Sage Saunaka questions the sage Suka regarding the mistake committed by Devendra, king of Devas. How was Garuda born on account of the tapas of the Valakhilya sages? How did Garuda become the son of the great sage Kasyapa? How did he become invincible and endowed with exceptional power of taking any form he liked? Sage Suka maharshi narrated the details of Garuda’s birth and how he developed unassailable power. Kasyapa prajapati, desirous of a son performed a yajna assisted by Devas and Gandharvas. He directed Indra, the Valakhilya sages and others to bring twigs needed for the yajna. While Indra secured them easily and quickly, the Valakhilyas could not do so quickly. Arrogant Indra, seeing their plight laughed at them and went away. The powerful Valakhilyas were angry and sad at the humiliation. They performed a homa chanting potent mantras to create a second Indra more powerful and fearful! Indra was terrified at this act of the sages. He approached sage Kasyapa for help. Sage Kasyapa pacified them and said that there cannot be two Indras at the same time and that the Creator Brahma had appointed the present Indra. The sages calmed down and offered the fruits of their homa to Kasyapa stating that he would be blessed with sons! Kasya told his wife Vinata that she would bear two renowned and mighty children! One son will be the king of all birds! Anura and Garuda were born and the former,physically handicapped, became the driver of Sun’s chariot! Garuda was crowned as the king of Birds by the Devas!
Immediately Garuda jumped up and left for heaven and the Devas! He wanted to bring ‘Amrita’ to relieve himself and his mother from slavery! He defeated the guard of amrita in a terrible fight. He raised a storm of dust by his large and powerful wings that blinded all Devas! Indra and Varuna came but in vain! They could not stand before Garuda! Most of the Devas were injured and bled in their fight with Garuda. Crossing all barriers, Garuda progressed forward when he saw a terrible fire raging all around! He quenched it by getting water from various rivers! Then he took a diminutive form to enter inside. There was a resplendent iron wheel with sharp points revolving and capable of killing anyone entering it! Garuda took an atomic form suddenly and entered the machine! Under the wheel were two terrible snakes that could kill others even with their looks! Garuda threw dust into their eyes blinding them, rose into the skies and cut both the snakes into two! He accessed amrita thus and destroying the wheel rose into the skies without drinking the nectar!
On his way back, Garuda met Lord Vishnu who liked him for not drinking amrita in his possession! He wanted to give a boon to Garuda. Garuda requested that he should be the hood above the Lord and that he should be an immortal without drinking amrita! Garuda then offered to give a boon to Lord Vishnu.! The Lord wanted him to be his Vahana( carrier). Meanwhile, Indra, humiliated, and angry since Garuda was taking away amrit, struck Garuda with his Vajrayudha! But It had no effect on the invincible Garuda! As a mark of respect for Indra and his weapon Garuda left a feather from his wing! That is how Garuda came to be called "Suparna!” Amazed at the strength and invincibility of Garuda, Indra wanted to be friends with him! Accepting his friendship, Garuda told Indra that he was taking away amrit for a great cause but not to give it to others to rink! Garuda allowed Indra to take amrit to heaven as soon as he placed it in a place!
Garuda returned home and informed his mother
that he has brought Amrit from heaven. She was extremely happy and blessed him. Then he told the serpents, children of his stepmother that he has brought Amrit for them and they can partake of it after their bath! Amrit was kept in a vessel on the holy grass called darbha. lndra came secretly and carried it away to heaven! The serpents knew that they were deceived. With no other alternative, they licked the sharp darbha on which the vessel of amrita was kept. Thus their tongues were torn into two! Darbha became very holy as Amrit was kept on it! Garuda and his mother Vinata were freed from their slavery!!
Kadruva, Garuda’s stepmother was jealous of Vinata! She planned to enslave her and laid a plan. She told Vinata that the tail of the white cow was black while it was actually not so! She called upon her serpent son to remain on the tail of the cow so that she could deceive Vinata! If what Kadruva said was true, Vinata should be a slave to her! At the appointed time Vinata saw the cow from a distance and accepted that the tail of the cow was black! One of the snakes had coiled itself on the tail of the cow which looked black! Kadruva had won and Vinata and Garuda became slaves! Kadruva said that if amrit was brought from heaven both Garuda and Vinata would be free! It is for that reason that Garuda went to heaven, fought the Devas and brought amrit to free his mother and himself from slavery! Is it not the duty of a son to bring freedom and happiness to his dear mother?
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