Garuda is mount of Lord Vishnu and an important figure in Hindu Mythology.
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Welcome to the world of engrossed readings at www.onindianpath.com. Let’s read about the most talked mount (Vahana) of Shri Vishnu in this blog.
Introduction
As we all know, Hinduism is vast and widely followed religion. In our blogs, we have been exploring the various characters of Hindu mythology. Today, we will discuss Garuda. Hinduism bestows us with teachings, lessons, stories and characters. The Trinity of Gods includes Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva, and Lord Vishnu. Garuda is mount of Lord Vishnu. Let’s read more about him.
Who was Garuda?
Garuda in Hinduism, has half body of human and half body of an eagle. Also, he is worshiped alongside Lord Vishnu at many places in Southern India.
Appearance of Lord Garuda
Since childhood, the mythological bird creature, Garuda has always fascinated me. I used to wonder how there could be a being with the torso and arms of a man? Half human with the wings, head, beak, and talons of a majestic eagle or vulture was like watching a hollywood science fiction. But, later I came to know the richness of our ancient literature of Hindu Dharma. He is depicted as golden body with divine radiance, red wings and his white face expels a calm and powerful aura.
Different names of Lord Garuda
Garuda is popularly known as
- Khagesvara means king of the birds.
- Suparna who has beautiful feathers.
- Suvarnakaya is golden bodied.
- Nagantaka the enemy of snakes.
- However in southern texts, Garuda represents birth and heaven. In addition to, he is associated with the Sun and fire.
Who was wife of Garuda?
Garuda’s wife is Unnati (Vinayaka in other texts). besides, he had a son, Sampati. He was also another mythical bird and ally of Lord Rama.
Parental details of Garuda
Lets know about intriguing lineage of Garuda. Sage Kashyapa and Vinata are the parents of Garuda and, his dislike for snakes stems from an important incident involving his mother. once, there was a quarrel between Vinata and her co-wife Kadru, the queen of serpents. thus, it resulted in Garuda’s animosity towards snakes. Later it took form of a sentiment that became an integral part of his story.
Key Highlights of Garuda
- Garuda Purana is believed to be narration by Lord Vishnu to Garuda. Do you know Garud Purana is recited during Uthawani and Chauth, ( after death ritualistic days) for the departed soul? Also, it is recited after the funeral till Terhavi (13th day) in many communities.
- In Ramayana, during the Ram- Ravana war, Garuda freed Lord Rama and his younger brother Lakshmana from Nagpash ( a trap made of snakes).
- Besides, he freed his mother from slavery of Kadru, by stealing pot of amrita (nectar of elixir) from Indra
- Additionally, h has a brother Aruna, charioteer of Surya Dev aka Lord Sun.
- He is enemy of Nagas/snakes, his half brother.
- Garuda is a national symbol of Indonesia and Thailand.
Garuda Temple, Koladevi
The Garuda Temple in Koladevi village, near Kolar, Karnataka, is the only temple in the world dedicated to Garuda. This temple is believed to date back to the Vijayanagara period. It has a 5.5-foot-tall idol depicts Garuda in a kneeling position. indeed, he is holding Lord Vishnu in his right hand and Goddess Lakshmi in his left, symbolizing prosperity and blessings.
The temple is mentioned in both the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. In the Ramayana, the heroic and giant bird Jatayu fights Ravana to protect mata Sita, losing his wings in the process. Hence, at this spot, he fell down. Thus, this place is known as Koladevi, meaning “kill” in Kannada.
Additionally, in the Mahabharata, Arjuna builds a Garuda temple to absolve his sins after killing many snakes.
Moreover, Garuda’s desire to emulate the devotion of lord Hanuman to Lord Rama is symbolized by a small shrine to Hanuman within the temple. According to legend, Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi blessed the temple by placing themselves on Garuda’s shoulders. Therefore, making the premises of temple , a place of divine intervention.
The temple is believed to be over 1100 years old, continues to attract devotees seeking blessings for prosperity . It inivites devotees to come and and fulfil their wishes.
Story behind birth of Garuda
There was a great sage Maharishi Kashyap. Maharishi Kashyap had thirteen wives. However, he loved Vinata and Kadru the most. One day, while he sat in a blissful mood, both wives approached him and began massaging his feet lovingly. Their care pleased the sage. He said, “You both are very dear to me. If you have any wishes, tell me now.” Kadru immediately replied, “Swami, I want a thousand sons.” Kashyap then turned to Vinata. She said, “Swami, I want just one son, but he should be so powerful that he can defeat Kadru’s thousand sons.”
Birth of Nagas and Garuda
Sage Kashyap thought for a while and then decided to perform a yagya, to fulfill their wishes. He soon finished the yagya with the participation of gods and sages. Afterward, Kashyap returned to his penance. Meanwhile, Kadru laid a thousand eggs, and Vinata laid two. After a few months, Kadru’s eggs hatched, and thousands of black snake babies emerged. Overjoyed, Kadru called out, “Vinata, look at my beautiful children!”
Apparently, Vinata, eager to see her own children. She herslf broke one of her eggs early. To her horror, a half-formed child came out of the egg. Angered child rebuked said “Mother, your impatience has caused this. Now, you will suffer.” Terrified, Vinata asked, “How can I fix this?” The child replied, “Do not break the second egg early. The son born from it will free you from slavery.”
Then that child flew away. This time, she was eager to avoid another mistake, Vinata waited patiently. Finally, the second egg hatched, and a powerful child was born. She named him Garuda.
A bet resulted into slavery
As time paased, Garuda grew, his strength surpassed that of Kadru’s serpent sons. However, this enimity strained the relationship between Vinata and Kadru. One day, they spotted a horse in the distance. Kadru claimed its tail was black, while Vinata insisted it was white. The argument turned into a bet: the loser would become the slave of the winner. That night, screwed Kadru instructed her snake sons to wrap around the horse’s tail, making it appear black. The next morning, Kadru pointed out the black tail and shown to Vinata. She then declared herself the winner. Thus, Vinata was shocked and defeated, became her slave.
Getting Amrit by Garuda
Garuda, seeing his mother’s distress, asked, “How can I free you?” Vinata replied, “Only Kadru can decide.” upon this, Garuda approached Kadru and pleaded for his mother’s freedom. Kadru agreed on one condition. “Bring me the nectar of immortality,” she said, “and I will set her free.”
moreover, Garuda vowed to fulfill the condition. He sought his father’s guidance. Rishi Kashyap warned him, “Indra (King of Swarg) guards the nectar heavily. It won’t be easy for you to obtain.” But Garuda replied confidently, “No matter how strong the security, I will succeed.” Thus, Garuda began his journey to retrieve the nectar and free his mother.
Garuda’s plightful journey towards Amrit
Garuda felt hungry and asked his father, “Father, I am starving. What should I eat during this long journey?” Maharishi Kashyap replied, “You will pass by many Nishad settlements along the seashore. These people are wicked and act like demons. You can eat them to satisfy your hunger.” Garuda then again asked, “What if I am still hungry after that?” Kashyap replied, “Amrit is kept near the lake, you will find a massive tortoise and a fierce elephant. Both are cruel and demonic. You can eat them too.”
With these instructions, Garuda set out on his journey. First, he ate the Nishads along the way, which eased his hunger slightly. Thenafter, when he reached the lake and captured the elephant and tortoise in his claws.
While searching for a spot to eat them, he saw tall trees on Mount Somgiri and decided to rest on a sturdy branch. However, the branch broke under their weight and began falling. Garuda immediately noticed sages hanging upside down from the branch. Because of their deep meditation, he wanted to protect them. To protect, he caught the branch in his beak and continued flying. However, he flew to his father’s ashram for advice while holding the branch, the elephant, and the tortoise.
Upon reaching the ashram, Garuda asked, “Father, when I sat on the branch, it broke, and the sages on it are in danger. What should I do?” Maharishi Kashyap replied, “These sages are the Balkhilya sages. If they are harmed, they will curse you. Wait! While I pray to them for mercy.”
Besides, Rishi Kashyap prayed to the sages, who accepted his request and descended from the branch to continue their penance in the Himalayas. This relieved Garuda and make him dropping the branch. Eventually, he ate the tortoise and elephant to fully satisfy his hunger. Now energized, Garuda resumed his journey to the Amrit Sarovar to collect nectar.
Fight with Dev
When he arrived, he saw fierce gods guarding the nectar pot and a spinning chakra protecting it. Eventually, he analyzed the situation and decided to shrink his size to enter the zone by escaping through the chakra. As he approached, the gods mistook him as a demon and attacked. Thenafter, Garuda fought back, using his sharp claws and beak to overpower them.
Grip over Amrit kalash
as they were unconscious, he grabbed the Amrit Kalash and flew away. Meanwhile, the gods informed Indra, who immediately chased after Garuda with his Vajra (fierce weapon). Indra struck Garuda with the thunderbolt, but it only knocked off one feather. Certainly, impressed by Garuda’s strength, Indra decided to negotiate with him. “Garuda, your bravery is remarkable. Hand over the Amrit Kalash, and I will grant you any boon you desire,” Indra proposed. On this Garuda responded, “I do not want the nectar for myself. I want it to free my mother from slavery.” Ultimately, Indra suggested, “Take the nectar to Kadru, but ensure the snakes do not consume it. I will reclaim it later. In return, I will bless you snakes as your food.”
Accepting this deal, Garuda delivered the nectar to Kadru and freed his mother. That night, Indra retrieved the nectar from Kadru through his sharp tactics. The next morning, the snakes found the Amrit Kalash missing. In eager and desperation, they licked the Kusha grass where the nectar had rested, splitting their tongues.
At the end,pleased with Garuda’s devotion to his mother, Lord Vishnu appeared and blessed him. “Your dedication is extraordinary, Oh King of Birds. I appoint you as my mount and grant you eternal protection,” Vishnu declared.
Thus, Garuda, filled with gratitude, embraced his divine role.
Conclusion
At the end, this Garuda’s tale is a timeless reminder of devotion, courage, and determination to us. We should learn from his unwavering love for his mother, determination, and diligent efforts to overcome even the greatest challenges. How ethically and wonderfully he has become an inspiring figure in Hindu mythology? As Vishnu’s divine mount, Garuda embarks the triumph of selfless duty and the power of faith. We salute to his true strength, loyalty and righteousness.
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