Souti said: -
1. Kadru, of swift speed, accompanied by Vinata, having crossed the ocean, very soon alighted near the horse.
2. They then saw that swift and the best of horses, with body as white as the rays of the moon but with black hairs (in the tail).
3. Seeing black hairs in the tail, Kadru put Vinata, who was deeply dejected, into slavery.
4. Thus having lost wager, Vinata became a slave exceedingly sorry.
5. Meanwhile, when the time came, Garuda of great splendour came out bursting the egg without the help of his mother.
6. He enkindled all the points of the universe, he was the bird endowed with strength, capable of assuming any form at will, of going everywhere at will, and calling any amount of energy to action at will.
7. He looked terribly like a heap of blazing fire, - Of lustre equal to that of the fire at the end of the Yuga. His eyes were bright like the flush of lightning.
8. As soon as born, the huge bird, increasing his body, rose to the sky, fearfully roaring like a second Ocean-fire.
9. All the celestials seeing him, sought the protection of Vibhavasu (Agni). They bowed down to that Deity of Universal form who was seated on his seat and addressed him thus: -
10. “O Agni, do not extend your body. Have you resolved to consume us? Lo, the huge heap of your flames is spreading wide!” Agni said: -
11. O persecutors of the Asuras, it is not as you think. It is mighty Garuda, equal to me in splendour.
12. He is born endued with great energy to promote the joy of Vinata.seeing this heap of effulgence, your delusion has come (in you.)
13. He is the mighty son of Kasyapa, he is the destroyer of the Nagas, the enemy of the Daityas and the Rakshasas, he is ever engaged to do good to the celestials
14. Do not be afraid in the least. Come with me and see him.
Souti said: -
15. The gods said, ‘Thou art a Rishi (i.e., one cognisant of all mantras), share of the largest portion in sacrifices, ever resplendent, the controller along with the Rishi wended their way towards Garuda and adored him of birds, the presiding spirit of the animate and the inanimate universe.
16. Thou art the destroyer of all, the creator of all; thou art the very Hiranyagarbha; thou art the progenitor of creation in the form of Daksha and the other Prajapatis; thou art Indra (the king of the gods), thou art Hayagriva the steed necked incarnation of Vishnu; thou art the arrow (Vishnu himself, as he became such in the hands of Mahadeva at the burning of Tripura); thou art the lord of the universe; thou art the mouth of Vishnu; thou art the four-faced Padmaja; thou art the Brahmana (i.e., wise), thou art Agni, Pavana, etc. (i.e., the presiding deity of every object in the universe).
17-19. Thou art knowledge, thou art the illusion to which we are all subject; thou art the all-pervading spirit; thou art the lord of the gods; thou art the great Truth; thou art fearless; thou art ever unchanged; thou art Brahma without attributes; thou art the energy of the Sun; thou art the intellectual functions; thou art our great protector; thou art the ocean of holiness; thou art purity; thou art bereft of the attributes of darkness; thou art the possessor of the six high attributes; thou art he who cannot be withstood in contest.
20. From thee have emanated all things; thou art of excellent deeds; thou art all that hath not been and all that hath been.
21. Thou art pure knowledge; thou displayest to us, as Surya does by his rays, this animate and inanimate universe; thou darkenest the splendour of Surya at every moment, and thou art the destroyer of all; thou art all that is perishable and all that is imperishable.
22. O thou resplendent as Agni, thou burnest all even as Surya in his anger burneth all creatures. O terrible one, thou resistest even as the fire that destroys everything at the time of the Universal Dissolution.
23. O mighty Garuda who movest in the skies, we seek thy protection. O lord of birds thy energy is extraordinary, thy splendour is that of fire, thy brightness is like that of the lightning that no darkness can approach.
24. Thou reachest the very clouds, and art both the cause and the effect; the dispenser of boons and invincible in prowess.
25. O Lord, this whole universe is rendered hot by thy splendour, bright as the lustre of heated gold. Protect these high-souled gods, who overcome by thee and terrified withal, are flying along the heavens in different directions on their celestial cars.
26. O thou best of birds, thou Lord of all, thou art the son of the merciful and high-souled Rishi Kasyapa; therefore, be not wroth but have mercy on the universe. Thou art Supreme.
27. O pacify thy anger and preserve us. At thy voice, loud as the roar of the thunder, the ten points, the skies, the heavens, the Earth and our hearts, O bird, thou art continuously shaking.
28. O, diminish this thy body resembling Agni. At the sight of the splendour resembling that of Yama when in wrath, our hearts lose all equanimity and quake. O thou lord of birds, be propitious to us who solicit thy mercy!
29. O illustrious one, bestow on us good fortune and joy.’
30. And that bird of fair feathers, thus adored by the deities and diverse sections of Rishis, reduced his own energy and splendour.”
Thus ends the twenty-third chapter, in the Adi Parva.