The Story of Garuda(Garudopakyanam)

The Birth of Garuda

Garuda was born as the son of the sage Kashyapa and his wife Vinata, one of the two daughters of Daksha. Kashyapa had two wives, Kadru and Vinata, both of whom were blessed by him with special wishes. Kadru asked for a thousand serpent sons, while Vinata wished for just two sons who would be powerful and radiant. Kashyapa granted their wishes, and both Kadru and Vinata laid eggs.

Kadru’s eggs hatched first, producing a thousand serpent sons who later became known as the Nag race, ruled by the serpent king Vasuki. Vinata’s eggs, however, took longer to hatch. Driven by impatience, Vinata prematurely broke open one of her eggs, which led to the birth of her first son, Aruna. Unfortunately, because his development was interrupted, Aruna emerged only partially formed. He was blessed with incredible strength and became the charioteer of the Sun god, Surya. Vinata, regretting her impatience, vowed to wait for her second egg to hatch naturally.

When the time came, her second egg hatched, and from it emerged Garuda, a mighty being with the head, wings, and talons of an eagle and a human-like body. Garuda’s radiance was so intense that even the gods were astonished by his grandeur and strength.

The Enslavement of Vinata

Due to a rivalry between Vinata and Kadru, Vinata became enslaved to her sister Kadru and her serpent sons. Kadru had tricked Vinata by challenging her to identify the color of the celestial horse, Ucchaishravas, which had emerged during the churning of the ocean. Kadru claimed the horse was black, while Vinata believed it was white. The serpents clung to the horse’s tail to make it appear black, thereby winning the bet and enslaving Vinata to Kadru.

Garuda, deeply hurt by his mother’s enslavement, decided to free her from this bondage. He approached the serpents, asking what he must do to liberate his mother. The serpents told him that the only way to win her freedom was to bring them the amrita, the nectar of immortality guarded by the gods in heaven.

Garuda’s Quest for Amrita

Undeterred by the danger of such a task, Garuda set off to obtain the amrita. Along his journey, he encountered various challenges. His strength and courage, however, allowed him to overcome these obstacles. He had to fight powerful celestial beings and pass through difficult terrain to reach the heavens. After battling his way into the celestial realms, Garuda managed to reach the jar of amrita.

Before he could return, he encountered Lord Vishnu, who was impressed by Garuda's valor and devotion to his mother. Vishnu blessed Garuda and asked him to be his vahana, or vehicle, thus forging a lifelong bond between them. Garuda, honored and deeply respectful of Vishnu, agreed to become his mount.

The Return with Amrita and the Trick

Garuda returned with the amrita to the serpents but was also keen on ensuring that they would not actually consume it. In his cleverness, Garuda instructed the serpents to purify themselves by bathing before drinking the nectar. As the serpents left to bathe, Lord Indra, king of the gods, took the opportunity to steal back the amrita and return it to its rightful place in the heavens.

When the serpents returned, they were furious to find that the amrita had vanished. Nevertheless, they licked the grass(dharba) on which it had been placed, hoping to gain a fragment of its power. This is why, according to mythology, snakes have forked tongues—because they split their tongues licking the sharp-edged grass(dharba).With his mother now free, Garuda devoted himself to serving Lord Vishnu. Over time, Garuda became more than just Vishnu’s mount; he became his constant companion and aide in his divine missions. The image of Garuda carrying Vishnu on his back, soaring through the heavens, became a powerful symbol of loyalty, strength, and dedication to a noble cause.