(Vedavyasa Mahabharatam – the story, the ethics, morals & the traditions)

Story 11- Garutmantha, the Devotee of Lord Vishnu[i]

What is the story about?

Garutmantha or Garuda is the trusted devotee and the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. The story discusses the birth of Garutmantha and his expeditions. ‘Madhu Vidya’ (the art of inhaling Sun’s rays as substitute for food, spiritual quotient of darbha grass, and incubation of children in ghee pots etc are certain highlights of this story.

Background of the Story

Saunaka was happy to hear the story of क्षीर सागर मथनं- kṣīra sāgara mathanaṃ and the birth of the divine horse Uchhaisrva in the process of churning of the ocean. He also heard Vinatha becoming the dasi of Kadruva and the birth of Anura. He was inquisitive to know as to how Vinatha got extricated from the bondage of Kadru. Saunaka started narrating the story.

Story of Garutmantha

Vinatha became jealous at the happiness of Kadru who was happily playing with her serpent sons. Out of eagerness she broke open one of her eggs. There she found half grown child with no thighs. The boy was very angry at her mother and cursed that she would become the slave of Kadru. Since he had no thighs, he was called as Anura, who later became the charioteer of Sun God, Surya. He saw his mother weeping at his curse. Out of affection and compassion he said, ‘You shall be the slave of Kadru and you will be relieved of bondage by your second son, Garutmantha. You preserve the second egg till a strong boy emerges out of it’.

After a wait of more than five hundred years, the second egg automatically broke open and a huge eagle with a pair of broad wings fluttered out of the egg with a big bang. He was none other than Garutmanta (the eagle king) and immediately after his birth he rose to the Sun to demonstrate his might. All Gods bowed to the king of birds and made friendship with him.

One day when Garutmanta was with her mother Vinata, Kadruva called her aloud and asked her to take her (Kadruva) to the seacoast. Vinata took her over her back and Garutmanta took a few serpents over his back, and they obliged the request of Vinata[ii]. After a while the serpents asked Garukmanta to take them to beautiful places of interest. Garutmanta was disgusted for a while and asked Vinata as to why they had to perform all the jobs of the serpents and their mother. ‘Since I have been defeated in a bet, I had become a slave for Kadruva’, Vinata lamented.

Garutmanta felt very bad and asked the serpents. ‘Please tell me what all you want for redeeming my mother from slavery and I will do the favor for you’. Serpents were very happy, and they asked the celestial nectar (amṛta) which would eventually immortalize the serpents. Garutmanta agreed to the deal. He defeated the Gods including Indra in a battle and took possession of the nectar. The greatness of Garutmanta lied not in possessing the nectar but in not consuming even a drop of it even though it was very much in its hands. Lord Vishnu was pleased with the nonchalant detachment displayed by the eagle and appeared before him[iii]. Eventually he became the vāhana (vehicle) for Vishnu. Visnu blessed him that he would become immortal even without the nectar.

When Indra failed to rescue the nectar from the hands of Garutmanta he sought his friendship and appealed not to give the nectar to venomous serpents. He feared that it would invite trouble for the people on earth. Dangerous people deserve destruction, let alone toleration. Garutmanta suggested that it was up to Indra to take over the pot of nectar after it was handed over to serpents.

As planned, he reached the serpents and put the nectar over the darbha grass and asked the serpents to have it after a bath. The serpents were pleased to release his mother from slavery. They rushed to take a bath and by which time Lord Indra descended from heaven and took off the nectar pot. The serpents desperately searched for the nectar and out of greed started licking the darbha grass. The sharp grass pierced their tongues into two pieces, and it is said that serpents had acquired two tongues from that time. Darbha grass attained sacredness since the heavenly nectar was kept over it. Even now it is a tradition to use darbha grass for majority of religious rituals in India.

Small episodes connected to the main story of Garutmanta

We come across two small episodes connected to the main narrative. Indian tradition believes that the person who reads or hears this story including these small episodes shall attain the heaven. Let us see these small episodes also in a nutshell.

Before embarking on the great task of defeating the Gods, Garutmanta sought the blessings of his mother and asked her to suggest some food which could give him enough strength. ‘Oh son! In the midst of the ocean, there is a village inhabited by hunters. You eat all those hunters to get enough strength. Let the Sun and Moon protect your back. Let the Vayu (wind god) protect your wings. Let the fire god protect your face. Let the eight celestial Vasus protect the entire body’.  Garutmanta followed the advice of his mother and gulped all hunters.

Still, he was hungry. He went to his father, Kasyapa, sought his blessings and asked for food. ‘Oh son! Let all Vedas give you enough strength. Please go to the pond that can be seen from here. There an elephant on land and a wild tortoise in water have been fighting for years with a lot of hatred and anger. You eat those two animals and get enough strength to fight with the Gods.

Garutmanta inquisitively asked, ‘Father! Why are they fighting with each other’?)’

Story of the Tortoise and the Elephant

Kasyapa narrated a story of their previous births thus: ‘Once upon a time there lived a Rishi by name Vibhavasa who was always angry with everyone. He used to keep all the money as joint property and was never willing to give the dues of his brother. Supratika, his brother wanted the division of property. Vibhavasa advised, ‘The property should not be divided. Our real enemies appearing as our common well-wishers interfere in our internal affairs and destroy both of us. Even dharma suggests that the elder brother should treat his younger brother as son; and the younger brother should treat his elder brother as father’[iv]. But Suprateeka did not agree. Vibhavasa got angry and cursed his younger brother to be born as an elephant in the following birth. Suprateeka also cursed his brother to be born as a wild tortoise. Thus, brothers have been fighting for years with old animosities. You eat both of them’.

Garutmanta reached the pond and picked both the elephant and the tortoise with its two legs and flew into the air. He was searching for a place to keep both of them before eating. He found a huge branch of a tree protracting some hundred yojana length and perched upon it. Immediately the branch broke and was about to fall.

Story of Vālakhilya (वालखिल्य) Rishis

When the branch of the tree was about to fall, Garutmanta noticed a few rishis hung upside down from the branch of the tree. They were none other than vālakhilya Rishis who were doing penance with all perseverance, and they should not get killed. Garutmanta immediately caught hold of the branch with his beak, and unable to know what to do, flew into the air and reached the abode of his father. When he was flying over the rivers and mountains, everyone including the Gods surprised at the strength of the eagle. Even the rishis were amazed at this extraordinary feat. Kasyapa saw his son coming towards his direction and prayed vālakhilya rishis to bless his son and not to get angry with him. ‘Garutmanta has embarked on a task for the benefit of the people at large’. He added, ‘Vālakhilya Rishis knew Madhu Vidya[v] and they live by drinking the rays of the sun’. The rishis were pleased and came down from the branch of the tree branch. Garutmanta dropped the branch over the mountains and then ate both the elephant and the wild tortoise who were all the time under the grip of his nails.

With sustained physical energy and with the blessings of his parents the mighty eagle made its destiny drawn much before it reached the gates of heaven.

Points to Ponder

1. Careful analysis of the story reveals the meticulous preparation (in modern parlance- the strategy) for defeating the Gods. A task of this nature cannot be accomplished without the blessings of parents. Garutmantha is approaching his mother and then father before embarking for his great task. We need to carefully read the words used by Ved Vyasa to understand the minds of parents. Mother blesses that different gods protect different limbs of her son. He is going to fight Gods, and his mother invokes Gods and seeks that the same Gods must protect him. Kasyapa invokes four Vedas and blesses that they should protect him. Vedas stand for Eternal Truth and the cause for which Garutmanta has set out is a noble one- that is redress the wrong done to his mother.

1. After getting spiritual prowess from the blessings, Garutmanta seeks physical prowess. The story emphasizes the importance of both physical and spiritual powers.

1. Garutmantha was advised by his mother not to eat Brahmins while eating Nishadas. Why? In Maha Bharata, a Brahmin is described as one who has Brahma Jnana (ब्रह्म ज्ञानेन ब्राह्मणः – brahma jñānena brāhmaṇaḥ). A Brahmin who lives on alms and spreads the message of wisdom needs to be respected in the society. Garutmanta ate all Nishadas since they are hunters who kill animals for their day today existence.
2.     Garutmanta wanted to save vālakhilya rishis since they have extraordinary spiritual powers and Kasyapa was seen saying that they knew Madhu Vidya and they can sustain lives by drinking the rays of the sun. The Madhu Vidya is vividly described in Upanishads. Modern scientists need to do detailed research on the scientific applicability of this sacred knowledge for sustaining and preserving the depleting natural resources and preserves the planet for future generations to enjoy.
3. The story exemplifies the nobility of Garutmanta. He has in his hands the celestial nectar that can immortalize him. He could have drunk it, and he could have given it to his mother also. But he never intended to use it for a selfish cause. He was not interested that it should reach bad people on earth also. He did his act with discriminating intellect and acted as per the Gita dictum which says:

प्रवृत्तिंच निवृत्तिं च कार्याऽकार्ये भयाऽभये |

बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धि: सा पार्थ सात्विकी || 18. 30||

(pravṛttiṃca nivṛttiṃ ca kāryā’kārye bhayā’bhaye |

bandhaṃ mokṣaṃ ca yā vetti buddhi: sā pārtha sātvikī)

(that understanding by which one knows what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, what is to be feared and what is not to be feared, what is binding and what is liberating, that understanding is established in the mode of goodness- translation taken from Swamy Prabhu Pada).

1. Finally, either in Maha Bharata or Valmiki Ramayana we find a concept pf Phala Sruti (phala śṛti- फल शृति) which means the reading/ listening of a particular story shall give certain spiritual or temporal results. This Phala Sruti will be there only for exceptional stories. Why? Traditional Hindus believe that the slokas in the story are packed with powerful sounds/ intonations (बीजाक्षरं– bījākṣaraṃ) that give fruitful results. For example, for a quick marriage of daughter, the father has to recite selected few slokas from the episode of Rukmini Kalyanam (Rukmini’s marriage with Krishna) of Bhagavata. There is also a belief that the rendition of Virata Parva on the tank beds shall result in rain. For the story of Garutmanta also Phala Sruti is given by Ved Vyasa that the readers and listeners shall attain heavens after their demise.

Tradition and Science

Much research has already been done on the efficacy of darbha grass. Traditional Hindus even now keep this darbha grass over food items during eclipses. Darbha is considered celestial since Garutmantha had kept the pot of amrit (nectar) over it to propitiate the serpents. It is strange that the traditions of this nature have passed over centuries in India that it is one of the strong reasons for our culture could withstand the onslaughts of plethora of invasions across the country. Major civilizations across the world eclipsed but our civilization withstood the calamities.

Foot Notes

[i] This story is taken from Adi Parva of Maha Bharata (Gita Press, Gorakhpur) written by sage Ved Vyasa.

[ii] ततः सुपर्ण माता तामावहत्सर्प मातरम्।

पन्नगान् गरुडश्चापि  मातुर्वचन चोदितः।। – Adi Parva 25.5

tataḥ suparṇa mātā tāmāvahatsarpa mātaram।

pannagān garuḍaścāpi  māturvacana coditaḥ।।

[iii] विष्णुना च तदाकाशे वैनतेयः समेयिवान्।

तस्य नारायणस्तुष्टः तेनाऽलौल्येन कर्मणा।। — Adi Parva 33.12

viṣṇunā ca tadākāśe vainateyaḥ sameyivān।

tasya nārāyaṇastuṣṭaḥ tenā’laulyena karmaṇā।।

[iv] कनिष्ठान्  पुत्रवत् पश्येत् ज्येष्ठो भ्रात्रा पितुस्समः  (kaniṣṭhān  putravat paśyet jyeṣṭho bhrātrā pitussamaḥ ) – (Neelakanta vyakhya on Maha Bharata)

[v] Madhu vidya – This knowledge is vividly mentioned in Bruhadaranyaka and Chandagyopanishad. It establishes the presence of Jnani in all elements; and all elements within himself. The relationship between the elements of external world and the individual is analogous to the relationship of bees with honey.

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