संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
विष्णुना वैनतेयः आकाशे समेयिवान्viṣṇunā vainateyaḥ ākāśe sameyivānwith Vishnu the son of Vinata met in the sky
नारायणः तुष्टः तेन अलौल्येन कर्मणाnārāyaṇaḥ tuṣṭaḥ tena alaulyena karmaṇāNarayana was pleased by that selfless deed of his
वरदः अस्मि इति खेचरम् उवाचvaradaḥ asmi iti khecaram uvāca"I am a granter of boons," he said to the ranger of the sky
सः वव्रे तव उपरि तिष्ठेयम्saḥ vavre tava upari tiṣṭheyamhe chose: may I abide above you
अजरः अमरः च स्याम् अमृतेन विना अपिajaraḥ amaraḥ ca syām amṛtena vinā apiand may I be ageless and immortal even without the amrita
गरुडः विष्णुम् अब्रवीत् भवते अपि वरं दद्मिgaruḍaḥ viṣṇum abravīt bhavate api varaṃ dadmiGaruda said to Vishnu: I too grant you a boon
कृष्णः वाहनं गरुत्मन्तं वव्रेkṛṣṇaḥ vāhanaṃ garutmantaṃ vavreKrishna chose Garutman as his mount
ध्वजं चक्रे उपरि स्थास्यसि इतिdhvajaṃ cakre upari sthāsyasi itiand made him his banner: "you shall stand above me"
तुtuoriginal form "tu", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तदाकाशेtadākāśeoriginal form "tadākāśe", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तस्यtasyaoriginal form "tasya", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नारायणस्nārāyaṇasoriginal form "nārāyaṇas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तुष्टस्tuṣṭasoriginal form "tuṣṭas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तेनालौल्येनtenālaulyenaoriginal form "tenālaulyena", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तम्tamoriginal form "tam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
उवाचाव्ययोuvācāvyayooriginal form "uvācāvyayo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
देवोdevooriginal form "devo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वरदोvaradooriginal form "varado", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽस्मीति'smītioriginal form "'smīti", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
उपरीत्य्uparītyoriginal form "uparīty", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अन्तरिक्षगःantarikṣagaḥoriginal form "antarikṣagaḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चैनंcainaṃoriginal form "cainaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भूयोbhūyooriginal form "bhūyo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽपि'pioriginal form "'pi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नारायणम्nārāyaṇamoriginal form "nārāyaṇam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
इदंidaṃoriginal form "idaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वचःvacaḥoriginal form "vacaḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अजरश्ajaraśoriginal form "ajaraś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चामरश्cāmaraśoriginal form "cāmaraś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विनाप्य्vināpyoriginal form "vināpy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अहम्ahamoriginal form "aham", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रतिगृह्यpratigṛhyaoriginal form "pratigṛhya", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वरौvarauoriginal form "varau", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तौtauoriginal form "tau", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चcaoriginal form "ca", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
गरुडोgaruḍooriginal form "garuḍo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽपि'pioriginal form "'pi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वृणीतांvṛṇītāṃoriginal form "vṛṇītāṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भगवान्bhagavānoriginal form "bhagavān", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तंtaṃoriginal form "taṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कृष्णोkṛṣṇooriginal form "kṛṣṇo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
महाबलम्mahābalamoriginal form "mahābalam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चcaoriginal form "ca", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भगवान्bhagavānoriginal form "bhagavān", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
स्थास्यसीतिsthāsyasītioriginal form "sthāsyasīti", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तम्tamoriginal form "tam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
This brief episode is the heart of the whole tale of Garuda and the summit of its teaching on selflessness. Vishnu is pleased with Garuda precisely for his “alaulya” — the absence of greed: having won the most precious thing, the nectar of immortality, Garuda did not take it for himself. Thus the verse shows that the Lord is captivated not by strength or feats in themselves but by selflessness and purity of intention. Here is the highest ideal: the devotee acts without desire for the fruit, and this freedom from self-interest draws the Lord's grace more than any deed. The boons, too, are significant: Garuda asks to abide “above Vishnu,” and the Lord grants it by making him his banner, [crowning his chariot]; thus the humble servant is raised up by the Lord himself. And further: Garuda attains immortality “without the amrita” — for true immortality is granted not by nectar but by nearness to the Lord. Finally, Vishnu chooses Garuda as his eternal carrier (vahana) — the highest destiny of the devotee: to bear the Lord forever, to be his closest servant. Thus selfless service is crowned with eternal union with the Supreme.