Garuda's Flight from Mythology to Modernity
Garuda is the son of the sage Kashyapa (one of the saptarishis or seven sages of the Rigveda) and the king of birds in Hindu mythology. While speaking of Garuda's conception, the well-known Indian epic Mahabharata informs that Kashyapa is married to two sisters, Vinata and Kadru, the daughters of Prajapati Daksha, the son of the creator god Brahma. The sage pledged to produce heirs for each of his wives. Vinata requested only two sons, while Kadru opted to give birth to 1,000 nagas or divine serpents. But Vinata demanded that her sons be more powerful and skilled than Kadru's children. Vinata laid two eggs and Kadru laid 1000. 1000 serpents hatched from Kadru's eggs after 500 years. However, neither of Vinata's children showed up. Vinata cracked open one of her eggs out of impatience and discovered an embryo with only the top half formed; the lower half was left unformed. Aruna, the red glow of dawn, sprang from the embryo and cursed his mother that she would be her sister's slave for five hundred years and that she would be saved by her second son, Garuda at the conclusion of her servitude. Subsequently, Aruna took to the skies, where he continues to dwell today as the charioteer of Surya (Sun god). After 500 more years, Vinata's last egg eventually cracked open to reveal Garuda, born into slavery.
The Mahabharata provides a narrative, explaining the seeds of eternal animosity between garudas and nagas that were sowed when Vinata was deceived into becoming the primal Naga-Mother Kadru's slave after she was cursed by her son, Aruna. The event happened after Kadru's 1000 eggs were hatched and before the hatching of Vinata's second egg. Once the two sisters came upon a horse by the name of Uccaihsravas. Kadru said that the horse was black in color, but Vinata wagered that it was a white horse. It was agreed that the person in error would become the slave of the other. At this juncture, Kadru devised a scheme and instructed her children to cling onto the horse's tail in order to make it appear black. Some of her children wavered and refused to comply with her wishes. Kadru in anger cursed them to perish in the sarpa satra sacrifice, a yagna performed by King Janamejaya of Hastinapur to avenge the nagas. Her other children, on the other hand, obeyed their mother and followed her instructions. There are conflicting narratives on this. Some say that there was only one snake named Karkotaka that consented to hang on to the horse's tail. Regardless, Kadru was successful in enslaving her elder sister.
Garuda was born to Vinata after the incident, and so, he also inherited his mother's servitude to Kadru and her sons. Keen to be free, Garuda negotiated with his cousins. In exchange for Garuda bringing them amrita or soma (the elixir of immortality), and delivering it to the 1000 serpents, the Nagas promised to release them from servitude. Hence, Garuda flew to the kingdom of Indra i.e. Amravati, the capital of Heaven (Swargaloka), defeated the gods in a fierce battle and successfully secured soma for the nagas. But Indra who was impressed by the feats of Garuda and realized that they were too powerful to be enemies requested him not to give it to the nagas. Garuda proposed that Indra could retrieve soma from the nagas as his task would end after he delivered it. He gave Indra his word that he would not defend it for the nagas. An elated Indra extended boons to him. Garuda asked that the nagas be declared to be his natural meal so that he may continue to kill his archenemy without incurring sin and that he would also want to study the Vedas. Indra concurred. Garuda flew away, heading back to earth with the nectar of immortality and placed it in front of the serpents, but before they could take a sip, he instructed them to purify themselves. As per the prior agreement with Garuda, Indra obtained the soma while the serpents had been preoccupied with their ablutions. Thus, Garuda was able to release his mother from slavery. Afterwards, he spent years assiduously attaining the words of wisdom in the Vedas. Accordingly, Garuda is often associated with flight for liberty, justice, ascent, and the quest for enlightenment or greater knowledge.
Additionally, Vishnu was greatly impressed by Garuda's apparent nonchalance for the soma pot he was carrying to the nagas. Upon inquiring as to why he would not devour the highly valued soma himself and upon discovering that Garuda desired it to deliver it to the nagas in return for his mother's release, the pleased Vishnu offered him to ask for two boons. Garuda asked for immortality and a place above Vishnu. Vishnu agreed and proclaimed that Garuda as his emblem would be present on the flag of his chariot, elevating him above himself. In return Garuda asked Vishnu to ask for a boon. Vishnu made him his eternal mount or vahana.
As the universe's protector, Vishnu is worshipped by Garuda. Whenever Vishnu summons him, he manifests and battles demons and evil serpents alongside him. He is portrayed as having an eagle's head, wings, and claws. He is often found in Vishnu temples outside the main temple on Garuda Stambha, an elevated column that is higher than the garbhagriha (the seat of the principal deity of a temple). This is consistent with the directive given by Vishnu in the account above. His temple is synonymous with his chariot and the Garuda Stambha symbolizes the banner of the Lord's chariot.
From his wife, Unnati, Garuda has six sons. His brother, Aruna has two sons: Jatayu and Sampati who are mentioned as allies of Rama in the epic Ramayana. Garuda too appears in the epic. For instance, during one of the battles when Rama along with his brother, Lakshman set out on his mission to rescue Sita from Lanka, Indrajit or Meghanada, son of Ravana unleashed the Nagastra (Serpent Arrow) weapon on the brothers, which rendered them unconscious. Garuda arrived at the battleground and as the fiercest adversary of serpents, helped them recover from this by counteracting the effects of the Nagastra.
Garuda is also referred to in Jainism and Buddhism. Buddhism views garudas as heavenly beings that resemble birds. Buddhist texts such as the Mahasamyatta Sutta, the Buddha is depicted mediating a brief truce between the garuḍas and the nagas. In Buddhism, the nagas are shown ever eager to listen to and learn from the discourses of the Buddha. In order to prevent Garuda from attacking the nagas while they are engaged in hearing his preachings, the Buddha gave him instructions to allow them to devote themselves to his teachings without fear. The Naga ruler Muchalinda or Mucilinda is said to have sheltered the Buddha while he was deep in meditation in the Muchalinda lake at Bodh Gaya. So, in the presence of the Buddha, both Garuda and the nagas, the arch nemesis coexists peacefully. The same holds true when Vishnu is present. Vishnu whose heavenly mounts are both Garuda and the Nagas, the cousins and the greatest foes of one another but neither Garuda attacks Sheshanaga or Ananta nor the latter attempts to harm his half-brother.
Garuda, a divine emblem of Vishnu, has been very well adopted as a royal insignia by a number of political entities in the past and present. Garuda served as the royal emblem of the Gupta Empire (c. 320–550) and Vishnu was the empire's tutelary deity. The royal insignia of the Rashtrakutas (c. 753-982) too was Garuda. As Hinduism spread to Nepal and Southeast Asia, Garuda myths were too absorbed in their respective cultures. The national emblem of Indonesia is known as Garuda Panchashila, featuring Garuda with panchashila which is a Sanskrit term, denoting five symbols on a heraldic shield on the chest of Garuda. The national and regal symbol of Thailand is Garuda (Khrut) where it is called the Phra Khrut Pha, meaning "Garuda, the vehicle (of Vishnu)". Garuda, or Khangarid, is the emblem of Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. The iconography of Garuda is employed in military forces too. The Indian Army's Brigade of the Guards utilizes Garuda as its emblem. As per an official site of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Indonesia, every year, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) conduct an integrated exercise called Garuda Shield to enhance the military collaboration between the two nations. Please see the link. Indonesia, United States, and Partner Nations Ready for Super Garuda Shield 2022 - U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Indonesia (usembassy.gov)
Therefore, Garuda's representation in literature, art, architecture and popular culture demonstrates its universal importance and enduring appeal in many nations. Garuda is a powerful sign of strength, wisdom, and transcendence that never fails to captivate people's imaginations, whether they view him as a legendary creature deserving of awe and devotion or as a cultural icon representing certain ideals and goals. English archaeologist John Marshall served as the Archaeological Survey of India's Director-General from 1902 until 1928 rightly remarked, "To know Indian art in India alone is to know but half its story". As Buddhism and Hinduism and mythology and lore associated with them spread beyond India, they not only reshaped the belief systems there but also the way they were expressed through various mediums such as iconography and art and architecture.
Sati, Shiva's consort is another daughter of Daksha. Daksha has a strong aversion for Shiva, and it reflected when he announced a great sacrifice and neglected to invite his son-in-law. Sati attended the sacrifice only to address her disappointment with her father's insults inflicted on her husband and threw herself into the sacrificial fire and became the sacrifice. Enraged by this turn of event, Shiva sent Virabhadra who turned the sacrifice into a massacre. As per one account, Kadru, another daughter of Daksha lost her one eye at Daksha's sacrifice. Therefore, she is also sometimes referred to as "the one-eyed". Her daughter, Mansa (goddess of fertility) too is believed to have lost her one eye owing to a curse. Mansa is mentioned as the daughter of Kashyapa (also known as the father of serpents) and Kadru and the sister-in-law of Shiva in the Mahabharata. Eventually she was absorbed into the Shaiva pantheon and came to be regarded as Shiva's daughter.
Comments
Post a Comment