The Nature of the Ajanaja Beings and the Fruit of This Hymn

Verse 1 (garuda.2.58.1)

श्रीगरुड उवाच । अजानजस्वरूपं च ब्रूहि कृष्ण महामते । तदन्यांश्च क्रमेणेव वक्तुं कृष्ण त्वमर्हसि

śrīgaruḍa uvāca ajānajasvarūpaṁ ca brūhi kṛṣṇa mahāmate tadanyāṁśca krameṇeva vaktuṁ kṛṣṇa tvamarhasi

Shri Garuda said: Tell me, O Krishna of great wisdom, the true nature of the Ajanaja beings, and be pleased, O Krishna, to tell in order of the other classes as well.

Verse 2 (garuda.2.58.2)

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । अजानाख्या देवतास्तु तत्तद्देवकुले भवाः । अजानदेवतास्ता हि तेभ्योग्र्याः कर्मदेवताः

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca ajānākhyā devatāstu tattaddevakule bhavāḥ ajānadevatāstā hi tebhyogryāḥ karmadevatāḥ

Shri Krishna said: The deities called Ajana are born within their respective divine families; these Ajana deities are indeed foremost, superior to the deities born of ritual action.

Verse 3 (garuda.2.58.3)

विराधश्चारुदेष्णश्च तथा चित्ररथस्तथा । धृतराष्ट्रः किशोरश्च हूहूर्हाहास्तथैव च

virādhaścārudeṣṇaśca tathā citrarathastathā dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ kiśoraśca hūhūrhāhāstathaiva ca

Viradha, Charudeshna, and likewise Chitraratha, Dhritarashtra, Kishora, Huhu, and Haha as well —

Verse 4 (garuda.2.58.4)

विद्याधरश्चोग्रसेनो विश्वावसुपरावसू । चित्रसेनश्च गोपालो बलः पञ्चदश स्मृताः

vidyādharaścograseno viśvāvasuparāvasū citrasenaśca gopālo balaḥ pañcadaśa smṛtāḥ

Vidyadhara, Ugrasena, Vishvavasu and Paravasu, Chitrasena, Gopala, and Bala — these fifteen are remembered.

Verse 5 (garuda.2.58.5)

एवमाद्याश्च गन्धर्वाः शतसंख्याः खगेश्वर । अजानजसमा ज्ञेया मुक्तौ संसार एव च

evamādyāśca gandharvāḥ śatasaṁkhyāḥ khageśvara ajānajasamā jñeyā muktau saṁsāra eva ca

Thus, beginning with these, the Gandharvas number in the hundreds, O lord of birds; they are to be known as equal to the Ajanaja, whether in liberation or in worldly existence.

Verse 6 (garuda.2.58.6)

अज्ञानजास्तु मे देवाः कर्मजेभ्यः शतावराः । घृताची मेनका रंभा उर्वशी च तिलोत्तमा

ajñānajāstu me devāḥ karmajebhyaḥ śatāvarāḥ ghṛtācī menakā raṁbhā urvaśī ca tilottamā

My Ajnanaja deities, born of ignorance, are a hundredfold lesser than those born of ritual action — Ghritachi, Menaka, Rambha, Urvashi, and Tilottama,

Verse 7 (garuda.2.58.7)

सुकेतुः शबरी चैव मञ्जुघोषा च पिङ्गला । इत्यादिकं यक्षरत्नं सह संपरिकीर्तितम्

suketuḥ śabarī caiva mañjughoṣā ca piṅgalā ityādikaṁ yakṣaratnaṁ saha saṁparikīrtitam

Suketu, Shabari, and likewise Manjughosha and Pingala — these and other jewels among the Yakshas are named together with them.

Verse 8 (garuda.2.58.8)

अजानजसमा ह्येते कर्मजेभ्यः शतावराः । विश्वामित्रो वसिष्ठश्च नारदश्च्यवनस्तथा

ajānajasamā hyete karmajebhyaḥ śatāvarāḥ viśvāmitro vasiṣṭhaśca nāradaścyavanastathā

These too are equal to the Ajanaja, and a hundredfold lesser than those born of ritual action. Vishvamitra, Vasishtha, Narada, Chyavana,

Verse 9 (garuda.2.58.9)

उतथ्यश्च मुनिश्चैतान्द्राजपित्वा खगेश्वर । ऋषयश्च महात्मानो ह्यजानजसमाः स्मृताः

utathyaśca muniścaitāndrājapitvā khageśvara ṛṣayaśca mahātmāno hyajānajasamāḥ smṛtāḥ

and the sage Utathya — these great-souled sages, born of the twice-born, O lord of birds, are remembered as equal to the Ajanaja.

Verse 10 (garuda.2.58.10)

शतर्चिः कश्यपो ज्ञेयो मध्यमश्च पराशरः । पावमान्यः प्रगाथश्च क्षुद्रसूक्तश्च देवलः

śatarciḥ kaśyapo jñeyo madhyamaśca parāśaraḥ pāvamānyaḥ pragāthaśca kṣudrasūktaśca devalaḥ

Shatarchi, Kashyapa, Madhyama, and Parashara are to be known, and likewise Pavamanya, Pragatha, Kshudrasukta, and Devala —

Verse 11 (garuda.2.58.11)

गृत्समदो ह्यासुरिश्च भरद्वाजोथ मुद्गलः । उद्दालको ह्यृष्यशृङ्गः शङ्खः सत्यव्रतस्तथा

gṛtsamado hyāsuriśca bharadvājotha mudgalaḥ uddālako hyṛṣyaśṛṅgaḥ śaṅkhaḥ satyavratastathā

Gritsamada, Asuri, Bharadvaja, Mudgala, Uddalaka, Rishyashringa, Shankha, and Satyavrata,

Verse 12 (garuda.2.58.12)

सुयज्ञश्चैव बाभ्रव्यो माण्डूकश्चैव बाष्कलः । धर्माचार्यस्तथागस्त्यो दाल्भ्यो दार्ढ्यच्युतस्तथा

suyajñaścaiva bābhravyo māṇḍūkaścaiva bāṣkalaḥ dharmācāryastathāgastyo dālbhyo dārḍhyacyutastathā

Suyajna, Babhravya, Manduka, Bashkala, Dharmacharya, Agastya, Dalbhya, and Dardhyachyuta,

Verse 13 (garuda.2.58.13)

कवषो हरितः कण्वो विरूपो मुसलस्तथा । विष्णुवृद्धश्च आत्रेयः श्रीवत्सो वत्सलेत्यपि

kavaṣo haritaḥ kaṇvo virūpo musalastathā viṣṇuvṛddhaśca ātreyaḥ śrīvatso vatsaletyapi

Kavasha, Harita, Kanva, Virupa, Musala, Vishnuvriddha, Atreya, Shrivatsa, and Vatsala —

Verse 14 (garuda.2.58.14)

भार्गवश्चाप्नवानश्च माण्डूकेयस्तथैव । मण्डूकश्चैव जाबचलिः वीतिहव्यस्तथैव च

bhārgavaścāpnavānaśca māṇḍūkeyastathaiva maṇḍūkaścaiva jābacaliḥ vītihavyastathaiva ca

Bhargava, Apnavana, Mandukeya, and Manduka, Jabali, and Vitihavya,

Verse 15 (garuda.2.58.15)

गृत्समदः शौनकश्च इत्याद्या ऋषयः स्मृताः । एतेषां श्रवणादेव हरिः प्रीणाति सर्वदा

gṛtsamadaḥ śaunakaśca ityādyā ṛṣayaḥ smṛtāḥ eteṣāṁ śravaṇādeva hariḥ prīṇāti sarvadā

Gritsamada and Shaunaka — such are the sages remembered here. By the mere hearing of their names, Hari is ever pleased.

Verse 16 (garuda.2.58.16)

ब्रुवे द्व्यष्टसहस्रं च शृणु तार्क्ष्य मम स्त्रियः । अग्निपुत्रास्तु यद्द्व्यष्टसहस्रञ्च मम स्त्रियः । अजानजसमा ह्येता (ते) नात्र कार्या विचारणा

bruve dvyaṣṭasahasraṁ ca śṛṇu tārkṣya mama striyaḥ agniputrāstu yaddvyaṣṭasahasrañca mama striyaḥ ajānajasamā hyetā (te) nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Hear, O Tarkshya: I speak of sixteen thousand — my consorts; and another sixteen thousand connected with the sons of Agni are likewise my consorts — all of these are equal to the Ajanaja, and there is no need for further deliberation here.

Verse 17 (garuda.2.58.17)

त्वष्टुः पुत्री कशेरूश्च तासां मध्ये गुणाधिका । तदनन्तरजान्वक्ष्ये शृणु सम्यक्खगेश्वर

tvaṣṭuḥ putrī kaśerūśca tāsāṁ madhye guṇādhikā tadanantarajānvakṣye śṛṇu samyakkhageśvara

Kasheru, the daughter of Tvashta, is foremost in excellence among them. Now I shall tell of those born next after them — listen well, O lord of birds.

Verse 18 (garuda.2.58.18)

आजानेभ्यस्तु पितरः सप्तभ्योन्ये शतावराः । तथाधिका हि पितर इति वेदविदां मतम्

ājānebhyastu pitaraḥ saptabhyonye śatāvarāḥ tathādhikā hi pitara iti vedavidāṁ matam

The Pitris are a hundredfold lesser than the seven of the Ajana class; and yet it is the view of those learned in the Veda that the Pitris are indeed superior beings.

Verse 19 (garuda.2.58.19)

तदनन्तराजान्वक्ष्ये शृणु त्वं द्विजसत्तम । अष्टाभ्यो देवगन्धर्वा अष्टोत्तरशतं विना

tadanantarājānvakṣye śṛṇu tvaṁ dvijasattama aṣṭābhyo devagandharvā aṣṭottaraśataṁ vinā

Now I shall tell of those born next after them — listen, O best of the twice-born. The Deva-gandharvas, apart from those eight, number one hundred and eight,

Verse 20 (garuda.2.58.20)

तेभ्यः शतगुणानन्दा देवप्रेष्यास्तु मुख्यतः । स्वमुखेनेव देवैश्च आज्ञाप्याः सर्वदा गणाः

tebhyaḥ śataguṇānandā devapreṣyāstu mukhyataḥ svamukheneva devaiśca ājñāpyāḥ sarvadā gaṇāḥ

and a hundredfold lesser than them are the hosts of joyous ones, chiefly the servants of the gods, the companies ever commanded directly by the gods' own word.

Verse 21 (garuda.2.58.21)

आख्याता देवगन्धर्वास्तेभ्यस्ते च शतावराः । तेभ्यस्तु क्षितिपा ज्ञेया अवराश्च शतैर्गुणैः

ākhyātā devagandharvāstebhyaste ca śatāvarāḥ tebhyastu kṣitipā jñeyā avarāśca śatairguṇaiḥ

These are declared to be the Deva-gandharvas; below them, kings are to be known as a hundredfold lesser.

Verse 22 (garuda.2.58.22)

तेभ्यः शतगुणाज्ञेया मानुषेषूत्तमा गणाः । एवं प्रासंगिकानुक्त्वा प्रकृतं ह्यनुसराम्यहम् । एवं ब्रह्मादयो देवा लक्ष्म्याद्या अपि सर्वशः

tebhyaḥ śataguṇājñeyā mānuṣeṣūttamā gaṇāḥ evaṁ prāsaṁgikānuktvā prakṛtaṁ hyanusarāmyaham evaṁ brahmādayo devā lakṣmyādyā api sarvaśaḥ

Below them, the foremost among men are to be known as a hundredfold lesser still. Having thus spoken of these related matters, I now return to the main subject. Thus Brahma and the other gods, Lakshmi and all the other goddesses,

Verse 23 (garuda.2.58.23)

स्तुत्वा तूष्णीं स्थिताः सर्वे प्राञ्जलीकृत्य भो द्विज

stutvā tūṣṇīṁ sthitāḥ sarve prāñjalīkṛtya bho dvija

having offered their praise, O twice-born, all stood silent with folded hands.

Verse 24 (garuda.2.58.24)

इति स्तुतश्च देवेशो भगवान् हरिरव्ययः । तेषामायतनं दातुं मनसा समचिन्तयत्

iti stutaśca deveśo bhagavān hariravyayaḥ teṣāmāyatanaṁ dātuṁ manasā samacintayat

Thus praised, the Lord Hari, imperishable god of gods, resolved in his mind to grant each of them their proper abode.

Verse 25 (garuda.2.58.25)

इदं पवित्रमारोग्यं पुण्यं पापप्रणाशनम् । हरिप्रसादजनकं स्वरूपसुखसाधनम्

idaṁ pavitramārogyaṁ puṇyaṁ pāpapraṇāśanam hariprasādajanakaṁ svarūpasukhasādhanam

This hymn of praise is purifying, health-giving, meritorious, destructive of sin, the begetter of Hari's grace, and the very means to the bliss of one's own true nature.

Verse 26 (garuda.2.58.26)

इदं तु स्तवनं विप्रा न पठन्तीह मानवाः । न शृण्वन्ति च ये नित्यं ते सर्वे चैव मायिनः

idaṁ tu stavanaṁ viprā na paṭhantīha mānavāḥ na śṛṇvanti ca ye nityaṁ te sarve caiva māyinaḥ

Those people in this world who do not recite this hymn, and who do not ever listen to it, are all, without exception, deceived by illusion.

Verse 27 (garuda.2.58.27)

नस्मरन्तोन्तरं नित्यं ये भुञ्जन्ति नराधमाः । तैर्भुक्ता सततं विष्ठा सदा क्रिमिशतैर्युता

nasmarantontaraṁ nityaṁ ye bhuñjanti narādhamāḥ tairbhuktā satataṁ viṣṭhā sadā krimiśatairyutā

The lowest of men who eat their daily food without ever calling this to mind — the food so eaten becomes, for them, forever like filth, teeming with hundreds of worms.