Chapter 75 - The Fight between Garuda and Airavata

1. Vaishampayana said:—Then Krishna, mounted on his car, went to the Parijatra mountain where the mighty Lord of the immortals was remaining on the back of the Airavata.

2-3. Then that foremost of mountains, the Parijatra, that knew the powers of the high-souled son of Valadeva, on beholding Janarddana approach, entered into the earth, becoming as small as a stone for grinding sandal. O foremost of kings, Keshava was then highly pleased with the mountain.

4. O delighter of the Kurus, when Krishna proceeded to renew the fight, Garuda, with Parijata on its back, followed him from behind.

5. The highly powerful Satyaki and Pradyumna, those two subduers of their foes, also went there on the back of Garuda in order to protect the Parijata tree.

6. By that time the sun went down the horizon and night set in. But the battle between Sakra and Keshava commenced anew, O king

7. The highly powerful Krishna, then beholding the elephant Airavata sorely afflicted with the wounds inflicted on him, thus addressed the king of the celestials:—

8. "O mighty-armed one, the foremost of elephants Airavata has been sorely wounded by Garuda: night also grows on apace.

9. Let us refrain from fighting (now). Do as you wishest to-morrow morning again." Thereupon the mighty king of the celestials replied to him saying "Let it be so then."

10. O foremost of kings, the king of the gods Purandara of illustrious soul then, erecting a temporary shade with stones, stopped there near the Puskara for the night.

11. Then Brahma, the mighty sage Kasyapa, Aditi, and other gods and sages came to him there.

12. O ruler of men, O descendant of the Kuru dynasty, the Sadhyas, Visvadevas, the Asvini Kumaras, the Adityas, the Rudras, and the Vasus also assembled there.

13. On the other hand, O Bharata, Narayana also remained on that delightful mountain Parijatra accompanied by his son and Satyaki.

14. The highly effulgent one then bestowed a boon on the mountain Parijatra that, out of regard for him, O king, had assumed the shape of a grinding stone. "

15. O mighty mountain, you shalt be called Sanapada; and you shalt be auspicious and holy like the Himalaya Mountain.

16. O foremost of mountains, be you thus great;and abounding in numerous kinds of gems, do you outvie the celebrated Meru mountain. I shall ever be glad to see you full of different kinds of precious stones".

17. Thus having bestowed the boon on that mountain, Keshava, after due salutation to the God having the emblem of the bull, remembered that foremost of rivers, the Ganges.

18. O Bharata, thus remembered by Krishna, the river Vishnupadi (having the feet of Vishnu for its source) came there, and Krishna, having worshipped her, performed his ablutions in her waters.

19. Then the Eternal Hari, taking up the water of that sacred river Ganga and leaves of Bilva, invited therewith the god Rudra, lord of all lords of all things.

20. Thereupon the God Mahadeva, accompanied by Uma and attended by their followers, revealed himself there on the Ganga’s water and the Bel leaves.

21. Keshava worshipped him with the flowers of the Parijata tree and that eloquent speaker then began to eulogise that lord of lords, the creator of all thus:—

22. The auspicious Krishna said:—"O God I you confinest the beings (of your creations) in Maya and destroyest it; because you manifestest thyself through sound that pervades the universe to beings as soon as they are born—for this reason you are called Rudra; you are self manifest, O Lord; I entirely resign myself to your benign protection. Do you crown me, devoted to your devotees, and beloved of your beloved—with fame.

23. As you are the lord of all creatures both of those who are attached to the followers of life and those that have renounced them—you are designated Pasupati—(Lord of all creatures). You are the performer of all acts. O god of gods! There exists no master of the universe superior to thyself that slays foes of the celestial heroes.

24. In as much as you are, O lord, the beginning, the giver of life and the cause of contentment of all the great divine masters, therefore art you called the God of gods, by the learned and the pious who are conversant with the essential meaning of all the Shastras.

25. Because O source of all intelligence, O lord of all manifest creation, the visible world is begotten of you you are the self-create, the creator of all creators—the benign bestower of boons and designated Bhava (the source from which any thing is born).

26. O God over all gods, in as much as you were coronated by all the defeated gods and Asuras and all other creatures, therefore art you denominated Mahesvara (the highest divinity) the maker of the universe.

27. O bestower of boons, O you of immeasurable prowess, you are the object of adoration of everybody and therefore, it is that gods, desirous of their own welfare, always worship you, and for this reason again you are celebrated by the name Bhagavan that is loved by the pious; and it indicates your presence in the soul of all creatures.

28. O foremost of the lords of the Paradise, O Infinite one! O god, in as much as you are the cause of production and of the thirteen elements (such as earth, sky, space, sun, fire and the wind, &c., &c.) therefore art you principally called Tryambaka of immeasurable fame.

29. You are designated Sarva for you subduest your foes and Aprameya for none can overpower you. You are called all-pervading for you rulest everything by such principles as Raja, &c.; you are designated Sankara for you are the source of pleasure; you are the Lord of sound for the Veda is your word and Arkagrateja for your effulgence is more than that of the sun.

30. O Lord of all, as you dost ever crown them with bliss who are your devotees and dost instruct even your foes the Asuras for their good, it is for your this universal blissful aspect that the pious, conversant with the essence of virtue, call you the self-manifest Sankara of infinite prowess.

31. O Ishvar of immense prowess! In the days of yore the lord of the celestials struck you on the throat with his thunder; but although capable of retaliating it you didst, out of affection, suffer your throat to be rendered blue; for this reason you are celebrated by the name of the Blue-throated.

32. O Somadeva, you are identical with all the male and female indications amongst the mobile and immobile creation, therefore do the Brahmanas, conversant with the essence of things, call you the ever adorable Amvica, the protectress of the universe and also call you the source of qualified existence (as opposed to absolute one).

33. You are that Mahattatwu which the mysterious force known as Maya in the Vedas produces, and that is endowed with conceptual and active energies. You are the Yajna of those initiated into those ceremonies, their prime energy, and the great atman of the Yogis; therefore there has not been, does not exist, and will not be, such a being as thyself.

34. O God of gods, Myself, Brahma, Kapila, Antadeva, and the illustrious sons of Brahma have all been produced by your parts; and you art the lord of all, the essential cause of all and the only absolute One that deserves homage".

35. Thus eulogised the god Mahadeva, having the bull for his emblem, extended his right arm and thus spoke to Narayana:—"

36. O best of gods, you shalt obtain the things desired by you; you shalt carry away the Parijata tree; and your mind shall not feel the least pain (of disappointment).

37. O powerful Krishna, do you compose thyself remembering the austerities you didst practise on the Mainaka mountain and the boon I bestowed on you on that occasion. '

38. You shalt be incapable of being slain', 'You shalt be invincible,' and 'You shalt be ever more indomitable than myself'—these and such words which I spoke to you then-shall be so and not otherwise (i.e. they shall be true to the letter).

39. Moreover, O foremost and virtuous among the gods—he, that will pray to me with this hymn of praise composed by you, shall attain the highest virtue and victory ever his foes in battle and homage of the highest kind.

40. O sinless one, O lord of the gods, worshipped here by thyself, I shall be called Villodakesara and fulfill the desire of all that will approach me.

41. O Keshava, O Janarddana, whatsoever learned and worshipful devotee will pass three nights here, observing fast, shall attain to such regions as he may desire.

42. Here also shall the Ganges (sacred river) be called Avindhya; and ablutions, performed in its water after due recitation of Mantras, will be equally meritorious with those performed in the Ganges itself.

43-44. O mighty Janarddana, on the summit of this mountain, within the caves underneath the ground there is a stronghold of the Danavas called Satpura. Hidden inside that fastness live mighty Danavas of wicked soul—who are so many thorns in the ways of the gods and in the universe.

43. O sinless one, through the virtue of a boon bestowed on them by Brahma, they are, O God, incapable of being slain by the celestials; therefore do you, O Keshava, slay them, disguised as you are now in a human semblance".

46. Having thus spoken and after embracing Vasudeva, O ruler of men, the god Mahadeva disappeared on the spot.

48. Thus after Mahadeva’s departure, and on the dawn of day, O ruler of men, Govinda, addressing the mountain (Parijatra) said:—"O foremost of mountains, underneath you live mighty Asuras, incapable of being slain by the gods, by virtue of a boon bestowed on them by Brahma.

49. Although highly powerful they shall not be able to come out when I confine them (within the Earth underneath you);and their avenues thus cut off they shall die in that place.

50. O mighty mountain, I shall also be enshrined on you—and O mountain, I shall live on your heights holding in check the dreadful Asuras.

51. O foremost of mountains, who ever climbing upon your top shall behold my image there, he shall attain to the merit of giving away a thousand cows.

52. Those, that will every day devoutly worship me constructing an emblem of mine with your stones, shall attain to my condition".

53. Thus the boon-giving Vishnu favored that master and thenceforward that infallible God is enshrined there.

54. And there, O descendant of Kurus, persons of purified souls always worship him having constructed a image with the stone of that mountain, with a view to attain to the Vishnu Loka.