be his mount,

Note on the text: Corrected भवतेपि → भवतेऽपि (missing avagraha) and नरुत्मन्तं → गरुत्मन्तं (misprint in Wikisource; CE garutmantaṃ). Wikisource divides verses 16–25 differently from the critical edition and adds vulgate lines. This verse = CE 1.29.15cd + 16ab (variant).

Verse 18 (1.33.18)

ध्वजं च चक्रे भगवानुपरि स्थास्यसीति तम् । एवमस्त्विति तं देवमुक्त्वा नारायणं खगः ॥

dhvajaṃ ca cakre bhagavānupari sthāsyasīti tam | evamastviti taṃ devamuktvā nārāyaṇaṃ khagaḥ

and the Lord made him his banner, telling him, "You will stand above me." Saying "So be it" to the god Narayana, the bird

Note on the text: Wikisource divides verses 16–25 differently from the critical edition and adds vulgate lines. The first line = CE 1.29.16cd; the second is not in the critical edition (vulgate).

Verse 19 (1.33.19)

वव्राज तरसा वेगाद्वायुं स्पर्धन्महाजवः । तं व्रजन्तं खगश्रेष्ठं वज्रेणेन्द्रोऽभ्यताडयत् ॥

vavrāja tarasā vegādvāyuṃ spardhanmahājavaḥ | taṃ vrajantaṃ khagaśreṣṭhaṃ vajreṇendro'bhyatāḍayat

sped on with tremendous speed, racing the wind. As that best of birds flew on, Indra struck him with his thunderbolt,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides verses 16–25 differently from the critical edition and adds vulgate lines. The first line is not in the critical edition (vulgate); the second corresponds to CE 1.29.17ab.

Verse 20 (1.33.20)

हरन्तममृतं रोषाद्गरुडं पक्षिणां वरम् । तमुवाचेन्द्रमाक्रन्दे गरुडः पततां वरः ॥

harantamamṛtaṃ roṣādgaruḍaṃ pakṣiṇāṃ varam | tamuvācendramākrande garuḍaḥ patatāṃ varaḥ

striking Garuda, the best of birds, in anger as he carried off the amrita. In the thick of that clash Garuda, best of all that fly, spoke to Indra,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides verses 16–25 differently from the critical edition and adds vulgate lines. This verse = CE 1.29.17cd (variant) + 18ab.

Verse 21 (1.33.21)

प्रहसञ्श्लक्ष्णया वाचा तथा वज्रसमाहतः । ऋषेर्मानं करिष्यामि वज्रं यस्यास्थिसंभवम् ॥

prahasañślakṣṇayā vācā tathā vajrasamāhataḥ | ṛṣermānaṃ kariṣyāmi vajraṃ yasyāsthisaṃbhavam

laughing and speaking gently even as the thunderbolt struck him: "I shall honour the sage from whose bones the thunderbolt was made,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides verses 16–25 differently from the critical edition and adds vulgate lines. This verse = CE 1.29.18cd + 19ab.

Verse 22 (1.33.22)

वज्रस्य च करिष्यामि तवैव च शतक्रतो । एतत्पत्रं त्यजाम्येकं यस्यान्तं नोपलप्स्यसे ॥

vajrasya ca kariṣyāmi tavaiva ca śatakrato | etatpatraṃ tyajāmyekaṃ yasyāntaṃ nopalapsyase

and I shall honour the thunderbolt, and you as well, Shatakratu. I let fall this one feather, whose end you will never find.

Note on the text: Wikisource divides verses 16–25 differently from the critical edition and adds vulgate lines. This verse = CE 1.29.19cd + 20ab.

Verse 23 (1.33.23)

न च वज्रनिपातेन रुजा मेऽस्तीह काचन । एवमुक्त्वा ततः पत्रमुत्ससर्ज स पक्षिराट् ॥

na ca vajranipātena rujā me'stīha kācana | evamuktvā tataḥ patramutsasarja sa pakṣirāṭ

The blow of the thunderbolt gives me no pain at all." Having said this, the king of birds let a feather fall.

Note on the text: Corrected पुत्रम् → पत्रम् (misprint in Wikisource; he lets fall a feather, as the surrounding verses say). Wikisource divides verses 16–25 differently from the critical edition and adds vulgate lines. The first line = CE 1.29.20cd; the second is not in the critical edition (vulgate).

Verse 24 (1.33.24)

तदुत्सृष्टमभिप्रेक्ष्य तस्य पर्णमनुत्तमम् । हृष्टानि सर्वभूतानि नाम चक्रुर्गरुत्मतः ॥

tadutsṛṣṭamabhiprekṣya tasya parṇamanuttamam | hṛṣṭāni sarvabhūtāni nāma cakrurgarutmataḥ

Seeing that peerless feather of his drop, all beings rejoiced and gave Garutman a name.

Note on the text: Corrected सर्धभूतानि → सर्वभूतानि (misprint in Wikisource; CE sarvabhūtāni). Wikisource divides verses 16–25 differently from the critical edition and adds vulgate lines. The first line is not in the critical edition (vulgate); the second loosely corresponds to CE 1.29.21ab.

Verse 25 (1.33.25)

सुरूपं पत्रमालक्ष्य सुपर्णोऽयं भवत्विति । तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं सहस्राक्षः पुरंदरः । खगो महदिदं भूतमिति मत्वाऽभ्यभाषत ॥

surūpaṃ patramālakṣya suparṇo'yaṃ bhavatviti | taddṛṣṭvā mahadāścaryaṃ sahasrākṣaḥ puraṃdaraḥ | khago mahadidaṃ bhūtamiti matvā'bhyabhāṣata

Seeing how beautiful the feather was, they said, "Let him be called Suparna, the fair-feathered." Seeing that great marvel, thousand-eyed Puramdara thought, "This bird is a mighty being," and spoke to him:

Note on the text: Wikisource divides verses 16–25 differently from the critical edition and adds vulgate lines. This verse = CE 1.29.21cd + 22 (variant).

Verse 26 (1.33.26)

बलं विज्ञातुमिच्छामि यत्ते परमनुत्तमम् । सख्यं चानन्तमिच्छामि त्वया सह खगोत्तम ॥

balaṃ vijñātumicchāmi yatte paramanuttamam | sakhyaṃ cānantamicchāmi tvayā saha khagottama

"I wish to know your strength, which is supreme and unsurpassed, and I wish for unending friendship with you, best of birds."