[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Purāṇas](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana) › [Garuḍapurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda) › [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt) › 3.17 # Garudapurana 3.17 English (machine translation) 3.17 - **Language:** English ## Contents - [3.17.48](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.48) — 1 part ### [3.17.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.1) The glorious Garuḍa Purāṇa — 17 / Garuḍa said: / In four births indeed, O Kṛṣṇa, Bhāratī together with Śacī and others / was born on earth distinguished by a single body, as you have said. ### [3.17.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.2) Tell me the reason, O Brahman, to me, your disciple, O you of good vows! / Being addressed thus by Garuḍa, Madhusūdana spoke to him. ### [3.17.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.3) The blessed Kṛṣṇa said: / Concerning Bhāratī's attainment of a distinguished body, O best of birds, / I shall tell the reason, O lord of birds; listen with an attentive mind. ### [3.17.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.4) Long ago in the Kṛta age, O lord of birds, Pārvatī was the wife of Rudra, / the goddess Śacī was the wife of Indra, and Śāmalā was the wife of Yama. ### [3.17.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.5) Goddess Uṣā, the wife of the Aśvins, went together with her husbands, O bird, / to the world of Brahmā; there they saw Brahmā at that time. ### [3.17.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.6) They quickly displayed flirtation, amorous emotion, and sportiveness; / seeing them haughty, Brahmā cursed them, O best of birds: ### [3.17.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.7) "Because you are haughty, you shall obtain a human womb; / there you shall obtain union with your own husbands, O lord of birds." ### [3.17.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.8) Thus cursed, they all came to Mount Meru; / there they quickly deceived Brahmā who was seated. ### [3.17.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.9) While he remained silent, O lord of birds, they stood, deceiving him again; / then, as he stood silent, O lord of birds, they quickly deceived him. ### [3.17.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.10) After three times, the great lord Brahmā cursed them, / because there was deception three times and vision once. ### [3.17.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.11) Moreover, having not listened \[to me\], henceforth across four births on the earthly plane, / human existence shall come to pass within a single body; of this there is no doubt. ### [3.17.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.12) Likewise in the second birth, you will go to another \[husband\]; / likewise in the third birth, you will attain union with your own husbands. ### [3.17.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.13) In the first and fourth births, you will not go to another, / and you will not attain union with your own husbands in any way. ### [3.17.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.14) Having thus been cursed, all of them, by Brahmā, O best of birds, / then assembled on the summit of Mount Meru and reflected: ### [3.17.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.15) “Brahmā’s curse cannot be averted even by hundreds of means. / Union with low beings is blameworthy and similarly brings disaster. ### [3.17.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.16) Through association with the highest, even by fate, what is beneficial comes to pass. / Vāyu is the highest among the gods; therefore, one should form an association \[with him\].” ### [3.17.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.17) Having thus reflected, Umā and the others performed service to Bhāratī. / At the end of a thousand years, she, Bhāratī, being pleased, spoke: ### [3.17.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.18) “For what reason will you who keep virtuous observances perform service to me?” / Devoted to her, those goddesses then spoke of what they wished to do: ### [3.17.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.19) “Formerly we were cursed by Brahmā, whose nature became anger: / ‘O excellent women, you shall attain human existence in a single body. ### [3.17.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.20) In the fourth birth as well, and likewise in the second birth, O lords, / you will attain going to another.’ Thus indeed were we cursed, O radiant one! ### [3.17.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.21) For us, going to another through the god Vāyu incurs no fault. / Therefore, O goddess, we desire to share a single body with you in our births.” ### [3.17.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.22) Being addressed thus by them, she said, “So be it,” O best of the twice-born. / She, joined with Pārvatī and the others, became Bhāratī upon the earth. ### [3.17.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.23) She, as a young maiden in the house of a twice-born named Śiva, / performed austerity for the purpose of uniting their actions, toward Viṣṇu named Śiva. ### [3.17.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.24) Pleased by her austerity, the great lord Viṣṇu, known as Śiva, / granted a boon: “In this third birth, the birth of Kṛṣṇā, O women, ### [3.17.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.25) union with your husbands will properly take place, except for Bhava. / Because they were impelled in every way by this Pārvatī, ### [3.17.26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.26) she displayed seductive charm to Brahmā, the Supreme Lord. / Therefore, she, Pārvatī, is the foremost within the body of Brahmā, without a doubt. ### [3.17.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.27) In the body of Kṛṣṇā too, she will have no union \[with Bhava\]; / in this second \[stage\], going to another will occur without a doubt.” ### [3.17.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.28) Hari, residing within Rudra, having given the boon to the woman, / the glorious Lord vanished and went to his own world. ### [3.17.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.29) Relinquishing that body, they became the daughters of Nala. / Having received the name Indrasenā, they went to an ascetic grove. ### [3.17.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.30) Roaming there, they saw the sage Mudgala. / Merely upon seeing him, they were bewildered by desire. ### [3.17.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.31) Having destroyed the self-consciousness of Mudgala, Māruta / took pleasure with the excellent women present there, Bhāratī and the others. ### [3.17.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.32) Released from that body, she became Draupadī; / because she was born from Drupada, she is known as Draupadī. ### [3.17.33](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.33) Because she arose from the middle of the sacrificial altar, she is known as not born of a womb. / Because she was dark in complexion, she is known as Kṛṣṇā on the earthly plane. ### [3.17.34](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.34) In the body of Kṛṣṇā as well, the sense of identity was always remembered as belonging to Bhāratī. / The sense of identity belonging to Śacī and the others was \[present\] in that body only at times. ### [3.17.35](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.35) At the time of union with her own husband, O best of birds, / the sense of identity belongs only to that \[goddess\] at that time, and not otherwise. ### [3.17.36](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.36) At the time of the lovemaking of these \[others\], O best of birds, / there is no sense of identity for Umā; \[the others\] are always absorbed in sleep. ### [3.17.37](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.37) At the time of Pārtha’s lovemaking within the body of Draupadī, / the two senses of identity belonging to Bhāratī and Śacī are remembered. ### [3.17.38](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.38) At that time, there is cessation of the sense of identity for Umā, Śyāmalā, and the others; / for all \[the rest\] there is only sleep; no doubt should be entertained here. ### [3.17.39](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.39) Vāyu, having entered Arjuna in the form of valor, / constantly enjoys Bhāratī, and Yudhiṣṭhira \[enjoys\] Śāmalā. ### [3.17.40](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.40) Marut, having entered Nakula in the form of beauty, / constantly enjoys Bhāratī, and Nakula also \[enjoys\] Uṣā, O bird. ### [3.17.41](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.41) Māruta, having entered Sahadeva in the form of wisdom, / constantly enjoys Draupadī, and Sahadeva \[enjoys\] Uṣā, O bird. ### [3.17.42](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.42) Śacī and the others did not attain union with Māruta in the body of Draupadī. / Therefore, one should not consider that they went to another in the body of Kṛṣṇā. ### [3.17.43](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.43) One should never consider Bhāratī’s union with the body of Dharma and the others; / one should consider the union of those \[goddesses\] with the human body. ### [3.17.44](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.44) For those who possess direct perception, there is no defilement in any way, / or else, as in the case of Mudgala, at the time of lovemaking, O lord of birds, ### [3.17.45](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.45) they engaged in lovemaking in this manner; therefore, no fault exists. / On a single day, O best of birds, Dharma and Vāyu, both of them, ### [3.17.46](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.46) properly engaged in lovemaking in the body of Kṛṣṇā, O honor-giver; / nevertheless, their not going to another is to be understood; of this there is no doubt. ### [3.17.47](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.47) The gods know the enjoyment of divine pleasures belonging to gods; / mortals do not know them, even though they \[reside\] again in those bodies. ### [3.17.48](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.48) The swan knows the distinction between water and milk, and none other. / Therefore, one should understand union with their own husbands through the body of Kṛṣṇā; going to another in the body of Kṛṣṇā is never to be thought of, O lord of birds. ### [3.17.48.p1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17.48.p1) Thus ends the seventeenth chapter, titled “Explanation of the Cause for Attaining a Distinguished Body by Bhāratī,” in the Brahmakāṇḍa, the third section in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the glorious Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa. ## Linked texts (1) - [Garuḍapurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda.3.17.1) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.garuda~en-mt.3.17) · Pramāṇa