The Garuda Purana

GARUDA PURANA

Who is Ishvara the Supreme Lord and Controller and who is worthy of adoration? Who should be meditated upon? Who is the creator of the universe? Who protects it and who destroys it? From whom proceeds Dharma universal law and righteousness? Who suppresses the wicked? With what vowed observances is He pleased? By what Yoga spiritual discipline or union can He be obtained? What are His incarnations and what is His lineage? Who has instituted the various castes and orders of life and who protects them? O Suta, O thou of great intellect, do thou describe unto us all this and everything else—the most excellent themes about Narayana a name for Vishnu, meaning "He who dwells in the waters" or "The Refuge of Men".

SUTA said:—I will describe the Garuda Purana, the essence of all accounts relating to Vishnu. Formerly, Garuda the divine eagle-vehicle of Vishnu described it to Kashyapa an ancient progenitor sage and I myself had heard it from Vyasa the legendary sage who compiled the Vedas and Puranas.

The Lord Narayana alone is the lord of all the lords of the deities, the Great Soul and the Great Brahma the ultimate, impersonal reality; from Him proceeds birth and all existence. For the protection of the universe, Vasudeva Vishnu in his omnipresent form, who is without birth or death, assumes various incarnations through his divine form, namely that of Kaumara the "Ever-Youthful" boy-sages and others.

Having undertaken the incarnation of Kaumara and lived in the celestial region, the first deity Hari a name for Vishnu meaning "The Remover", O Brahman Priest or Sage, practiced the most difficult vow of celibacy without any break.

Secondly, having assumed the Varaha the Boar-form, the Lord of Sacrifices, for the general well-being of all, released and held up the earth which had sunk deep into the nether region.

Thirdly, for the creation of the Rishis Seers, He assumed the form of a Brahma Rishi and performed Sattvic actions actions pervaded by the quality of goodness, purity, and harmony from which alone proceed desireless actions.

Then, for protecting righteousness, Hari, assuming the form of Nara-Narayana the twin-sage incarnation representing the human soul and its divine companion, practiced hard penances. He was then adored by the celestials and the Asuras demonic or titanic beings who often struggle against the gods.

His fifth incarnation was Kapila, the lord of the Siddhas Siddhas are semi-divine, inspired seers of great purity and holiness. They are characterized by having attained "Siddhis," or eight supernatural faculties and perfections. who expounded unto—