The Origin and Glory of the Shravanas

Verse 1 (garuda.2.17.1)

गरुड उवाच । एको मे संशयो देव हृदये सम्प्रबाधते । श्रमणाः कस्य पुत्राश्च कथं यमपुरे स्थिताः

garuḍa uvāca | eko me saṁśayo deva hṛdaye samprabādhate | śramaṇāḥ kasya putrāśca kathaṁ yamapure sthitāḥ

Garuda said: O God, one doubt troubles my heart deeply — whose sons are these Shravanas, and how do they come to dwell in the city of Yama?

Verse 2 (garuda.2.17.2)

मानुषैश्च कृतं कर्म कस्माज्जानन्ति ते प्रभो । कथं शृण्वन्ति ते सर्वे कस्माज्ज्ञानं समागतम्

mānuṣaiśca kṛtaṁ karma kasmājjānanti te prabho | kathaṁ śṛṇvanti te sarve kasmājjñānaṁ samāgatam

O Lord, how do they come to know the deeds performed by men? How do they hear it all — from where has such knowledge come to them?

Verse 3 (garuda.2.17.3)

कुत्र भुञ्जन्ति देवेश क्रथयस्व प्रसादतः । पक्षिराजवचः श्रुत्वा भगवान्वाक्यमब्रवीत्

kutra bhuñjanti deveśa krathayasva prasādataḥ | pakṣirājavacaḥ śrutvā bhagavānvākyamabravīt

O Lord of gods, where do they take their food? Explain this clearly, out of your kindness.' Hearing the words of the king of birds, the Blessed Lord spoke thus.

Verse 4 (garuda.2.17.4)

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । शृणुष्व वचनं सत्यं सर्वेषां सौख्यदायकम् । तदहं कथयिष्यामि श्रवणानां विचेष्टितम्

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca | śṛṇuṣva vacanaṁ satyaṁ sarveṣāṁ saukhyadāyakam | tadahaṁ kathayiṣyāmi śravaṇānāṁ viceṣṭitam

Shri Krishna said: Hear this true word, which brings happiness to all. I shall tell you the account of the conduct of the Shravanas.

Verse 5 (garuda.2.17.5)

एकीभूतं यदा सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् । क्षीरोदसागरे पूर्वं मयि सुप्ते जगत्पतौ

ekībhūtaṁ yadā sarvaṁ jagatsthāvarajaṁgamam | kṣīrodasāgare pūrvaṁ mayi supte jagatpatau

When the entire universe, moving and unmoving, had become one, and I, the Lord of the universe, lay sleeping upon the ocean of milk,

Verse 6 (garuda.2.17.6)

नाभिस्थोजस्तपस्तेपे वर्षाणि सुबहून्यपि । एकीभूतं जगत्सृष्टं भूतग्रामचतुर्विधम्

nābhisthojastapastepe varṣāṇi subahūnyapi | ekībhūtaṁ jagatsṛṣṭaṁ bhūtagrāmacaturvidham

then, seated within the navel, he performed austerity for many years. The created universe, come into being all at once, was filled with the fourfold groups of beings,

Verse 7 (garuda.2.17.7)

ब्रह्मणा निर्मितं पूर्वं विष्णुना पालितं तदा । रुद्रः संहारमूर्तिश्च निर्मितो ब्रह्मणा ततः

brahmaṇā nirmitaṁ pūrvaṁ viṣṇunā pālitaṁ tadā | rudraḥ saṁhāramūrtiśca nirmito brahmaṇā tataḥ

which had first been fashioned by Brahma, and was then sustained by Vishnu. Rudra, the form of dissolution, was then fashioned by Brahma,

Verse 8 (garuda.2.17.8)

वायुः सर्वगतः सृष्टः सूर्यस्तेजोभिवृद्धिमान् । धर्मराजस्ततः सृष्टश्चित्रगुप्तेन संयुत)

vāyuḥ sarvagataḥ sṛṣṭaḥ sūryastejobhivṛddhimān | dharmarājastataḥ sṛṣṭaścitraguptena saṁyuta)

the all-pervading wind was created, and the sun, ever-increasing in splendor, as well. Then Dharmaraja was created, together with Chitragupta.

Verse 9 (garuda.2.17.9)

सृष्ट्वैतदादिकं सर्वं तपस्तेपे तु पद्मजः । गतानि बहुवर्षाणि ब्रह्मणो नाभिपङ्कजे

sṛṣṭvaitadādikaṁ sarvaṁ tapastepe tu padmajaḥ | gatāni bahuvarṣāṇi brahmaṇo nābhipaṁkaje

Having created all this at the outset, the lotus-born one [Brahma] performed austerity. Many years passed in the lotus of Brahma's navel —

Verse 10 (garuda.2.17.10)

योयो हि निर्मितः पूर्वं तत्तत्कर्म समाचरेत् । कस्मिंश्चित्समये तत्र ब्रह्मा लोकसमन्वितः

yoyo hi nirmitaḥ pūrvaṁ tattatkarma samācaret | kasmiṁścitsamaye tatra brahmā lokasamanvitaḥ

each of those beings created before now began to perform its own respective task. At some point, Brahma there, together with the worlds,

Verse 11 (garuda.2.17.11)

रुद्रो विष्णुस्तथा धर्मः शासयन्ति वसुन्धराम् । न जानीमो वयं किञ्चिल्लोककृत्यमिहोच्यताम्

rudro viṣṇustathā dharmaḥ śāsayanti vasundharām | na jānīmo vayaṁ kiñcillokakṛtyamihocyatām

Rudra, Vishnu, and Dharma likewise, were governing the earth. [Then they thought] — 'We know nothing at all here of what happens in the world; this ought to be made known to us.'

Verse 12 (garuda.2.17.12)

इति चिन्तापराः सर्वे देवा विममृशुस्तदा । संचिन्त्य ब्रह्मणो मन्त्रं विबुधैः प्रेरितस्तदा

iti cintāparāḥ sarve devā vimamṛśustadā | saṁcintya brahmaṇo mantraṁ vibudhaiḥ preritastadā

Thus, sunk in worry, all the gods deliberated then. Then, urged by the gods, contemplating a formula,

Verse 13 (garuda.2.17.13)

गृहीत्वा पुष्पपत्राणि सोसृजद्द्वादशात्मजान् । तेजोराशीन्विशालाक्षान्ब्रह्मणो वचनात्तु ते

gṛhītvā puṣpapatrāṇi sosṛjaddvādaśātmajān | tejorāśīnviśālākṣānbrahmaṇo vacanāttu te

Brahma took flowers and leaves, and produced twelve sons — masses of splendor, wide-eyed, born by Brahma's very word.

Verse 14 (garuda.2.17.14)

योयं वदति लोकेस्मिञ्छुभं वा यदि वाशुभम् । प्रापयन्ति ततः शीघ्रं ब्रह्मणः कर्णगोचरम्

yoyaṁ vadati lokesmiñchubhaṁ vā yadi vāśubham | prāpayanti tataḥ śīghraṁ brahmaṇaḥ karṇagocaram

Whatever anyone in this world says, whether auspicious or inauspicious, they at once convey it to the ears of Brahma.

Verse 15 (garuda.2.17.15)

दूराच्छ्रवणविज्ञानं दूराद्दर्शनगोचरम् । सर्वे शृण्वन्ति यत्पक्षिंस्तेनैव श्रवणा मताः

dūrācchravaṇavijñānaṁ dūrāddarśanagocaram | sarve śṛṇvanti yatpakṣiṁstenaiva śravaṇā matāḥ

The ability to hear from afar, and the capacity to see from afar — O bird, since they hear all things, they are held to be called 'Shravana' (the hearers).

Verse 16 (garuda.2.17.16)

स्थित्वा चैव तथाकाशे जन्तूनां चेष्टितं च यत् । तज्ज्ञात्वा धर्मराजाग्रे मृत्युकाले वदन्ति च

sthitvā caiva tathākāśe jantūnāṁ ceṣṭitaṁ ca yat | tajjñātvā dharmarājāgre mṛtyukāle vadanti ca

Remaining stationed in the sky, knowing whatever conduct beings display, they report it before Dharmaraja at the time of death.

Verse 17 (garuda.2.17.17)

धर्मं चार्थं च कामं च मोक्षं च कथयन्ति ते । एको हि धर्ममार्गश्च द्वितीयश्चार्थमार्गकः

dharmaṁ cārthaṁ ca kāmaṁ ca mokṣaṁ ca kathayanti te | eko hi dharmamārgaśca dvitīyaścārthamārgakaḥ

They report the full account of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. The path of dharma is one, the path of artha is second,

Verse 18 (garuda.2.17.18)

अपरः काममार्गश्च मोक्षमार्गश्चतुर्थकः । उत्तमा धममार्गेण वैनतेय प्रयान्ति हि

aparaḥ kāmamārgaśca mokṣamārgaścaturthakaḥ | uttamā dhamamārgeṇa vainateya prayānti hi

the path of kama is a third, and the path of moksha is the fourth. O son of Vinata, the most excellent beings proceed by the path of dharma alone.

Verse 19 (garuda.2.17.19)

अर्थदाता विमानैस्तु अश्वैः कामप्रदायकः । हंसयुक्तविमानैश्च मोक्षाकाङ्क्षी विसर्पति

arthadātā vimānaistu aśvaiḥ kāmapradāyakaḥ | haṁsayuktavimānaiśca mokṣākāṁkṣī visarpati

The one seeking artha goes by celestial chariots, the one seeking kama by horses; the one seeking liberation travels by chariots yoked with swans.

Verse 20 (garuda.2.17.20)

इतरः पादचारेण त्वसिपत्रवनानि च । पाषाणैः कण्टकैः क्लिष्टः पाशबद्धोऽथ याति वै

itaraḥ pādacāreṇa tvasipatravanāni ca | pāṣāṇaiḥ kaṇṭakaiḥ kliṣṭaḥ pāśabaddho'tha yāti vai

Others (those without any such worthy path) go on foot, through forests of sword-like leaves, suffering by stones and thorns, bound in nooses as they go.

Verse 21 (garuda.2.17.21)

यः कश्चिन्मानुषे लोके श्रवणान्पूजयेदिह । वर्धन्या जलपात्रेम पक्वान्नपरिपूर्णया

yaḥ kaścinmānuṣe loke śravaṇānpūjayediha | vardhanyā jalapātrema pakvānnaparipūrṇayā

Whoever, here in the world of men, worships the Shravanas, with the offering of a vessel of water filled with cooked food,

Verse 22 (garuda.2.17.22)

श्रवणान्पूजयेत्तत्र मया सह खगेश्वर । तस्याहं तत्प्रदास्यामि यत्सुरैरपि दुर्लभम्

śravaṇānpūjayettatra mayā saha khageśvara | tasyāhaṁ tatpradāsyāmi yatsurairapi durlabham

O lord of birds, worships the Shravanas there together with me as well. To him I shall grant that which is difficult to obtain even for the gods.

Verse 23 (garuda.2.17.23)

संभोज्य ब्राह्मणान् भक्त्या त्वेकादश शुभाञ्छुचीन् । द्वादशं सकलत्रं च मम प्रीत्यै प्रपूजयेत्

saṁbhojya brāhmaṇān bhaktyā tvekādaśa śubhāñchucīn | dvādaśaṁ sakalatraṁ ca mama prītyai prapūjayet

Having, with devotion, fed eleven auspicious and pure brahmins, the twelfth, together with his wife, should be worshipped for my own pleasure.

Verse 24 (garuda.2.17.24)

देवैः सर्वैश्च संपूज्य स्वर्गं यान्ति सुखेप्सया । तैः पूजितैरह तुष्टश्चित्रगुप्तेन धर्मराट्

devaiḥ sarvaiśca saṁpūjya svargaṁ yānti sukhepsayā | taiḥ pūjitairaha tuṣṭaścitraguptena dharmarāṭ

Thus worshipped together with all the gods, they [the shravanas] go to heaven, desiring happiness. By their being worshipped, Dharmaraja, together with Chitragupta, is pleased,

Verse 25 (garuda.2.17.25)

तैस्तुष्टैर्मत्पुरं यान्ति लोका धर्मपारायणाः । श्रवणानां च माहात्म्यमुत्पत्तिं चेष्टितं शुभम्

taistuṣṭairmatpuraṁ yānti lokā dharmapārāyaṇāḥ | śravaṇānāṁ ca māhātmyamutpattiṁ ceṣṭitaṁ śubham

and by their being pleased, worlds devoted to dharma proceed to my own city. Whoever, O tiger among birds, hears this glory of the Shravanas,

Verse 26 (garuda.2.17.26)

शृणोति पक्षिशार्दूल स च पापैर्न लिप्यते । इह लोके सुखं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोके महीयते

śṛṇoti pakṣiśārdūla sa ca pāpairna lipyate | iha loke sukhaṁ bhuktvā svargaloke mahīyate

their origin and their auspicious deeds, is not stained by sin. Having enjoyed happiness in this world, he is glorified in the world of heaven.