तं दृष्ट्वाऽऽवेष्टितकरः पतत्येष गजो जलम्। दन्तहस्ताग्रलाङ्गूलपादवेगेन वीर्यवान्
Seeing him, the elephant, with his trunk coiled, leaps into the water, his tusks, trunk, tail, and feet moving with force and vigor.
विक्षोभयंस्ततो नागः सरो बहुझषाकुलम्। कूर्मोऽप्यभ्युद्यतशिरा युद्धायाभ्येति वीर्यवान्
Then the elephant, shaking the lake teeming with many fish, while the turtle, his head raised, comes forth for battle, full of might.
षडुच्छ्रितो योजनानि गजस्तद्द्विगुणायतः। कूर्मस्त्रियोजनोत्सेधो दशयोजनमण्डलः
The elephant was six yojanas tall and twice as long; the turtle was three yojanas high and ten yojanas in circumference.
तावुभौ युद्धसंमत्तौ परस्परवधैषिणौ। उपयुज्याशु कर्मेदं साधये हितमात्मनः
Both, maddened for battle and intent on each other's destruction, quickly employed their strength to accomplish what they thought best for themselves.
महाभ्रघनसंकाशं तं भुक्त्वामृतमानय। महागिरिसमप्रख्यं घोररूपं च हस्तिनम्
Bring that elephant, immense as a great mountain and terrifying in form, which resembles a massive thundercloud, and eat it along with the nectar.
इत्युक्त्वा गरुडं सोऽथ माङ्गल्यमकरोत्तदा। युध्यतः सह देवैस्ते युद्धे भवतु मङ्गलम्
Having said this to Garuda, he then performed auspicious rites, saying, 'May there be good fortune in your battle with the gods.'
पूर्णकुम्भो द्विजा गावो यच्चान्यत्किंचिदुत्तमम्। शुभं स्वस्त्ययनं चापि भविष्यति तवाण्डजा
A full vessel, brahmins, cows, and whatever else is excellent and auspicious—these, and blessings for your journey, will be yours, O egg-born one.
युध्यमानस्य सङ्ग्रामे देवैः सार्धं महाबल। ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि पवित्राणि हवींषि च
As you fight in battle with the mighty gods, the Rig, Yajur, and Sama hymns, the purifying mantras, and the sacrificial offerings,
रहस्यानि च सर्वाणि सर्वे वेदाश्च ते बलम्। `वर्धयिष्यन्ति समरे भविष्यति खगोत्तम।' इत्युक्तो गरुडः पित्रा गतस्तं ह्वदमन्तिकात्
and all the secret teachings, and the entire Veda—these will strengthen you in the conflict, O best of birds.' Thus addressed by his father, Garuda departed from his presence.
अपश्यन्निर्मलजलं नानापक्षिसमाकुलम्। स तत्स्मृत्वा पितुर्वाक्यं भीमवेगोऽन्तरिक्षगः
He saw pure water teeming with various birds; remembering his father's words, the swift one of the skies moved with tremendous speed.
नखेन गजमेकेन कूर्ममेकेन चाक्षिपत्। सधुत्पपात चाकाशं तत उच्चैर्विहङ्गमः
With one talon he seized the elephant, with another the tortoise, and then the great bird swiftly soared high into the sky.
सोऽलम्बं तीर्थणासाद्य देववृक्षानुपागमत्। ते भीताः समकम्पन्त तस्य पक्षानिलाहताः
He reached a support and approached the divine trees; struck by the wind of his wings, they trembled in fear.
न नो भञ्ज्यादिति तदा दिव्याः कनकशाखिनः। प्रचलाङ्गान्स तान्दृष्ट्वा मनोरथफलद्रुमान्
Seeing those wish-fulfilling trees with golden branches and moving limbs, they thought, 'Let us not be broken.'
अन्यानतुलरूपाङ्गानुपचक्राम खेचरः। काञ्चनै राजतैश्चैव फलैर्वैदूर्यशाखिनः। सागराम्बुपरिक्षिप्तान्भ्राजमानान्महाद्रुमान्
The sky-roaming bird then approached other trees of incomparable form, with fruits of gold, silver, and beryl, great trees shining and encircled by the waters of the ocean.
तेषां मध्ये महानासीत्पादपः सुमनोहरः। सहस्रयोजनोत्सेधो बहुशाखासमन्वितः
Among them stood a great and most beautiful tree, a thousand yojanas tall, with many branches.
खगानामालयो दिव्यो नाम्ना रौहिणपादपः। यस्य छायां समाश्रित्य सद्यो भवति निर्वृतः;
It was the divine abode of birds, named the Rauhina tree; whoever rests in its shade is instantly content.
तमुवाच खगश्रेष्ठं तत्र रौहिणपादपः। अतिप्रवृद्धः समुहानापतन्तं मनोजवम्
There, the Rauhina tree spoke to the best of birds, who was rushing upon it with tremendous force:
यैषा मम महाशाखा शतयोजनमायता। एतामास्थाय शाखां त्वं खादेमौ गजकच्छपौ
'This great branch of mine, a hundred yojanas long—rest upon this branch and eat the elephant and tortoise.'
ततो द्रुमं पतगसहस्रसेवितं महीधरप्रतिमवपुः प्रकम्पयन्। खगोत्तमो द्रुतमभिपत्य वेगवा- न्बभञ्ज तामविरलपत्रसंचयाम्
Then the best of birds, swift and powerful as a mountain, shook the tree, which was frequented by thousands of birds, and quickly broke that branch with its dense mass of leaves.
स्पष्टमात्रा तु पद्भ्यां सा गरुडेन बलीयसा। अभज्यत तरोः शाखा भग्नां चैकामधारयत्
With the force of Garuda's feet, the branch was clearly broken off from the tree, and he held one broken branch.
तां भङ्क्त्वा स महाशाखां स्मयमानो विलोकयन्। अथात्रं लम्बतोऽपश्यद्वालखिल्यानधोमुखान्
Breaking off that great branch, he looked around with a smile and saw the Valakhilya sages hanging upside down from it.
ऋषयो ह्यत्र लम्बन्ते न हन्यामिति तानृषीन्। तपोरतांल्लम्बमानान्ब्रह्मर्षीनभिवीक्ष्य सः
Seeing those ascetic Brahmarshis hanging there, he thought, 'The sages are hanging here; I must not harm them.'
हन्यादेतान्संपतन्ती शाखेत्यथ विचिन्त्य सः। नखैर्दृढतरं वीरः संगृह्य गजकच्छपौ
Thinking, 'I will kill these as they fall,' the hero firmly grasped the elephant and tortoise with his strong claws.
स तद्विनाशसंत्रासादभिपत्य स्वगाधिपः। शाखामास्येन जग्राह तेषामेवान्ववेक्षया
Then, out of fear for their destruction, the lord himself leapt and seized the branch with his mouth, observing their condition.
अतिदैवं तु तत्तस्य कर्म दृष्ट्वा महर्षयः। विस्मयोत्कम्पहृदया नाम चक्रुर्महाखगे
Seeing that act, which was beyond ordinary power, the great sages were amazed and their hearts trembled; they spoke of the mighty bird.
गुरुं भारं समासाद्योड्डीन एष विहङ्गमः। गरुडस्तु खगश्रेष्ठस्तस्मात्पन्नगभोजनः
Having taken up a heavy burden, this bird soared; Garuda, the foremost of birds, is thus the eater of serpents.
ततः शनैः पर्यपतत्पक्षैः शैलान्प्रकम्पयन्। एवं सोऽभ्यपतद्देशान्बहून्सगजकच्छपः
Then, slowly he flew, shaking the mountains with his wings; thus he traveled to many lands, carrying the elephant and tortoise.
दयार्थं वालखिल्यानां न च स्थानमविन्दत। स गत्वा पर्वतश्रेष्ठं गन्धमादनमञ्जसा
For the sake of compassion toward the Vālakhilyas, he found no suitable place; so he went swiftly to Gandhamādana, the greatest mountain.
ददर्श कश्यपं तत्र पितरं तपसि स्थितम्। ददर्श तं पिता चापि दिव्यरूपं विहङ्गमम्
There he saw Kaśyapa, his father, engaged in austerity; and his father also beheld him, the divine-formed bird.
तेजोवीर्यबलोपेतं मनोमारुतरंहसम्। शैलशृङ्गप्रतीकाशं ब्रह्मदण्डमिवोद्यतम्
Endowed with brilliance, strength, and power, swift as mind and wind, resembling a mountain peak, like an uplifted staff of Brahma.