BHAGAVAD-YANA PARVA: Chapter 105

The search of a bridegroom by Matali

कण्व उवाच गरुडस्तत्र शुश्राव यथावृत्तं महाबलः। आयुःप्रदानं शक्रेण कृतं नागस्य भारत॥
Kanya said In the meantime Garuda endued with great might, heard what had happened, namely the bestowal of a long life on the Naga by Shakra, OBharata.

पक्षवातेन महता रुद्ध्वा त्रिभुवनं खगः। सुपर्णः परमक्रुद्धो वासवं समुपाद्रवत्॥
And Suparna, the wanderer of the sky, obstructing the there worlds as it were by the heavy wind caused by his wings and being very, came to Vasava.

गरुड उवाच भगवन् किमवज्ञानाद् वृत्तिः प्रतिहता मम। कामकारवरं दत्त्वा पुनश्चलितवानसि॥
Garuda said O lord, for what shortcoming on my part have you, forbidden me my subsistence-having granted me a boon of your own accord you have withheld it.

निसर्गात् सर्वभूतानां सर्वभूतेश्वरेण मे। आहारो विहितो धात्रा किमर्थं वार्यते त्वया॥
Since the very creation of all creatures my food has been settled by the Supreme Being, the of all creatures and for what reason have you interfered with it.

वृतश्चैष महानागः स्थापितः समयश्च अनेन च मया भर्तव्यः प्रसवो महान्॥
This great Naga had been chosen by me (for my food) and the limit of his time had been fixed by me and on him was I to have subsisted, 0 lord, as also my numerous progeny.

एतस्मिंस्तु तथाभूते नान्यं हिंसित्तमुत्सहे। क्रीडसे कामकारेण देवराज यथेच्छकम्॥
I dare not now kill another of the species, which is used such (i.e., on whom you have granted a boon); you play as you like, of your own will, O king the gods.

सोऽहं प्राणान् विमोक्ष्यामि तथा परिजनो मम। ये च भृत्या मम गृहे प्रीतिमान् भव वासव॥
Reduced to this I shall lose my life as also will the members of my family and these that are attendants at my house. Be gratified Vasava.

एतच्चैवाहमर्हामि भूयश्च बलवृत्रहन्। त्रैलोकस्येश्वरो योऽहं परभृत्यत्वमागतः॥
O slayer of Bala and Vritra, this indeed do I deserve not; though lord of the three worlds I have been reduced to the state of a servant of another.

त्वयि तिष्ठति देवेश न विष्णुः कारणं मम। त्रैलोक्यराज राज्यं हि त्वयि वासव शाश्वतम्॥
O lord of the celestial whilst you suppress me, I find no cause for going to Vishnu; O Vasava, you are the eternal sovereign of the three worlds.

जननी कश्यपः पिता। अहमप्युत्सहे लोकान् समन्ताद् वोदुमञ्जसा॥
O too have daughter of Daksha for my mother and Kashyapa also for my father and I too can venture to bear easily the weight of the three worlds.

असह्यं सर्वभूतानां ममापि विपुलं बलम्। मयापि सुमहत् कर्म कृतं दैतेयविग्रहे॥
My great strength too is unendurable by all creature and by me too have been done great deeds in the war the sons of Diti.

श्रुतश्रीः श्रुतसेनश्च विवस्वान् रोचनामुखः। प्रसृतः कालकाक्षश्च मयापि दितिजा हताः॥
Shrutashri and Shrutsena, Vivasvata Rochanamukha and Prasrita and Kalka Aksha, these sons of Diti have by me been slain.

यत् तु ध्वजस्थानगतो यत्नात् परिचराम्यहम्। वहामि चैवानुजं ते तेन मामवमन्यसे॥
Stationing myself on the flag I fear your younger and attend on him; Therefore do you disregard me.

ममापि दक्षस्य सुता कोऽन्यो भारसहो ह्यस्ति कोऽन्योऽस्ति बलवत्तरः। मया योऽहं विशिष्टः सन् वहामीमं सबान्धवम्॥
What other being can bear that load? What other being is stronger? Though thus qualified, I yet bear your younger brother with his friends.

अवज्ञाय तु यत् तेऽहं भोजनाद् व्यपरोपितः। तेन मे गौरवं नष्टं त्वतश्चास्माच्च वासव॥
Since however disregarding me, O Vishnu, as for yourself, you have interfered with my subsistence, you have made me lose my respect, as your brother has done.

अदित्यां य इमे जाता बलविक्रमशालिनः। त्वमेषां किल सर्वेषां बलेन बलवत्तरः॥
Among those endued with might and prowess that are begotten in the race of Aditi-you are the strongest in might.

सोऽहं पक्षैकदेशेन वहामि त्वां गतक्लमः। विमृशं त्वं शनैस्तात को न्वत्र बलवानिति॥
I bear you who are such on one portion of my wings without experiencing any fatigue. Think, O dear as to who is the stronger.

कण्व उवाच स तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा खगस्योदर्कदारुणम्। अक्षोभ्यं क्षोभयंस्तार्क्ष्यमुवाच रथचक्रभृत्॥
Kanva said The wielder of the discus, having heard the words marked with vanity of the wanderer of the sky, which were at the same time indicative of peril, said to Tarkshya, who was annoyed, annoying him the more.

गरुत्मन् मन्यसेऽऽत्मानं बलवन्तं सुदुर्बलम्। अलमस्मत्समक्षं ते स्तोतुमात्मानमण्डज॥
"O Garuda, you consider yourself strong, though you are weak. It is not right that you should thus speak in flattering terms of yourself in presence, O you born of egg.

त्रैलोक्वमपि मे कृत्स्नमशक्तं देहधारणे। अहमेवात्मनाऽऽत्मानं बहामि त्वां च धारये॥
The three worlds, even when united together are incapable are incapable of bearing the load of my body; I myself bear the weight of my-self and also uphold you.

इमं तावन्ममैकं त्वं बाहुं सव्येतरं वह। यद्येनं धारयस्येकं सफलं ते विकस्थितम्॥
To prove your words, bear the weight of my right arm and if you can carry it then what you say will have some reason in it."

ततः स भगवांस्तस्य स्कन्धे बाहुं समासजत्। निपपात स भारा” विह्वलो नष्टचेतनः॥
Then did that prosperous being place his arm on his shoulder. He fell down struck by the lord stupefied and deprived of his senses.

यावान् हि भारः कृत्स्नायाः पृथिव्याः पर्वतैः सह। एकस्या देहशाखायास्तावद् भारममन्यत॥
The weight, that was in the earth united with the mountains, was in one branch of the body (of Vishnu).

न त्वेनं पीडयामास बलेन बलवत्तरः। ततो हि जीवितं तस्य न व्यनीनशदच्युतः॥
The one who was by far the stronger did not press him (Garuda) with any force and thus was he alive for Achyuta did not want to kill him.

व्यात्तास्यः सस्तकायश्च विचेता विह्वलः खगः। मुमोच पत्राणि तदा गुरुभारप्रपीडितः॥
Writhing under that heavy load that wanderer of the sky gasped for breath, was stupefied, lost his senses and his energies were all dried up and he was stripped off his feathers.

स विष्णु शिरसा पक्षी प्रणम्य विनतासुतः। विचेता विह्वलो दीन: किंचिद् वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Then the bird, the son of Vinata, bowed with his head to Vishnu and feebly said to him these words, being stupefied and rendered helpless and regretting his folly.

भगवल्लोकसारस्य सदृशेन वपुष्मता। भुजेन स्वैरमुक्तेन निष्पिष्टोऽस्मि महीतले॥
"O lord, what is the wonder that I should be crushed down to the earth by the arm which belongs to a body which is like the essence of the universe.

क्षन्तुमर्हसि मे देव विह्वलस्याल्पचेतसः। बलदाहविदग्धस्य पक्षिणो ध्वजवासिनः॥
It is proper, O lord, that you should forgiven me am rendered helpless, who am of mean intelligence, intoxicated with the vanity of might and but a bird bearing a flag.

न हि ज्ञातं बलं देव मया ते परमं विभो। तेन मन्याम्यहं वीर्यमात्मनो न समं परैः॥
O god, O lord, your strength was not known to me and for that reason did I think myself possessed of heroism not equaled by others.

ततश्चक्रे स भगवान् प्रसादं वै गरुत्मतः। मैवं भूय इति स्नेहात् तदा चैनमुवाच ह॥
Then was the god pleased with Garuda and he said is the bird out of affection-"'Do not act so again."

पादाङ्गुष्ठेन चिक्षेप सुखं गरुडोरसि। ततःप्रभृति राजेन्द्र सह सर्पण वर्तते।॥
With the toe of his feet he threw Sumukha on the breast of Garuda and from that time forward O chief of kings, Garuda live (in friendship) with that serpent.

एवं विष्णुबलाक्रान्तो गर्वनाशमुपागतः। गरुडो बलवान् राजन् वैनतेयो महायशाः॥
In this way was the haughty Garuda the son of Vinata and great renown, cured of his vanity, being overpowered by the might of Vishnu.

कण्व उवाच तथा त्वमपि गान्धारे यावत् पाण्डुसुतान् रणे। नासादयसि तान् वीरांस्तावजीवसि पुत्रक॥
Kanva said In the same way, O son of Gandhari, you too, so long as you do not come face to face in battle with those heroes, the sons of Pandu, will be living, O dear, son.

भीमः प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठो वायुपुत्रो महाबलः। धनंजयश्चेन्द्रसुतो न हन्यातां तु कं रणे॥
Who is there whom Bhima the foremost among opponents, the son of Vayu and possessed of great strength and Dhananjaya the son of Shakra cannot kill in battle.

विष्णुर्वायुश्च शक्रश्च धर्मस्तौ चाश्विनावुभौ। एते देवास्त्वया केन हेतुना वीक्षितुं क्षमाः॥
Vishnu, Vayu, Shakra, Dharma and both the Asvinis-all these are gods how are you capable of gazing at?

तदलं ते विरोधेन शमं गच्छ नृपात्मज) वासुदेवेन तीर्थेन कुलं रक्षितुमर्हसि॥
Fight would therefore be useless; effect peace, O son of a ruler of men, by means of Vasudeva; it is proper that you should save your family.

प्रत्यक्षदर्शी सर्वस्य नारदोऽयं महातपाः। महात्म्यस्य तदा विष्णोः सोऽयं चक्रगदाधर॥
This Narada, of great asceticism, saw all this with his own eyes and this Krishna held the mice and discus of that great souled Vishnu.

वैशम्पायन उवाच दुर्योधनस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा निःश्वसन् भृकुटीमुखः। राधेयमभिसम्प्रेक्ष्य जहास स्वनवत् तदा॥
Vaishampayana said Duryodhana, having heard all this, breathing herd with his eye-brows contracted and gazing on the son of Radica, laughed aloud at that time.

कदर्थीकृत्य तद् वाक्यमृषेः कण्वस्य दुर्मतिः। ऊरूं गजकराकारं ताडयन्निदमब्रवीत्॥
Without regarding those words of the Rishi Kanva, the one, of evil intellect, said these words slapping his thighs which were of the size of those of an elephant.

यथैवेश्वरसृष्टोऽस्मि यद् भावि या च मे गतिः। तथा महर्षे वर्तामि किं प्रलापः करिष्यति॥
"Since I have been created by god, I am what he has made me; what will happen must happen and so must my course be shaped. O great Rishi, I shall act in that way; what can these useless discussions do?