Sampoorna Mahabharata • సంపూర్ణ శ్రీమహాభారతము • Episode 20

Garuda’s remarkable journey
Maharishi Kaśyapa said to Garuda, ‘Rishis Vibhavasu and Supratika were 2 brothers. The elder one was always prone to anger; the younger was engaged in penance. Over time, Supratika demanded from Vibhavasu his share of family property.
Initially, Vibhavasu calmly explained, ‘Deluded by wealth, brothers often separate. Thereafter they turn into bitter enemies and fight. In the guise of friends, other enemies come, further widen the rift between them and force them to break their bond. Those who get caught in fight and revenge perish quickly.
Brothers dividing property goes against the Shastra. Virtuous people never accept this. Elder brother should treat his younger brother as his son. The younger brother should look up to the elder brother as his father. This Shastra rule cannot be overruled or neglected’.
Having said this, Vibhavasu lost his temper and cursed, ‘Since you seek division of property, may you be reborn as an elephant’. Angered, Supratika cursed, ‘You be reborn as a turtle’.
Due to their foolishness they cursed each other. Anger caused Maharishis to fall to animal levels. They wasted their penance on petty reasons. This shows how greed causes tamasic nature in the person and causes his downfall.
The past birth enmity resulted in the turtle and elephant loathing one other. Whenever the elephant visits that pond for water, the turtle bites and tortures it. The elephant enters the waters, and wreaks havoc with its feet. They are eternally at fight.
The elephant is 6 yojanas in height and 12 yojanas in circumference. The tortoise is 3 yojanas in height and 10 yojanas in circumference. My son, eat them both, satisfy your hunger and complete your task. (1 yojana = 8 miles approx.)
May you be victorious in the war that occurs with the Devatas to fetch nectar! O king of birds! Poornakumbha, brahmins, cows and other auspicious objects will ensure your victory. In the battlefield, the 3 Vedas and other pure objects will give you strength’.
Garuda bowed to his father, flew to the pond. With one claw he seized the tortoise. With the other he caught the elephant and swiftly flew away. As he neared Alamva teertha, his swiftness caused the huge trees there to tremble in fear. ‘O King of birds, please spare us’- they prayed. A gigantic banian tree offered, ‘My branch is 100 yojanas long. Rest on it and eat those animals’.
The moment Garuda alighted the gigantic branch broke. Swiftly he caught it with his beak, for, Vālakhilya Maharishis who were in meditation were hanging upside down from it.
His stupendous feat, which even the Gods could not do, filled the rishis with wonder. They said, ‘As he is holding unbelievable weight and flying in the skies, from now on his name is Garuda’. He who until then was Vainateya was now called Garuda.
Holding the animals in his claws and the gigantic branch in his beak, Garuda flew. His vastness and swiftness caused huge mountains to tremble. He searched but could not find a safe place to leave the saints. Worried for their safety, he flew to Gandhamadana where his father was meditating.
Kashyapa saw the splendorous divine form of his son. Even Devatas and demons were afraid to approach him, who was glowing like fire. He was breaking mountain peaks, drying up the oceans as he flew. He appeared frightening like the Lord of death.
Realizing his son’s desire, he said, ‘Garuda, do not panic. May Valakhilya Maharishis, who drink Sun’s rays for food, not get angry with you. They are aware of the Madhu vidya of Chandogya Upanishad’.
These Maharishis are the size of a thumb. Their parents are Maharishi Kratu and Sanmati. When the Sun’s chariot begins to move, praising the Sun-god, they move ahead of him, says Bhagavatam.
Kashyapa prayed, ‘O Maharishis, Garuda seeks to complete an extraordinary task for the wellbeing of universe. Please bless him’. Instantly the Maharishis left the branch and went off to Himalayas for meditation.
‘Is there any place uninhabited by humans where I can leave this branch?’- asked Garuda.
Kashyapa directed him to a place totally covered by snow impenetrable by living entities. Even mentally no one can travel there.
In a minute Garuda reached that mountain which was 1 lakh yojanas away. There he threw the branch which fell with a thundering noise. His swiftness caused that mountain to tremble. Sitting on its peak he ate the elephant and turtle, appeased his hunger and resumed his journey. At that time the Devatas spotted many evil omens.