The sage Kashyapa is considered to one of the seven holy rishis saptrishis. In ancient Indian astronomy, the asterism of the Big Dipper (part of the constellation of Ursa Major) is called saptarishi, with the seven stars representing seven ancient Indian sages, namely “Vashistha“, “Marichi“, “Pulastya“, “Pulaha“, “Atri“, “Angiras” and “Kratu“. There is another star slightly visible within it, known as “Arundhati“. Arundhati and Vashishtha are married, and together form the Mizar double. There used to be a ritual in India(it could even be now in some parts or communities) that a newly married couple was asked to look at the direction of the stars known as Arundhati and Vashishtha only these two stars revolve around the other making an infinity. One day, sage Kashyapa said to his wives Kadru and Vinata, ‘You two have been so good to me, I would like to give you each a boon. Tell me, what do you want the most?’
Kadru smiled and said, ‘Bless me with a thousand sons.’
The sage nodded and turned to Vinata.
‘Dear husband, I want two sons who will be stronger than all the sons of Kadru, ‘said Vinata.
‘So be it, ‘said Kashyapa, blessing both the women.
In time, Kadru and Vinata both laid eggs. Kadru’s children hatched first, and that is how the first nagas, or the serpant tribe, came to be. The oldest of them was Adishesha, who forms the bed that Lord Vishnu lies on, and he was followed by Vasuki, the snake who coils around the neck of Lord Shiva, who later became the king of snakes.
Vinata waited and waited, but her eggs showed no signs of waiting. One day when the two women were out for a stroll on the seashore, Vinata spotted Uchaishravas, the seven headed horse that had emerged from the churning of the Ocean, flying in the sky. Vinata exclaimed, ‘Kadru, look at that horse! It is absolutely snow-white. How beautiful it is! Kadru looked at the horse galloping away from them in the darkening skies. ‘No Vinata,’ she said. ‘Can’t you see? His tail is black.” By the time they both glanced at the sky again, Uchaishravas had vanished.
Vinata was certain that the horse was white and said so to Kadru. Kadru now was confused and wasn’t sure if the tail was really black, but she was too proud to admit and still went with how she remembered seeing Uchaishravas. They both argued and when none could convince the other, they decided to bet on it and agreed to return to the same place they saw him the next day, hoping to see Uchaishravas again.
The bet was simple. If the horse’s tail was black, Vinata would become Kadru’s slave and if it wasn’t then Kadru would become Vinata’s slave.
Late that night, Kadru called her children and told them about the wager. Some of her children remarked, ‘Mother, you are wrong. Uchaishravas does not have a black tail. It is all white. You are going to lose. ‘ Kadru got worried- She did not want to lose at any cost. And asked all her 100 sons, ‘Will you not help your mother?’ She even gave them an idea to cover Uchaishravas tail, as you are serpents, you will appear black from a distance. You only have to be there as long as Vinata and I look at the horse. After that you can leave quietly. You would not want to see your mother becoming a slave to anyone, right?
Mother, you cannot cheat like that. You have always been the one who told us to be right and truthful,’ Kadru’s son protested.
Kadru cried out in anger, ‘I will become a slave because of all of you! Well, since you don’t want to protect your own mother, I curse you with the most horrendous death. All of you will burn in fire. This curse would come true much later in India’s history, at the cusp of transition from one yuga to the other, during the reign of Janmejaya- the only living grandson of the legendary Pandava Arjuna. It happened in the kingdom of Hastinapur(which is not very far from where I live today) where the Serpents were sacrificed as revenge for his father’s death.
Also read: A Brief History of Nine Planets in India
Depiction of the Sarpa Yagna(Snake Fire Sacrifice)
But her one son, serpent Karkotaka, agreed to help his mother.
The next day, Vinata and Kadru met at the same place to see Uchaishravas; and he arrived, happily flying around in the sky. And this both of them could see that horse was all white but his tail was black. Upon seeing, Vinita admitted that she had lost and agreed from then on to become Kadru’s slave.
Kadru told Vinata, who had become quiet and sad that your slavery will come to an end only when your future son brings nectar from the heavens and revives my children, who will all perish one day. Until then you must remain my slave.
Vinata had no choice but to agree.
Years passed by, Vinata kept waiting but her eggs did not hatch. Tired of being a slave and frustrated she decided there is not point in waiting any longer, she used her hands to gently break one of the eggs. To her surprise and distress, she found a beautiful boy inside the egg with undeveloped legs. Mother, ‘ he said saidly, ‘I am glad to see you but why did you not wait for me to come out from this egg? Good things take time and your impatience has cost me my legs. Now I will never be able to retrieve the nectar to free you.’
Vinata cried out. ‘forgive me my child, you have suffered because of my impatience. Where will you? How am i going to help you? I just wish you would stay here with me.’
‘No, mother, I must leave. I will become the charioteer of the sun god. I will manage his seven horses and ride them from dawn to dusk. There will not be a better job for me than this, for I will never need to walk.
When will I see you, my child? pleaded Vinata, still crying out of love and losing her son too soon. Every morning, mother. I will be known as Aruna, and I will accompany the Sun god every day. I only request you to never be impatient again. Only if you can wait a little longer, you will be blessed with another son, who will bring you your freedom.’
Aruna then left his mother to fulfil his destiny as Surya’s charioteer, since then sunrise was also called arunodaya, or the coming of Aruna’.
After this incident, Vinata took care of her second egg as best as she could and the guilt from her past mistake restrained her from forcing it to hatch. Many years passed by. And then finally one day, the egg broke open and a strong-winged, huge, healthy bird-faced man emerged from it. Even at birth, he was able to fly faster and higher than any bird.
Garuda flew and remembered. It was only a few days since he had hatched from his egg and already so much had happened. Flying was the best way of thinking, of thinking things over. Who was the first person he’d seen? His mother, Vinata. Beautiful in her tininess, she sat on a rock, watching his egg hatch, determinedly passive. Hers was the first eye Garuda held in his own
Vinata went on : “My child, I have kept watch over your egg for five hundred years.”
But soon the snakes started tasking Garuda with chores, and Vinata would ask her son to duly oblige. Garuda wondered why he had to bide by the orders of the snakes. He soon learnt that his mother was spending her life in servitude due to a lost wager.
Wanting to set her free, Garuda went to the snakes and put forth his request. The snakes agreed to free his mother, provided Garuda fetched them a pot of divine nectar (Amrita) in return.
Garuda then embarked on an adventurous quest. As per the advise of his mother, he first reached an island and fed on Nishadas (a tribe of fishermen) living in that place (Garuda did not have any food sanctioned at that time by the Creator). He then preyed upon a vengeful and monstrous pair of an elephant and a tortoise. In the process, he also saved a group of Valakhilya rishis falling upside down from the branches of a huge banyan tree. During this time, he met his father Kashyapa who was then meditating in the woods and received his blessings .
Later, he proceeded to claim the nectar of immortality from the celestials. A fierce battle ensued, where Garuda defeated Indra, Sadhyas, Gandharvas, Vasus, Rudras, Aswin twins and Yakshas. Garuda then doused a huge column of fire on his path, before entering the place where the Amrita was guarded.
The nectar was guarded by a spinning wheel-like device intended to cut any intruder to pieces. Garuda assumed a miniature form and entered the device. He then came across two fiery snakes, whom he cut into pieces and successfully claimed the pot of elixir.
Also Read: The Curse and Why each Mother Should Make her Child First a Storyteller?
Lord Vishnu and Mother Laxmi on the legendary bird, Garuda.
Garuda, without consuming even a drop of nectar, rushed back to the abode of the Nagas. Observing his selfless act, Vishnu became appeased. He appeared before the bird and offered him a boon of his choice. Garuda asked for immortality and also an eternal position above the Lord (in his flag). Vishnu agreed. Garuda too offered Vishnu a boon in return, and the Lord hence called for Garuda to become his vehicle. Garuda acquiesced, and subsequently took to the skies.
Indra, observing Garuda flying with great speed, hurled his Vajra weapon towards the bird. Garuda, despite being struck with the weapon, smiled and told Indra in polite words, “O King of the Devas. I respect the Rishi (Dadichi) from whose backbone this Vajra weapon was made; I respect you too. To honour this, I will shed a single feather. But know that I have not felt any pain due to this weapon”. Saying this Garuda dropped a single feather. Beholding this act and seeing the beautiful feather, all the creatures became excited, and said, “Let this bird of beautiful feather be called ‘Suparna’ (one of fair feathers)”.
Indra, realizing the bird’s greatness, sought Garuda’s friendship and asked him not to share the nectar with anyone. Garuda replied, “O King, I am taking this to my destination for a reason. Once I deliver this, you can swiftly come and take this away.”
Indra agreed, and offered Garuda a boon. Remembering the deceitful acts of the snakes that led to his mother’s slavery, Garuda said, “Let the snakes become my food”. Indra said “So be it”.
Upon reaching the destination, Garuda placed the nectar on kusa (darbha) grass. He told the snakes to take their purifying bath & auspicious rites before consuming the nectar. He also asked them to liberate his mother. The snakes agreed. When they stepped away for their bath, Indra swiftly took back the pot of nectar.
The snakes came back and saw the pot missing. Thinking that drops of nectar may have come into contact with the kusa grass, they started licking the grass. The sharpness of the blades of grass cut their tongues due to which the organ acquired a forked shape. In addition, due to the contact with Amrita, the kusa grass became sacred from that time.
His mother was now free. Without another word, he soared high up in the sky, while his mother watched him from below with pride.
Ever since, Garuda has preyed relentlessly on the serpents and in some countries today, has even became a symbol against the illnesses caused by snake venom.
: ँ :
Thank you
If today is the first time you have arrived on The Road to Nara, you are heartily welcome ~ Namaste
“If you enjoyed the post please let me know. Do share your experience in the comment section below and Do subscribe for many such hidden stories that are especially curated for my mail subscribers that you won’t find anywhere on the blog.
ROAD TO NARA : Stories of Passion, Valour, Myth, Travel and Culture from India and around the World to your mailbox.
: ँ :
I will take this opportunity to introduce you to About me and importantly
As a co-traveller, will take you through the Ten Lessons I learnt from several years on the road, before you coarse on your own Road to Nara.
Also read: 9 Most Read Stories from Road To Nara in 2022
: ँ :
You might also like to know about My Little School Project.
If you wish to come over for a visit someday, that you must, you will be heartily welcome here
: ँ :
If you have anything to share, or feel like saying a hello, please feel free to write to me at narayankaudinya@gmail.com
To visit other long-term photographic works, please visit here.
To follow my walks through the rural Indian Subcontinent, find me at
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
ROAD TO NARA 
Very well written. Do check out the visual representation by artist https://www.instagram.com/achintya.venkatesh/# of Aruna & Surya. Had also visited the temple in Andhra called Chennakeshava temple at Tallapakka, Andhra, which is supposed to have been built by Janmayajeya as an act of penitence for the Sarpayagna he performed to eliminate snakes. (It is there in my blog)
LikeLike
Dear Sangeeta, I must thank you for introducing Achintya work to me. I look forward to spend time looking. And next time i am in Andhra, I am going to visit Chennakeshwa temple plus Gandikota, which has been calling me at least since the starting of this year.
Its strange how our legends/history has a physical presence for everyone to live it. Thank you dear Sangeeta. I will come over.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How interesting. I never knew the story of the Garuda. When I was a kid in Cambodia our maid used to take me to see Indian movies. Of course I didn’t understand the dialogue but it was all very exciting and I think it they were stories of mystical beings. It was terribly dramatic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
haha.. you have such nostalgia (must have) settled in you. Cambodia of that era and time, I can’t even imagine really how soft and expansive it must have been.
I hope to help you recreating those memories then dear Caro, as in months coming I would like to work on assembling the oldest of Indian Myth tales.
Thank you for a beautiful comment.
LikeLike
Today, Narayan’s retailing of the fascinating part of Hindu mythology about Garuda, a large mythical bird-like creature who is divine
sunbird and king of birds, as all his posts take the reader into the realm of ancient Indian history, and provide the knowledge that will stay in our memory.
In Sanskrit, Garuda means “devourer”, and all the details connected to his birth and the gift of immortality are superbly described in Narayan’s famous
originality of language. This ability and superbly chosen topic and illustrations elevate his story to a masterpiece.
It is no surprise that in the Rigveda”Garuda” is described as celestial deva with wings, the personification of courage.
Indonesian airlines were named “Garuda Airlines” by their president, a great admirer of Hindu mythology thus immortalizing the name.
Congratulations are in order to Narayan for another outstanding work.
More, please!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
My dearest, thank you soooo much for this brilliant, heart touching comment. Due to increased work pressure I would go easy and try to assemble some Ancient tales from our Mythology, slowly while working on things that you know well about.
Reading your uplifting comment made my day. Thanks much dearest.
LikeLike
Thank you, dearest Narayan, for such a wonderful reply!
I cannot wait for more of your stories. I think you are getting closer to the legendary storyteller, Munshi Premchand. And your original idea of showing India in villages rather than cities, as I know you will one day.
The main thing, your work is magic, from the topics to the originality of your words.
Joanna
LikeLike
ha ha my dearest, even putting a name like mine with Munshi Premchand is not just much but one will certainly be constipated with too much sweetness. He could be the father of Rural Indian stories, the emotions and the life of those decades- stories even at par with and how Tagore was living at the other leisurely end of the country. Munshi Ji lived as if he was an object observing stories from around or above. If you can get to read his stories like Godan, Gaban, Rangbhoomi; you will know the extent of human psychology that was going deep within India of those times.
Thank you dearest.
LikeLike
Thank you, I will try to find something here.
Joanna
LikeLike
What amazing tales that I knew nothing about.
LikeLike
Janet, lovely to have you here. Yes, its freaky as much it feels real and Old. I hope to assemble as much and many I can in coming times.
LikeLiked by 1 person
beautiful story dear Nara.. Garuda is the wonder of all birds with gifts to all. 💞💞💞
LikeLike
Thank you dearest Cindy 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a pleasure Dear Nara!💕
LikeLike
❤️
LikeLike
Our marriage still has the custom of making the bride and groom look at Arundhadi.
LikeLike
Wow, really !! such a revelation it was when I learnt about it Ganga. Thank you for mentioning and sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
For years I hiked with a silver Garuda on a chain around my neck. I hiked in rattlesnake country and didn’t know about this power of Garuda. Amazing. One day I was with my two huskies, Jasmine and Lily, leashed. To my left, Lily saw a ground squirrel. To my right, Jasmine saw a deer. I didn’t see anything, I just felt like running. So, spontaneously, each of us for a different reason, started to run. The dogs pulled me down. It was hilarious. When I got home, I saw I had a Garuda shaped bruise on my chest.
This is beautiful — “Mother, ‘ he said saidly, ‘I am glad to see you but why did you not wait for me to come out from this egg? Good things take time and your impatience has cost me my legs. Now I will never be able to retrieve the nectar to free you.’” Nikos Kazantzakis wrote about a moment in his life when he couldn’t wait to see the butterfly inside the chrysalis and he opened it. The little being inside crawled into his hands and died. He wrote that his heart broke at that moment over what he’d done. I think the lesson of patience is one of life’s most difficult.
thank you for the wonderful post. I love these stories.
LikeLike
Whoa Martha, that was intense as much interestingly mystical of how things became one with the other. Being the nature person you are, I am certain there are many stories that must have given you some awe moments!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
And thank you for your lovely comment, learnt something about you and Nikos.
Yes, I hope to assemble some old world stories Martha, Ones that are filled with ethnography , mysticism and yet carry a strange kind of reality.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Garuda is powerful and has a fascinating story. I learned a little about Garuda from Garuda Indonesia Airlines and the Yaksha from a statue at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.
LikeLike
So long John, good to have your kind comment as well. Yes, i should have even mentioned it in the last sentence ending it with.
LikeLike
And absolutely, Most south-East Asian Countries have something in common with Indian culture due to their trade relations going back centuries. Suvarnabhumi- itself a Sanskrit word, has beautiful sculptures from Ramayan when you enter the airport.
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing this exciting myth, Naryan. I enjoyed reading it! 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you, Cheryl.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The illustrations are beautiful!
LikeLike
Thank you, Jadi.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Legends and myths can hold valuable lesson for life, much as Jesus’ parables did. However, one must separate what is fantasy from what is real.
Jesus’ death and resurrection are the most attested facts of history.
See Jim Warner Wallace’s book, Cold Case Christianity.
As an atheist, he set out to “prove” Jesus could not have been crucified, if He was even a real person. His investigation as a cold case detective for the LAPD led him to recognize that the events told in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were real eye-witness testimonies.
Another investigator, Gary R. Habermas, used “minimally-biased-evidence” to show Jesus was a real human and that He died and was resurrected.
The matter is not an issue of hostile debate, but simply of looking at evidence and discussing what reality says is true or not.
It is my sincere hope that you will arrive in Heaven one day, and that you will not be surprised by being fooled by legends and myths. You are loved, even though I do not know you, other than through your wonderful travel blogs.
your friend, hopefully forever,
c.a.
/https://www.amazon.com/EVIDENCE-HISTORICAL-JESUS-History-Christ/dp/1949586677/
LikeLike
Thanks CA. Indian history is too diverse and deep that even its mere comparison with anything is quite odd. And for one my dear friend, its not religion !!! 😀
LikeLike
Hmm, I beg to differ.
Religion: 1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects:
the Christian religion;
the Buddhist religion.
Buddhism does not believe in a God such as Christianity, Judaism or Islam do. But it is definitely a religion.
If you look at my next blog, I plan to briefly address the evidence that pertains to this.
❤️&🙏, c.a.
LikeLike
Of course you must as is your belief, to try proving all you must.
For what we (H)Indus are, a set of people devoted to finding the inner light. Light is what we are after. We pray to all those people who did find it, even to a point that we start calling them Lords and Deities, because they become one, that absolute. Buddha is one and as is Shankaracharya, Shiva, Rama and so many more who walked this land.
We could and even pray to Jesus, and many do of course but the examples and evidences of what missionaries have done here in India and the world over hasn’t set a good example. But we still respect and oblige.
And yes, there is one thing that i will be interested in if you can find any evidence of – Did Jesus really travelled across India?
❤️ & 🙏,
Namaste my friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very unlikely that Jesus ever traveled to India. There are no historical records that I have found that are reliable or multiple verifiable that Jesus ever traveled outside of the area of what is currently known as Israel. The only exception we have of him leaving Israel was when he went to Tyre (in modern Lebanon and very close to Israel). In fact, some have accused Him of racism because of the exchange with a woman there, who was not Hebrew, but a Canaanite (see Matthew 15:21-29). But it takes some cultural study to understand this.
Most of His travels were in Galilee and around Jerusalem.
your friend, always,
c.a.
LikeLike
Pingback: The Legend of Garuda and The Origin of the Bird Serpent Enmity – UNIVERSE
Thanks for the backlink.
LikeLike
Than you Narayan. I really enjoyed this beautiful story. Namastè my friend.:)
LikeLike
Namaste Dear Mary. Thank you for your sharing your kind thoughts.
LikeLike
🙂 so kind Dear Narayan.
LikeLike
❤️❤️❤️
LikeLike
This story, I remember, is a precursor to the epic Mahabharata. Thanks for narrating.
LikeLike
Yes, it is Gita. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never knew that Garuda had such an extensive and fascinating history ! Thanks for narrating it, Narayan.
LikeLike
Garuda is Vishnu’s vehicle, Diti. He must amount to some big thing 🙂 thank you for writing.
LikeLike
Thank you for your well written piece of Hindu mythology
LikeLike
Thank you Dr. Venky.
LikeLiked by 1 person
An interesting story, Narayan ji.
LikeLike
Thank you for the kind words, Kaushal Ji.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Narayan- My wife and I are tentatively planning a spiritual journey to near Kathmandu area next for our 3rd experience in India. Going back to an earlier blog you posted that I curiously read, thank you for the idea of how aging affects a Karma spirit in life.
LikeLiked by 1 person