Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा जनानां स्वाश्रितात्मनाम्। पूर्वं प्रभुरयोध्यास्थान् बभाषे रघुनन्दनः॥१॥
Brahmā said: Hearing the words of those people whose hearts had taken refuge in him, the Lord, Raghunandana, first addressed the residents of Ayodhyā.
Passage 2
श्रीराम उवाच— शृण्वन्तु भो अयोध्यास्थाः जनाः सर्वे हि मामकाः। अनायासेन वो मुक्तिर्भविता न च संशयः॥२॥
Śrī Rāma said: Listen, all you people dwelling in Ayodhyā, for you are mine. Liberation will come to you without difficulty; of this there is no doubt.
Passage 3
यूयं हि नित्यमुक्ताः स्थ मत्सान्निध्ययुजः सदा। मद्गानकथालापश्रवणादिषु तत्पराः॥३॥
You are eternally free, always joined to my presence and wholly intent upon singing of me, speaking my stories, hearing them, and the other practices of devotion.
Passage 4
दूरतोऽपि च ये मर्त्या मन्नामग्रहणे स्थिताः। तेषामप्यहमुद्धर्ता भवदुःखत्रयात्सदा॥४॥
Even mortals far away who remain engaged in taking my name—I too am always their deliverer from the threefold suffering of worldly existence.
Passage 5
यूयं त्वयोध्यापुरवासमायात्सद्योऽन्तःकलुषाः पुनीताः। श्रीसारय्वम्भःपरिपानपूताः किमिच्छथान्यां बत मुक्तिमुच्चैः॥५॥
But through residence in the city of Ayodhyā, the impurity within you was purified at once; made holy by fully drinking the waters of the blessed Sarayū, why indeed should you ardently desire some other liberation?
Passage 6
एतावज्जनिसाफल्यं जनानामत्र विद्यते। अयोध्यामण्डले वासः सरयूवातवीजिते॥६॥
Herein lies the fulfillment of human birth: residence within Ayodhyā's sacred circuit, fanned by the breezes of the Sarayū.
Passage 7
अमुष्मिन् मण्डले मर्त्या रवियोजनसम्मिते। पशुपक्ष्यन्त्यजानामप्यतिमुक्तिः सनातनी॥७॥
Within this sacred circuit, measuring twelve yojanas, there is eternal supreme liberation even for animals, birds, and outcastes.
Passage 8
यत्र क्वचिद्द्वादशयोजनात्मके मन्मण्डले ये निवसन्ति मानवाः। तेषामहं देहावसानकाले ददामि पक्षीन्द्रसुवाहनत्वम्॥८॥
Wherever people reside within my twelve-yojana sacred circuit, at the end of their bodies I grant them excellent conveyance upon the lord of birds.
Passage 9
मण्डलानामुत्तमेऽस्मिन् मण्डले देवपूजिते। प्रवेशो यमदूतानां न कदाचन विद्यते॥९॥
Into this highest of sacred circuits, worshiped by the gods, Yama's messengers are never permitted to enter.
Passage 10
पशवः पक्षिणश्चैव ह्यन्त्यजाः श्वपचादयः। चतुर्भुजत्वमापन्ना व्रजन्ति मम धामनि॥१०॥
Animals, birds, outcastes, dog-cookers, and the rest attain four-armed forms and proceed to my abode.
Passage 11
दुर्णीतिर्नाम चाण्डालः पुरास्मिन्मण्डले वसन्। मृगयाचारनिरतो दुर्दान्तो जीवहिंसकः॥११॥
Long ago a caṇḍāla named Durnīti lived within this sacred circuit. Unrestrained and given to killing living beings, he was continually occupied in hunting.
Passage 12
आजन्मपातकभृतः सर्वभक्षः स्वभावतः। अधमां योनिमापन्नस्तत्रापि बहुपातको॥१२॥
He bore sin from birth and by nature ate everything. Though born into a low condition, even there he committed many sins.
Passage 13
तमन्तकाले सम्प्राप्ते निन्युर्दूता यमक्षयम्। तच्छ्रुत्वा दिवि चुक्रोध गरुडो मम वाहनः॥१३॥
When his final hour arrived, the messengers carried him to Yama's dwelling. Hearing of this in heaven, Garuḍa, my vehicle, became enraged.
Passage 14
ययौ संयमनीं क्रुद्धो यमस्य नगरीं प्रति। ज्वालाः सृजन् पक्षतिभ्यां दग्धुकामो यमालयम्॥१४॥
Angry, he flew toward Saṃyamanī, the city of Yama, sending flames from his two wings and intending to burn Yama's abode.
Passage 15
प्रबलानिलमुत्पाद्य स तां कम्पितवान् पुरीम्। कल्पान्तवह्निज्वालाभिर्यमालयमवेष्टयत्॥१५॥
Raising a mighty wind, he made that city tremble and surrounded Yama's abode with flames like the fire at the end of an age.
Passage 16
ततो विनिर्गता दूता योद्धुकामा अनेन ते। खड्गशक्त्यृष्टिमुशलदण्डमुद्गरपाणयः॥१६॥
Then the messengers came out, eager to fight him, bearing swords, spears, lances, clubs, staves, and hammers in their hands.
Passage 17
भुशुण्डीपरिघाशूलपाशहस्ताः समन्ततः। निपेतुर्गरुडस्योच्चैरङ्गमाच्छाद्य सत्वरम्॥१७॥
Armed on every side with firearms, iron bars, tridents, and nooses, they rushed swiftly upon Garuḍa, loudly covering his body.
Passage 18
कृत्वा प्रचण्डनादं ते पिषन्ते रदनै रदान्। महाकिलकिलाशब्दं कुर्वन्तस्तेऽतिवेगिनः॥१८॥
Those exceedingly swift warriors raised a fierce roar, grinding tooth against tooth and making a tremendous clamoring sound.
Passage 19
स्वानि स्वान्यस्त्रवर्याणि मुमुचुर्गरुडोपरि। गरुडोऽपि तदस्त्राणि बभञ्ज क्षणमात्रतः॥१९॥
Each released his own finest weapons upon Garuḍa, but Garuḍa shattered those weapons in a single moment.
Passage 20
लीलामात्रेण तान् सर्वान् यमदूतानपोथयत्। पक्षतुण्डनखाघातैरहनद्विक्रमो स तान्॥२०॥
As mere play, he laid all those messengers of Yama low; the mighty one struck them with blows of wing, beak, and claws.
Passage 21
रुधिराणि वमन्तस्ते पतिताः पृथिवीतले। परे च दुद्रुवुर्दूता यमस्य सर्वतो दिशम्॥२१॥
Vomiting blood, some fell upon the earth, while the other messengers of Yama fled in every direction.
Passage 22
महाकालाग्निज्वालाभिर्वेष्टितां स्वपुरीं यमः। विलोक्य सन्त्रस्तो भीतः किमेतदिति चिन्तयन्॥२२॥
Seeing his own city surrounded by flames like the fire of the great dissolution, Yama became alarmed and afraid, wondering, “What is this?”
Passage 23
पक्षीन्द्राभिमुखं सद्य आजगाम ततः परम्। आः किमेतदिति क्रुद्धः उक्त्वा वचनमग्रतः॥२३॥
He then came at once before the lord of birds. Angrily advancing, he cried, “Ah! What is this?”
Passage 24
नानाविधैरस्त्रशस्त्रैर्गरुडं समयोधयत्। पराजितः स तेनासौ तुण्डाघातैर्नखक्षतैः॥२४॥
He fought Garuḍa with many kinds of missiles and weapons, but Garuḍa defeated him with blows of his beak and wounds from his claws.
Passage 25
पक्षोद्भवैर्महावातैः स कृतान्तमभीषयत्। महावज्रसमैः पत्रैस्तदङ्गं किञ्चिदस्पृशत्॥२५॥
With great winds arising from his wings, Garuḍa terrified Death. With feathers like mighty thunderbolts, he struck Yama's body lightly.
Passage 26
वित्रासितस्तेन ततो गरुडेन कृतान्तकः। पक्षाहतोऽस्य महिषो दुद्राव भयसंवृतः॥२६॥
Death was thus terrified by Garuḍa, and Yama's buffalo, struck by a wing and overcome with fear, ran away.
Passage 27
ग्रीवेयकमहाघण्टानादघोषितदिङ्मुखः। कृत्वा घोरं महानादं पातयित्वा यमं भुवि॥२७॥
The great bell on the buffalo's neck filled the quarters with its peal and raised a terrible sound as Garuḍa cast Yama to the ground.
Passage 28
ततो दण्डे प्रभग्नेऽसौ तुण्डघातैः खगेशितुः। निःश्वसञ्छनकैः प्राह खगेन्द्रं रणदुर्मदम्॥२८॥
Then, when his staff had been thoroughly broken by the lord of birds' beak-blows, Yama slowly caught his breath and addressed the bird-king, unconquerable in battle.