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Upanishads · Gāruḍa 0.1
॥
Devanāgarī
गारुडब्रह्मविद्यां प्रवक्ष्यामि यां ब्रह्मा विद्यां नारदाय प्रोवाच नारदो बृहत्सेनाय बृहत्सेन इन्द्राय इन्द्रो भरद्वाजाय भरद्वाजो जीवत्कामेभ्यः शिष्येभ्यः प्रायच्छत्
Transliteration (IAST)
gāruḍabrahmavidyāṃ pravakṣyāmi yāṃ brahmā vidyāṃ nāradāya provāca nārado bṛhatsenāya bṛhatsena indrāya indro bharadvājāya bharadvājo jīvatkāmebhyaḥ śiṣyebhyaḥ prāyacchat
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
गारुड-ब्रह्म-विद्यांgāruḍa-brahma-vidyāṃthe Garuḍa knowledge of brahman
प्रवक्ष्यामिpravakṣyāmiI shall set forth
यां ब्रह्मा विद्यांyāṃ brahmā vidyāṃwhich knowledge Brahmā
नारदाय प्रोवाचnāradāya provācaproclaimed to Nārada
नारदः बृहत्सेनायnāradaḥ bṛhatsenāyaNārada to Bṛhatsena
बृहत्सेनः इन्द्रायbṛhatsenaḥ indrāyaBṛhatsena to Indra
इन्द्रः भरद्वाजायindraḥ bharadvājāyaIndra to Bharadvāja
भरद्वाजःbharadvājaḥBharadvāja
जीवत्-कामेभ्यःjīvat-kāmebhyaḥto pupils desiring to live
शिष्येभ्यः प्रायच्छत्śiṣyebhyaḥ prāyacchattransmitted
Translation
«I shall set forth the Garuḍa knowledge of brahman — the knowledge that Brahmā proclaimed to Nārada, Nārada to Bṛhatsena, Bṛhatsena to Indra, Indra to Bharadvāja, and Bharadvāja transmitted to pupils desiring to live».
Version
b565e75c5752 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The Garuḍa Upaniṣad begins, and it is worth saying in advance what sort of book this is, for it resembles none of those read before. It is a charm against snake venom. The whole of it is an address to Garuḍa, king of birds and bearer of Viṣṇu, enemy of serpents; and its content is a description of his form and the mantras by which venom is declared slain.
Let us say in advance, too, what should not be expected in it: there is no philosophy here, no dispute over oneness, no discourse on the self. And let us say plainly, at once, what must be said honestly rather than saved for the end. A charm does not cure a snakebite. One bitten by a venomous snake needs antivenom and a doctor, and every hour of delay counts; and this book, for all the respect due its antiquity, is not a guide to action.
We translate it, for we translate all one hundred and eight and do not strike out what is uncomfortable; and we shall examine it as a monument — which is what it is. Let us add what deserves note in this first passage. The succession is named by person, and the last link is curious: Bharadvāja transmitted it to jīvat-kāmebhyaḥ śiṣyebhyaḥ, “pupils desiring to live.”
That is, the goal is named plainly and without embellishment: not liberation, but life; and in this the book is honest. Note, too, that Indra stands in the list: he will be invoked further on as well, for the venom is declared slain “by the thunderbolt of Indra.”