SánscritoIASTSignificado
पक्षी मातरं विनतां अब्रवीत्pakṣī mātaraṃ vinatāṃ abravītthe bird (Garuda) said to his mother Vinata
किं कारणं मया सर्प-भाषितं कर्तव्यम्kiṃ kāraṇaṃ mayā sarpa-bhāṣitaṃ kartavyamfor what reason must I do what the serpents say?
विनता दासी-भूता अस्मि अनार्यायाः भगिन्याःvinatā dāsī-bhūtā asmi anāryāyāḥ bhaginyāḥVinata: I have become the slave of my ignoble sister
पणं वितथं आस्थाय सर्पैः उपधिना कृतम्paṇaṃ vitathaṃ āsthāya sarpaiḥ upadhinā kṛtam[this] the serpents contrived by deceit, [making] the wager false
कारणे कथिते गगनेचरः दुःखेन दुःखितःkāraṇe kathite gaganecaraḥ duḥkhena duḥkhitaḥwhen the reason had been told, the ranger of the sky was grieved by [his mother's] sorrow
सर्पान् उवाच किम् आहृत्य किम् वा कृत्वा पौरुषम्sarpān uvāca kim āhṛtya kim vā kṛtvā pauruṣamhe asked the serpents: what must I bring, or what feat must I perform
दास्यात् वः विप्रमुच्येयं सत्यं शंसतdāsyāt vaḥ vipramucyeyaṃ satyaṃ śaṃsatathat I may be freed from slavery to you? tell me the truth
सर्पाः अब्रुवन् आहर अमृतम् ओजसाsarpāḥ abruvan āhara amṛtam ojasāthe serpents said: bring the amrita by [your] might
ततः दास्यात् विप्रमोक्षः भविता तवtataḥ dāsyāt vipramokṣaḥ bhavitā tavathen your release from slavery will come
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विचिन्त्याब्रवीत्vicintyābravītoriginal form "vicintyābravīt", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तदाtadāoriginal form "tadā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मातःmātaḥoriginal form "mātaḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कर्तव्यंkartavyaṃoriginal form "kartavyaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सर्पभाषितम्sarpabhāṣitamoriginal form "sarpabhāṣitam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विनतोवाचvinatovācaoriginal form "vinatovāca", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
दासीभूतास्म्य्dāsībhūtāsmyoriginal form "dāsībhūtāsmy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अनार्यायाanāryāyāoriginal form "anāryāyā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पतगोत्तमpatagottamaoriginal form "patagottama", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वितथम्vitathamoriginal form "vitatham", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सर्पैर्sarpairoriginal form "sarpair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सूतsūtaoriginal form "sūta", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तस्मिंस्tasmiṃsoriginal form "tasmiṃs", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तुtuoriginal form "tu", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मात्राmātrāoriginal form "mātrā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वचनंvacanaṃoriginal form "vacanaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सर्पांस्sarpāṃsoriginal form "sarpāṃs", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तेनtenaoriginal form "tena", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विदित्वाviditvāoriginal form "viditvā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
किंkiṃoriginal form "kiṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वाvāoriginal form "vā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कृत्वेहkṛtvehaoriginal form "kṛtveha", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
दास्याद्dāsyādoriginal form "dāsyād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वोvooriginal form "vo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
लेलिहाःlelihāḥoriginal form "lelihāḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
श्रुत्वाśrutvāoriginal form "śrutvā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तम्tamoriginal form "tam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सर्पाsarpāoriginal form "sarpā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
आहरामृतम्āharāmṛtamoriginal form "āharāmṛtam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ततोtatooriginal form "tato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
दास्याद्dāsyādoriginal form "dāsyād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विप्रमोक्षोvipramokṣooriginal form "vipramokṣo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
खेचरkhecaraoriginal form "khecara", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Here begins Garuda's great feat, and his noble nature is revealed. Learning that his mother has been enslaved by deceit, he does not give himself over to anger and revenge, but asks how to atone for and lift this bondage — ready for any feat for the sake of his mother's freedom. Thus scripture shows the ideal of filial love and selfless service: the mightiest of birds humbly seeks a way to serve, not to command. It is significant that release requires obtaining amrita — the nectar of immortality, guarded by the gods: the highest goal is attained only by the greatest effort and daring. Here is a prefiguring of the devotee's path: to free the soul (the mother) from bondage to maya and karma, one must win the "nectar" — the Lord's mercy — and this demands unreserved resolve. The serpents' demand is self-interested (they crave immortality), but through their self-interest Providence directs Garuda toward a deed that will glorify him and make him a companion of Vishnu Himself. Thus, from another's deceit and self-interest, by a higher will, the greatest feat of love is born.