THE

GARUDA PURANA

original: "Garuda Puranam." This text is one of the eighteen "Mahapuranas" (Great Ancient Chronicles) of Hinduism, traditionally attributed to the sage Vyasa. It is famous for its discourse on the soul, death, and the afterlife, though it covers a vast range of topics including medicine and ethics.

CHAPTER I

I salute the One Supreme, without birth, decay, or end, identical with knowledge, great, auspicious, free from impurities, without beginning, devoid of an elemental body and actions, residing within all creatures, Hari a name for Vishnu, meaning "The Remover of Sin", freed from impurity and illusion and present everywhere. With mind, speech, and actions I do always salute Hari, Rudra a fierce form of Shiva, Brahma the Creator deity, the lord of Ganas Ganesha, the elephant-headed god who leads the divine attendants and the goddess Saraswati the goddess of wisdom, music, and the arts.

Having adored and praised the poet Suta traditionally identified as Lomaharshana, the bard who recited the Puranas to the sages, who is well-versed in the Puranas ancient lore and history, of a quiet nature, the master of all scriptures, devoted to Vishnu and high-souled—when he came to the forest of Naimisha A sacred forest frequently mentioned in Indian epics as a place for spiritual retreats and the performance of long-term sacrifices. while making a pilgrimage to sacred shrines and, seated on a holy seat, was meditating on the sinless Vishnu—the great Rishis sages or seers, Shaunaka and others, dwelling in the forest of Naimishi The text uses both "Naimisha" and "Naimishi" interchangeably for the same sacred site., having asceticism for their wealth, of quiescent souls, radiant like the sun and ever engaged in the celebration of s?acrifices, said.

The Rishis said: — "O Suta, thou art informed of everything and therefore we ask you: — 'Amongst the celestials...'"