Garuda Describes the South

Verse 1 (5.109.1)

इयं विवस्वता पूर्वं श्रौतेन विधिना किल । गुरवे दक्षिणा दत्ता दक्षिणेत्युच्यते च दिक् ॥

iyaṃ vivasvatā pūrvaṃ śrautena vidhinā kila | gurave dakṣiṇā dattā dakṣiṇetyucyate ca dik

Long ago Vivasvat, the Sun, following the rite laid down in the Veda, gave this quarter to his teacher as his fee (dakshina); and so this direction is called Dakshina, the south.

Note on the text: Corrected विवस्वदा → विवस्वता (misprint in Wikisource; द for त in the instrumental of विवस्वत्; the critical edition reads vivasvatā).

Verse 2 (5.109.2)

अत्र लोकत्रयस्यास्य पितृपक्षः प्रतिष्ठितः । अत्रोष्मपाणां देवानां निवासः श्रूयते द्विज ॥

atra lokatrayasyāsya pitṛpakṣaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ | atroṣmapāṇāṃ devānāṃ nivāsaḥ śrūyate dvija

Here the realm of the ancestors of these three worlds is established; here, it is said, O twice-born, is the dwelling of the gods called Ushmapas.

Verse 3 (5.109.3)

अत्र विश्वे सदा देवाः पितृभिः सार्धमासते । इज्यमानाः स्म लोकेषु संप्राप्तास्तुल्यभागताम् ॥

atra viśve sadā devāḥ pitṛbhiḥ sārdhamāsate | ijyamānāḥ sma lokeṣu saṃprāptāstulyabhāgatām

Here the Vishvedevas dwell always with the ancestors; worshipped in the worlds, they have won an equal share with them in the offerings.

Verse 4 (5.109.4)

एतद्द्वितीयं देवस्य द्वारमाचक्षते द्विज । त्रुटिशो लवशश्चापि गण्यते कालनिश्चयः ॥

etaddvitīyaṃ devasya dvāramācakṣate dvija | truṭiśo lavaśaścāpi gaṇyate kālaniścayaḥ

This is called the second gate of the god Dharma, O twice-born; here the measure of time is reckoned in trutis and lavas.

Verse 5 (5.109.5)

अत्र देवर्षयो नित्यं पितृलोकर्षयस्तथा । तथा राजर्षयः सर्वे निवसन्ति गतव्यथाः ॥

atra devarṣayo nityaṃ pitṛlokarṣayastathā | tathā rājarṣayaḥ sarve nivasanti gatavyathāḥ

Here the divine seers always dwell, and the seers of the world of the ancestors, and all the royal seers, free from sorrow.

Verse 6 (5.109.6)

अत्र धर्मश्च सत्यं च कर्म चात्र निगद्यते । गतिरेषा द्विजश्रेष्ठ कर्मणामवसायिनाम् ॥

atra dharmaśca satyaṃ ca karma cātra nigadyate | gatireṣā dvijaśreṣṭha karmaṇāmavasāyinām

Here dharma and truth and deeds are declared. This, best of the twice-born, is the goal of those whose deeds have run their course.

Verse 7 (5.109.7)

एषा दिक्सा द्विजश्रेष्ठ यां सर्वः प्रतिपद्यते । वृता त्वनवबोधेन सुखं तेन न गम्यते ॥

eṣā diksā dvijaśreṣṭha yāṃ sarvaḥ pratipadyate | vṛtā tvanavabodhena sukhaṃ tena na gamyate

This, best of the twice-born, is the quarter that everyone must reach; but because it is veiled in ignorance, no one travels it in happiness.

Verse 8 (5.109.8)

नैर्ऋतानां सहस्राणि बहून्यत्र द्विजर्षभ । सृष्टानि प्रतिकूलानि द्रष्टव्यान्यकृतात्मभिः ॥

nairṛtānāṃ sahasrāṇi bahūnyatra dvijarṣabha | sṛṣṭāni pratikūlāni draṣṭavyānyakṛtātmabhiḥ

Here, bull among the twice-born, many thousands of hostile Nairritas were created, to be seen by those whose souls are untamed.

Note on the text: Corrected सहस्रामि → सहस्राणि (misprint in Wikisource; मि for णि; the critical edition reads sahasrāṇi).

Verse 9 (5.109.9)

अत्र मन्दरकुञ्जेषु विप्रर्षिसदनेषु च । गायन्ति गाथा गन्धर्वाश्चित्तबुद्धिहरा द्विज ॥

atra mandarakuñjeṣu viprarṣisadaneṣu ca | gāyanti gāthā gandharvāścittabuddhiharā dvija

Here, in the groves of Mandara and in the dwellings of brahmin seers, the Gandharvas sing songs that steal the mind and the understanding, O twice-born.

Verse 10 (5.109.10)

अत्र सामानि गाथाभिः श्रुत्वा गीतानि रैवतः । गतदारो गतामात्यो गतराज्यो वनं गतः ॥

atra sāmāni gāthābhiḥ śrutvā gītāni raivataḥ | gatadāro gatāmātyo gatarājyo vanaṃ gataḥ

Here Raivata, hearing Samans sung together with these songs, gave up his wife, his ministers and his kingdom and went to the forest.

Verse 11 (5.109.11)

अत्र सावर्णिना चैव यवक्रीतात्मजेन च । मर्यादा स्थापिता ब्रह्मन्यां सूर्यो नातिवर्तते ॥

atra sāvarṇinā caiva yavakrītātmajena ca | maryādā sthāpitā brahmanyāṃ sūryo nātivartate

Here Savarni and the son of Yavakrita set a boundary, brahmin, which the sun does not pass.

Note on the text: Corrected सावर्मिना → सावर्णिना (misprint in Wikisource; मि for णि; the critical edition and the Wikisource commentary read सावर्णिना).

Verse 12 (5.109.12)

अत्र राक्षसराजेन पौलस्त्येन महात्मना । रावणेन तपः कृत्वा सुरेभ्योऽमरता वृता ॥

atra rākṣasarājena paulastyena mahātmanā | rāvaṇena tapaḥ kṛtvā surebhyo'maratā vṛtā

Here the high-souled Ravana, king of the rakshasas, of the line of Pulastya, practised austerities and chose from the gods the boon of immortality.

Verse 13 (5.109.13)

अत्र वृत्तेन वृत्रोऽपि शक्रशत्रुत्वमीयिवान् । अत्र सर्वासवः प्राप्ताः पुनर्गच्छन्ति पञ्चधा ॥

atra vṛttena vṛtro'pi śakraśatrutvamīyivān | atra sarvāsavaḥ prāptāḥ punargacchanti pañcadhā

Here, through his conduct, Vritra too became Shakra's enemy. Here all the life-breaths arrive, and go forth again in five streams.

Note on the text: Corrected शक्रशत्रुत्वमेयिवान् → शक्रशत्रुत्वमीयिवान् (misprint in Wikisource; े for ी — the perfect participle is ईयिवान्; the critical edition reads śakraśatrutvam īyivān).

Verse 14 (5.109.14)

अत्र दुष्कृतकर्माणो नराः पच्यन्ति गालव । अत्र वैतरणी नाम नदी वैतरणैर्वृता ॥

atra duṣkṛtakarmāṇo narāḥ pacyanti gālava | atra vaitaraṇī nāma nadī vaitaraṇairvṛtā

Here men who have done evil deeds are cooked, Galava. Here is the river named Vaitarani, ringed by the hells that share its name.

Note on the text: The critical edition divides verses 14–21 differently: this verse is CE 5.107.14abcd (reading vitaraṇair for वैतरणैः).

Verse 15 (5.109.15)

अत्र गत्वा सुखस्यान्तं दुःखस्यान्तं प्रपद्यते । अत्रावृत्तो दिनकरः सुरसं क्षरते पयः ॥

atra gatvā sukhasyāntaṃ duḥkhasyāntaṃ prapadyate | atrāvṛtto dinakaraḥ surasaṃ kṣarate payaḥ

Coming here, one reaches the end of happiness and the end of sorrow. Here the sun, turning back on his course, pours down sweet water,

Note on the text: The first line is CE 5.107.14ef and the second CE 5.107.15ab (with the words in a different order).

Verse 16 (5.109.16)

काष्ठां चासाद्य वासिष्ठीं हिममुत्सृजते पुनः । अत्राहं गालव पुरा क्षुधाऽऽर्तः परिचिन्तयन् ॥

kāṣṭhāṃ cāsādya vāsiṣṭhīṃ himamutsṛjate punaḥ | atrāhaṃ gālava purā kṣudhā''rtaḥ paricintayan

and, reaching the quarter of Vasishtha, lets fall the snow again. Here, Galava, long ago, when I was tormented by hunger and searching for food,

Note on the text: The first line is CE 5.107.15cd (reading dhāniṣṭhāṃ for वासिष्ठीं) and the second CE 5.107.16ab.

Verse 17 (5.109.17)

लब्धवान्युध्यमानौ द्वौ बृहन्तौ गजकच्छपौ । अत्र चक्रधनुर्नाम सूर्याञ्जातो महानृषिः ॥

labdhavānyudhyamānau dvau bṛhantau gajakacchapau | atra cakradhanurnāma sūryāñjāto mahānṛṣiḥ

I found two huge creatures fighting each other, an elephant and a tortoise. Here the great seer called Chakradhanu was born of the sun,

Note on the text: The first line is CE 5.107.16cd and the second CE 5.107.17ab (reading śakradhanur for चक्रधनुः).

Verse 18 (5.109.18)

विदुर्यं कपिलं देवं येनार्ताः सगरात्मजाः । अत्र सिद्धाः शिवा नाम ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः ॥

viduryaṃ kapilaṃ devaṃ yenārtāḥ sagarātmajāḥ | atra siddhāḥ śivā nāma brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ

whom men know as the god Kapila, by whom the sons of Sagara were brought to ruin. Here the perfected brahmins called the Shivas, masters of the Veda,

Note on the text: The first line is CE 5.107.17cd (reading yenāttāḥ for येनार्ताः) and the second CE 5.107.18ab.

Verse 19 (5.109.19)

अधीत्य सकलान्वेदाँल्लेभिरे मोक्षमक्षयम् । अत्र भोगवती नाम पुरी वासुकिपालिता ॥

adhītya sakalānvedām̐llebhire mokṣamakṣayam | atra bhogavatī nāma purī vāsukipālitā

having studied all the Vedas, won imperishable liberation. Here is the city called Bhogavati, guarded by Vasuki,

Note on the text: The first line is CE 5.107.18cd (reading sakhilān vedān ālabhante yamakṣayam) and the second CE 5.107.19ab.

Verse 20 (5.109.20)

तक्षकेण च नागेन तथैवैरावतेन च । अत्र निर्याणकालेऽपि तमः संप्राप्यते महत् ॥

takṣakeṇa ca nāgena tathaivairāvatena ca | atra niryāṇakāle'pi tamaḥ saṃprāpyate mahat

and by the serpent Takshaka and by Airavata as well. Here, at the time of departure from life, a great darkness is met,

Note on the text: The first line is CE 5.107.19cd and the second CE 5.107.20ab (reading niryāṇakāleṣu).

Verse 21 (5.109.21)

अभेद्यं भास्करेणापि स्वयं वा कृष्णवर्त्मना । एष तस्यापि ते मार्गः परिचारस्य गालव । ब्रूहि मे यदि गन्तव्यं प्रतीचीं शृणु चापराम् ॥

abhedyaṃ bhāskareṇāpi svayaṃ vā kṛṣṇavartmanā | eṣa tasyāpi te mārgaḥ paricārasya gālava | brūhi me yadi gantavyaṃ pratīcīṃ śṛṇu cāparām

which cannot be pierced by the sun, nor even by Fire himself. This too is a road for your search, Galava. Tell me if we should go there; or hear about the other quarter, the west.

Note on the text: The first line is CE 5.107.20cd and the second and third lines CE 5.107.21 (reading paritāpasya for परिचारस्य and vā mama for चापराम्).