BHAGAVAD-YANA PARVA: Chapter 110

words of Garuda

सुपर्ण उवाच इयं दिग् दयिता राज्ञो वरुणस्य तु गोपतेः। सदा सलिलराज्य प्रतिष्ठा चादिरेव च।।।।
Suparna said This direction is the favorite one of king Varuna, the lord of the seas. In fact this has been the region of the birth of the king of the waters and even the region of his influence.

अत्र पश्चादहः सूर्यो विसर्जयति गाः स्वयम्। पश्चिमेत्यभिविख्याता दिगियं द्विजसत्तम॥
Here does the sun abandon his rays himself last of all ((Paschata) in the day; this is known as the western direction, O best among the twice born.

यादसामत्र राज्येन सलिलस्य च गुप्तये। कश्यपो भगवान् देवो वरुणं स्माभ्यषेचयत्॥
For ruling over aquatic animals and for the protection of the waters, the illustrious and divine sage Kashyapa anointed Varuna.

अत्र पीत्वा समस्तान् वै वरुणस्य रसांस्तु षट्। जायते तरुणः सोमः शुक्लस्यादौ तमिस्रहा।॥
Here having drunk all the six juices of Varuna, the moon, the destroyer of darkness, becomes new again in the very beginning of the light half of the month.

अत्र पश्चात् कृता दैत्या वायुना संयतास्तदा। निःश्वसन्तो महावातैरर्दिताः सुषुपुर्द्विज॥
Here were the Daityas vanquished by Vayu and then confined by him; and O twice born one, they slept here (the sleep that knows no waking) breathing hard and afflicted by a high wind.

अत्र सूर्यं प्रणयिन प्रतिगृह्णाति पर्वतः। अस्तो नाम यतः संध्या पश्चिमा प्रतिसर्पति॥
Here does the mountain named Asta receive the sun as if in love owing to which the evening twilight vanishes away in the west.

अतो रात्रिश्च निद्रा च निर्गता दिवसक्षये। जायते जीवलोकस्य हर्तुमर्धमिवायुषः॥
From here at the end of the day do the night and sleep come and spread themselves as it were to steal away half the life of living creatures.

अत्र देवीं दितिं सुप्तामात्मप्रसवधारिणीम्। विगर्भामकरोच्छनो यत्र जातो मरुद्गणः॥
In this quarter seeing the goddess Diti, who bore a child, asleep, Shakra cut up the focus from which were born the group of Maruts.

अत्र मूलं हिमवतो मन्दरं याति शाश्वतम्। अपि वर्षसहस्रेण न चास्यान्तोऽधिगम्यते॥
In this direction the base of the Himavat mountain is extended to the eternal Mandara and no one can reach the end of this mountain even in a thousand years.

अत्र काञ्चनशैलस्य काञ्चनाम्बुरुहस्य च। उदधेस्तीरमासाद्य सुरभिः क्षरते पयः॥
In this direction coming to the shore of the sea having golden mountains and golden lotuses, does Suravi yield her milk.

अत्र मध्ये समुद्रस्य कबन्धः प्रतिदृश्यते। स्वर्भानोः सूर्यकल्पस्य सोमसूर्यो जिघांसतः॥
Here in the midst of this ocean is seen the hcadless truck of Svarabhanu, (Rahu) who is like the sun himself, lever bent on allowing the sun the moon.

सुवर्णशिरसोऽप्यत्र हरिरोम्णः प्रगायतः। अदृश्यस्याप्रमेयस्य श्रूयते विपुलो ध्वनिः॥
Here is heard the loud sound of chanting (the Vedas) by Suvarnashiras who is ever youthful and who is immeasurable and invincible in energy.

अत्र ध्वजवती नाम कुमारी हरिमेधसः। आकाशे तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति तस्थौ सूर्यस्य शासनात्॥
Here the daughter of Harimedhas named Dhvajavati remained fixed to the sky by the command of the sun who said-Remain here, remain here.

अत्र वायुस्तथा वह्निरापः खं चापि गालव। आह्निकं चैव नैशं च दुःखं स्पर्श विमुञ्चति॥
Here wind and fire and water and earth, O Galava, remain dispossessed of the power of giving pain at their contact, day and night.

अतः प्रभृति सूर्यस्य तिर्यगावर्तते गतिः। अत्र ज्योतींषि सर्वाणि विशन्त्यादित्यमण्डलम्॥
From this place forward the sun has recourse to a straight path and here do all the luminous bodies enter the sphere of Aditi (the solar sphere).

अष्टविंशतिरात्रं च चक्रम्य सह भानुना। निष्पतन्ति पुनः सूर्यात् सोमसंयोगयोगतः॥
Having journeyed for twenty eight nights in company with the sun they come out again from the solar sphere, being united with the moon.

अत्र नित्यं स्रवन्तीनां प्रभवः सागरोदयः। अत्र लोकत्रयस्यापस्तिष्ठन्ति वरुणालये॥
Here in this direction life the sources of rivers from which again rise the seas and here in the region of Varuna are the waters of all the three worlds.

अत्र पन्नगराजस्याप्यनन्तस्य निवेशनम्। अनादिनिधस्यात्र विष्णोः स्थानमनुत्तमम्॥
Here is the residence, of Ananta, the king of snakes and here is the place of Vishnu, who has no beginning nor end and than whom nothing is better.

अत्रानलसखस्यापि पवनस्य निवेशनम्। महर्षेः कश्यपस्यात्र मारीचस्य निवेशनम्॥
Here is also the residence of Pavana (wind) the friend of Anala (fire) and here is the residence of the great Rishi Kashyapa, the son of Maricha.

एष ते पश्चिमो मार्गो दिग्द्वारेण प्रकीर्तितः। ब्रूहि गालव गच्छावो बुद्धिः का द्विजसत्तम॥
This western direction is described to you in the course of my description of the cardinal points; speak, O Galava, ( best among the twice born, in which direction you will go.