सौतिरुवाच स्पृष्टमात्रा तु पद्भ्यां सा गरुडेन बलीयसा। अभज्यत तरोः शाखां भग्नां चैकामधारयत्॥
Sauti said: The moment the branch of the tree was touched by the greatly powerful Garuda with his feet, it broke down. As it was about to fall, it was caught by him.
तां भक्त्वा स महाशाखां स्मयमानो विलोकयन्। अथात्र लम्बतोऽपश्यद्वालखिल्यानधोमुखान्॥ ॥
As he cast his eyes in wonder on the broken branch of the tree, he saw that the Valakhilya Rishis were hanging form it, with their heads downwards.
ऋषयो ह्यत्र लम्बन्ते न हन्यामिति तानृषीन्। तपोरतान्लम्बमानान्ब्रह्मर्षीनभिवीक्ष्य सः॥
Having seen the holy Rishis thus suspended, he said to himself, “These Rishis of great penances must not be killed.
हन्यादेतान्संपतन्ती शाखेत्यथ विचिन्त्य सः। नखैदूंढतरं वीरः संगृह्य गजकच्छपौ॥
If the bough fell down, the Rishis will be killed.” Reflecting thus, the mighty bird held more firmly the elephant and the tortoise.
स तद्विनाशसंत्रासादभिपत्य खगाधिपः। शाखामास्येन जग्राह तेषामेवान्ववेक्षया॥
The king of birds, from the fear of killing the Rishis and from the desire of saving them held the bough in his beaks and rose on his wings.
अतिदैवं तु तत्तस्य कर्म दृष्ट्वा महर्षयः। विस्मयोत्कम्पहृदया नाम चक्रुर्महाखगे॥
The great Rishis, seeing this act which was beyond the powers of the celestials, was filled with wonder and they gave the great bird a name.
गुरुं भारं समासाद्यड्डीन एष विहंगमः। गरुडस्तु खगश्रेष्ठस्तस्मात्पन्नगभोजनः॥
They said "As this great bird rises on its wings with a heavy burden, let the best of the birds, the eater of snakes, be called Garuda.”
ततः शनैः पर्यपतत्पक्षैः शैलाप्रकम्पयन्। एवं सोऽभ्यपतद्देशान्बहून्सगजकच्छपः॥
Then shaking the mountains, the bird with the elephant and tortoise, slowly moved onward in the sky and when he was thus going he saw many countries underneath.
दयार्थं बालखिल्यानां न च स्थानमविन्दत। स गत्वा पर्वतश्रेष्ठं गन्धमादनमञ्जसा॥
Wishing to save the Valakhilyas he could not find a (proper) place to sit on. At last he went to that best of mountains, called Gandhamadana.
ददर्श कश्यपं तत्र पितरं तपसि स्थितम्। ददर्श तं पिता चापि दिव्यरूपं विहंगमम्॥
There he saw his father, Kashyapa, engaged in ascetic devotions. His father also saw that great bird of divine form.
तेजोवीर्यबलोपेतं मनोमारुतरंहसम्। शैल,ङ्गप्रतीकाशं ब्रह्मदण्डमिवोद्यतम्॥
And of great splendour, strength and energy, as swift as the wind or the mind, huge as a mountain peak, a ready smiter as a curse of a Brahmana,
अचिन्त्यमनभिध्येयं सर्वभूतभयंकरम्। महावीर्यधरं रौद्रं साक्षादग्निमिवोद्यतम्॥
Inconceivable, indescribable, fearful to all creatures possessed of great powers, terrible, as full of splendour as Agni himself.
अप्रधृष्यमजेयं च देवदानवराक्षसैः। भेत्तारं गिरिशृङ्गाणां समुद्रजलशोषणम्॥
Incapable of being overcome by the Devas and Danavas, capable of splitting mountains and of sucking the ocean,
लोकसंलोडनं घोरं कृतान्तसमदर्शनम्। तमागतमभिप्रेक्ष्य भगवान्कश्यपस्तदा। विदित्वा चास्य संकल्पमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Capable of destroying the three worlds and as fierce-looking as Yama himself. The greatly illustrious Kashyapa, seeing him approach and knowing his intention, thus addressed him,
कश्यप उवाच पुत्र मा साहसं कार्षीर्मा सद्यो लप्स्यसे व्यथाम्। मा त्वां दहेयुः संक्रुद्धा वालखिल्या मरीचिपाः॥
Kashyapa said : My son, do not commit a rash act, for you will then have to suffer pain. The Valakhilyas, that support on the rays of the sun, if angry, can blast you.
सौतिरुवाच ततः प्रसादयामास कश्यपः पुत्रकारणात्। वालखिल्यान्महाभागांतपसा हतकल्मषान्॥
Sauti said: Therefore, Kashyapa for the snake of his son, propitiated the very glorious, exceedingly ascetic and sinless Valakhilyas.
कश्यप उवाच प्रजाहितार्थमारम्भो गरुडस्य तपोधनाः। चिकीर्षति महत्कर्म तदनुज्ञातुमर्हथ॥
Kashyapa said : O great Rishis, the action of Garuda is for the good of all creatures. He is trying to accomplish a great act and therefore, you should give him permission.
सौतिरुवाच एवमुक्ता भगवता मुनयस्ते समभ्ययुः। मुक्त्वा शाखां गिरिं पुण्यं हिमवन्तंतपोऽर्थिनः॥
Sauti said: The great ascetics, having been thus addressed by the illustrious Kashyapa, quitting the bough, went to the sacred Himalayas to observe ascetic penances.
ततस्तेष्वपयातेषु पितरं विनतासुतः। शाखाव्याक्षिप्तवदनः पर्यपृच्छत कश्यपम्॥
When the Rishis went away, the son of Vinata, his voice choked by the bough in his beaks, asked his father Kashyapa,
भगवन्क्व विमुञ्चामि तरोः शाखामिमामहम्। वर्जितं मानुषैर्देशमाख्यातु भगवान्मम॥
"O illustrious one, where stall I throw this great bough of the tree? O illustrious one, point me a place free from men."
ततो निःपुरुषं शैलं हिमसंरुद्धकन्दरम्। अगम्यं मनसाप्यन्यैस्तस्याचख्यौ स कश्यपः॥
Kashyapa told him of a mountain without human beings, with caves and dales, always covered with snow and inaccessible by ordinary men even in thought.
तं पर्वतं महाकुक्षिमुद्दिश्य स महाखगः! जवेनाभ्यपतत्तार्क्ष्य: सशाखागजकच्छपः॥
The great bird, carrying the bough, the elephant and the tortoise, proceeded in great speed towards that mountain of broad waist.
न तां वध्री परिणहेच्छतचर्मा महातनुम्। शाखिनो महतीं शाखां यां प्रगृह्य ययौ खगः॥
The great bough with which the huge bird flew away could be girt round with a cord made of a hundred hides.
स ततः शतसाहस्रं योजनान्तरमागतः। कालेन नातिमहता गरुडः पतगेश्वरः॥
The king of the birds, Garuda, flew away one hundred thousand Yojanas in the shortest time.
स तं गत्वा क्षणेनैव पर्वतं वचनापितुः। अमुञ्चन्महतीं शाखां सस्वनं तत्र खेचरः॥
Going almost within a moment to the mountains as directed by his father, the bird let fall the great bough. And it fell with a great noise.
पक्षानिलहतश्चास्य प्राकम्पत स शैलराट्। मुमोच पुष्पवर्षं च समागलितपादपः॥
That king of the mountains trembled, having been struck with the storm, raised by Garuda's wings. The trees thereon dropped showers of flowers.
शृङ्गाणि च व्यशीर्यन्त गिरेस्तस्य समन्ततः। मणिकाञ्चनचित्राणि शोभयन्ति महागिरिम्॥
And the peaks of that great mountain, decked with gems and gold, were loosened and fell down on all sides.
शाखिनो बहवश्चापि शाखायाऽभिहतास्तया। काञ्चनैः कुसुमैर्भान्त विद्युत्त्वन्त इवाम्बुदाः॥
The falling bough struck down many trees, which, with golden flowers amid their dark leaves, looked like clouds charged with lightning.
ते हेमविकचा भूमौ युताः पर्वतधातुभिः। व्यराजञ्छाखिनस्तत्र सूर्यांशुप्रतिरञ्जिताः॥
And these trees, bright as gold, falling down upon the ground and dyed with the mountain metals, looked as if they were bathed in the rays of the sun.
ततस्तस्य गिरेः शृङ्गमास्थाय स खगोत्तमः। भक्षयामास गरुडस्तावुभौ गजकच्छपौ॥
Then the best of birds sat on the summit of that mountain and ate both the elephant and the tortoise.
तावुभौ भक्षयित्वा तु स तायः कूर्मकुञ्जरौ। ततः पर्वतकूटाग्रादुत्पपात महाजवः॥
The son of Tarkshya (Garuda), having thus eaten the elephant and the tortoise, rose on his wings from the top of that mountain summit.
प्रावर्तन्ताथ देवानामुत्पाताभयशंसिनः। इन्द्रस्य वज्रं दयितं प्रजज्वाल भयात्ततः॥
Various evil omens appeared before the celestial foreboding fear. Indra's thunder-bolt blazed up in a fright.
सधूमा न्यपतत्सार्चिर्दिवोल्का नभसश्च्युता। तथा वसूनां रुद्राणामादित्यानां च सर्वशः॥ साध्यानां मरुतां चैव ये चान्ये देवतागणाः। स्वं स्वं प्रहरणं तेषां परस्परमुपाद्रवत्॥
Meteors with flames and smoke, loosened from the welkin, shot down during the day; and the weapons of the Vasus, the Rudras, la Adityas, the Sadhyas, the Maruts and of all other classes of celestials began to fight among one another.
अभूतपूर्वं संग्रामे तदा देवासुरेऽपि च। वदुर्वाताः सनिर्घाता: पेतुरुल्काः सहस्रशः॥
Such things had never happened, not even during the war between the Devas and the Danavas. The winds blew with thunder; meteors fell in thousands;
निरभ्रमेव चाकाशं प्रजगर्न महास्वनम्। देवानामपि यो देवः सोऽप्यवर्षत शोणितम्॥
The cloudless sky made a tremendous roar. Even he who was the god of the gods, dropped blood,
मम्लुर्माल्यानि देवानां नेशुस्तेजांसि चैव हि। उत्पातमेघा रौद्राश्च ववृषुः शोणितं बहु॥
The garlands in the necks of the celestials grew pale and dim and their splendour was lost. And terrible masses of clouds vomited thick showers of blood.
रजांसि मुकुटान्येषामुत्थिानि व्यघर्षयन्। ततस्त्राससमुद्विग्नः सह देवैः शतऋतुः। उत्पातान्दारुणान्पश्यन्नित्युवाच बृहस्पतिम्॥
The dust, raised by the winds, darkened the splendour of the coronets worn by the celestial. Thereupon, Indra with the other celestials, perplexed with fear on account of these evil omens, addressed Brihaspati thus.
इन्द्र उवाच किमर्थं भगवन्योरा उत्पाताः सहसोस्थिताः। न च शत्रु प्रपश्यामि युधि यो नः प्रधर्षयेत्॥
Indra said : O illustrious one, why have these great disasters suddenly arisen? I do not see any enemy who will oppress us in a war.
बृहस्पतिरुवाच तवापराधाद्देवेन्द्र प्रमादाच्च शतक्रतो। तपसा बालखिल्यानां महर्षीणां महात्मनाम्॥
Brihaspati said : O king of the celestials, O Shatakratu, it is from your carelessness and from your fault and owing to the penances of the illustrious Rishi Valakhilyas,
कश्यपस्य मुनेः पुत्रो विनतायाश्च खेचरः। हर्तुं सोममभिप्राप्तो बलवान्कामरूपधृक्॥
That the son of the Rishi Kashyapa and Vinata, the great bird, capable of assuming any form at will, is coming to take away the Soma.
समर्थो बलिना श्रेष्ठो हर्तुं सोमं विहंगमः। सर्वं संभवायाम्यस्मिन्नसाध्यमपि साधयेत्॥
And the strongest of all the strong, that bird is capable of taking away the Soma. Everything is possible in him. He can achieve even the unachievable.
सौतिरुवाच श्रुत्वैतद्वचनं शक्रः प्रोवाचामृतरक्षिणः। महावीर्यबल: पक्षी हर्तुं सोममिहोद्यतः॥
Sauti said : Having heard this, Indra spoke to those that guarded the Ambrosia, "A greatly powerful bird has determined to take away the Soma;
युष्मान्संबोधयाम्येष यया न स हरेबलात्। अतुलं हि बलं तस्य बृहस्पतिरुवाच ह॥
I warn you beforehand, so that he may not succeed in taking it by force. Brihaspati has told me that his strength is matchless."
तच्छ्रुत्वा विबुधा वाक्यं विस्मिता यत्नमास्थिताः। परिवार्यामृतं तस्थुर्वज्री चेन्द्रः प्रतापवान्॥
The celestials, when they heard it, were astonished and they took precautions. They stood surrounding the Ambrosia and the greatly powerful Indra stood with them, thunder-bolt in hand.
धारयन्तो विचित्राणि काञ्चनानि मनस्विनः। कवचानि महार्हाणि वैदूर्यविकृतानि च॥
The celestials wore wonderful and greatly valuable breast-plates of gold, set with gems;
चर्माण्यपि च गात्रेषु भानुमन्ति दृढानि च। विविधानि च शस्त्राणि घोररूपाण्यनेकशः॥
They wore bright leather arīnours of great toughness and wielded various sharp weapons of terrible forms,
शिततीक्ष्णाग्रधाराणि समुद्यम्य सुरोत्तमाः। सविस्फुलिङ्गज्वालानि सधूमानि च सर्वशः॥
All emitting fire with smoke and all raised up by the best of the celestials.
चक्राणि परिघांश्चैव त्रिशूलानि परश्वधान्। शक्तीश्च विविधास्तीक्ष्णा: करवालांश्च निर्मलान्। स्वदेहरूपाण्यादाय गदाश्चोग्रप्रदर्शनाः॥
They were armed with many discusses, iron maces, spikes, lances, tridents, battle-axes and various other sharp-pointed missiles, polished swords and maces of terrible forms, all suited to their respective bodies.
तैः शस्त्रैर्भानुमद्भिस्ते दिव्याभरणभूषिताः। भानुमन्तः सुरगणास्तस्थुर्विगतकल्मषाः॥
Armed with these bright weapons and adorned with all celestial ornaments, the celestials, having their fear allayed, waited there (ready to meet Garuda).
अनुपमबलवीर्यतजेसो धृतमनसः परिरक्षणेऽमृतस्य। असुरपुरविदारणाः सुरा ज्वलनसमिद्धवपु:प्रकाशिनः॥
The celestials of matchless strength, energy and splendour, capable of splitting the cities of the Asuras, displayed themselves in forms resplendent as the blazing fire; they all resolved to protect the Ambrosia (at all hazard).
इति समरवरं सुराः स्थितास्ते परिघसहस्रशतैः समाकुलम्। विगलितमिव चाम्बरान्तरं तपनमरीचिविकाशितं बभासे॥
And in consequence of the celestials standing there and owing to hundreds of thousands of maces furnished with iron spokes, that battle-field looked like another firmament illuminated by the rays of the sun.