Chapter 23

“Sauti said, ‘Having crossed the Ocean, Kadru of swift speed, accompaniedby Vinata, soon alighted near the horse. They then both beheld thatforemost of steeds of great speed, with body white as the rays of themoon but having black hairs (in the tail). And observing many black hairsin the tail, Kadru put Vinata, who was deeply dejected, into slavery. Andthus Vinata having lost the wager, entered into a state of slavery andbecame exceedingly sorry.

“In the meantime, when his time came, burst forth from the egg without(the help of his) mother, Garuda of great splendour, enkindling all thepoints of the universe, that mighty being endued with strength, that birdcapable of assuming at will any form, of going at will everywhere, and ofcalling to his aid at will any measure of energy. Effulgent like a heapof fire, he shone terribly. Of lustre equal to that of the fire at theend of the Yuga, his eyes were bright like the lightning-flash. And soonafter birth, that bird grew in size and increasing his body ascended theskies. Fierce and vehemently roaring, he looked as terrible as secondOcean-fire. And all the deities seeing him, sought the protection ofVibhavasu (Agni). And they bowed down to that deity of manifold formsseated on his seat and spake unto him these words, ‘O Agni, extend notthy body! Wilt thou consume us? Lo, this huge heap of thy flames isspreading wide!’ And Agni replied, ‘O, ye persecutors of the Asuras, itis not as ye imagine. This is Garuda of great strength and equal to me insplendour, endued with great energy, and born to promote the joy ofVinata. Even the sight of this heap of effulgence hath caused thisdelusion in you. He is the mighty son of Kasyapa, the destroyer of theNagas, engaged in the well-being of the gods, and the foe of the Daityasand the Rakshasas. Be not afraid of it in the least. Come with me andsee.’ Thus addressed, the gods from a distance.

“The gods said, ‘Thou art a Rishi (i.e., one cognisant of all mantras),share of the largest portion in sacrifices, ever resplendent, thecontroller along with the Rishi wended their way towards Garuda andadored him of birds, the presiding spirit of the animate and theinanimate universe. Thou art the destroyer of all, the creator of all;thou art the very Hiranyagarbha; thou art the progenitor of creation inthe form of Daksha and the other Prajapatis; thou art Indra (the king ofthe gods), thou art Hayagriva the steed necked incarnation of Vishnu;thou art the arrow (Vishnu himself, as he became such in the hands ofMahadeva at the burning of Tripura); thou art the lord of the universe;thou art the mouth of Vishnu; thou art the four-faced Padmaja; thou artthe Brahmana (i.e., wise), thou art Agni, Pavana, etc. (i.e., thepresiding deity of every object in the universe). Thou art knowledge,thou art the illusion to which we are all subject; thou art theall-pervading spirit; thou art the lord of the gods; thou art the greatTruth; thou art fearless; thou art ever unchanged; thou art Brahmawithout attributes; thou art the energy of the Sun; thou art theintellectual functions; thou art our great protector; thou art the oceanof holiness; thou art purity; thou art bereft of the attributes ofdarkness; thou art the possessor of the six high attributes; thou art hewho cannot be withstood in contest. From thee have emanated all things;thou art of excellent deeds; thou art all that hath not been and all thathath been. Thou art pure knowledge; thou displayest to us, as Surya doesby his rays, this animate and inanimate universe; thou darkenest thesplendour of Surya at every moment, and thou art the destroyer of all;thou art all that is perishable and all that is imperishable. O thouresplendent as Agni, thou burnest all even as Surya in his anger burnethall creatures. O terrible one, thou resistest even as the fire thatdestroys everything at the time of the Universal Dissolution. O mightyGaruda who movest in the skies, we seek thy protection. O lord of birdsthy energy is extraordinary, thy splendour is that of fire, thybrightness is like that of the lightning that no darkness can approach.Thou reachest the very clouds, and art both the cause and the effect; thedispenser of boons and invincible in prowess. O Lord, this whole universeis rendered hot by thy splendour, bright as the lustre of heated gold.Protect these high-souled gods, who overcome by thee and terrifiedwithal, are flying along the heavens in different directions on theircelestial cars. O thou best of birds, thou Lord of all, thou art the sonof the merciful and high-souled Rishi Kasyapa; therefore, be not wrothbut have mercy on the universe. Thou art Supreme. O pacify thy anger andpreserve us. At thy voice, loud as the roar of the thunder, the tenpoints, the skies, the heavens, the Earth and our hearts, O bird, thouart continuously shaking. O, diminish this thy body resembling Agni. Atthe sight of the splendour resembling that of Yama when in wrath, ourhearts lose all equanimity and quake. O thou lord of birds, be propitiousto us who solicit thy mercy! O illustrious one, bestow on us good fortuneand joy.’

And that bird of fair feathers, thus adored by the deities and diversesections of Rishis, reduced his own energy and splendour.'”

And thus ends the twenty-third section in the Astika Parva of the AdiParva.