SECTION CXII
"Galava said, 'O Garuda, O slayer of foremost snakes, O you of beautiful
feathers, O son of Vinata, carry me, O Tarkhya, to the east where the two
eyes of Dharma are first opened. O, take me to the east which you hast
first described, and whither, you hast said, the gods are always
present. Thou hast said that thither both truth and virtue reside. I
desire to meet all the gods. Therefore, O younger brother of Aruna, take
me thither, so that I may behold the gods.'
"Narada continued, 'Thus addressed, the son of Vinata replied unto that
Brahmana saying, 'Mount you on my back.' And thereupon, the Muni Galava
rode on the back of Garuda. And Galava said, 'Thy beauty, O devourer of
snakes, as you proceedest, seemeth to be like that of the sun himself in
the morning, that maker of the day endued with a thousand rays. And, O
ranger of the skies, your speed is so great that the very trees, broken by
the storm caused by the flapping of your wings, seem to pursue you in the
course. Thou seemest, O tenant of the welkin, to drag by the storm caused
by the wings, the very Earth with all the waters of her oceans, and with
all her mountains, woods and forests. Indeed, the tempest caused by the
motion of your wings seems to continually raise into mid air the waters of
the sea, with all their fishes and snakes and crocodiles. I see fishes
possessed of similar faces, and Timis and Timingilas and snakes endued
with human faces, all crushed by the tempest raised by your wings. My ears
are deafened by the roar of the deep. So stunned am I that I can neither
hear nor see anything. Indeed, I have forgotten my own purpose. Slacken
thy speed, O ranger of the sky, remembering the risk to a Brahmana's
life. O sire, neither the sun, nor the cardinal points, nor the welkin
itself, is any longer perceptible to me. I see only a thick gloom around
me. The body is no longer visible to me. I see only your two eyes, O
oviparous being, resembling two radiant gems. I cannot see either thy
body or my own. At every step, I behold sparks of fire emitted from thy
frame. Stop without delay these sparks of fire and extinguish the
dazzling radiance of your eyes. O son of Vinata, slacken this exceeding
speed of your course. O devourer of snakes, I have no business to go with
thee. Desist, O blessed one, I am unable to bear this speed of thine. I
have promised to give my preceptor eight hundred white steeds of lunar
effulgence, each having one ear black in hue. I see no way, O oviparous
being, of fulfilling my pledge. There is but one way that I can see, and
that is to lay down my own life. I have no wealth of my own, nor any
wealthy friend, nor can wealth, however immense, procure the
accomplishment of my object.'
"Narada continued, 'Unto Galava uttering these and many other words of
entreaty and sorrow, the son of Vinata, without slackening his speed,
laughingly replied, saying, 'Thou hast little wisdom, O regenerate Rishi,
since you wishest to put an end to your own life. Death can never be
brought about by one's effort. Indeed, Death is God himself. Why didst
thou not, before this, inform me of your purpose? There are excellent
means by which all this may be accomplished. Here is this mountain called
Rishabha on the seaside. Resting here for some time and refreshing
ourselves with food, I will, O Galava, return.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 112 ---------------------
