आस्तीक पर्व — गरुड की कथा

Sauti said: Then the bird, of great strength and energy, capable of going every where at will, went to his mother on the other side of the great ocean.

There lived Vinata in great affliction after losing the wager and becoming a slave.

Sometime after on a certain day, Kadru called Vinata, who prostrated herself before her and said before her son (Garuda). "O gentle Vinata, take me to the beautiful and delightful abode of the Nagas which is situated in the deep recess of the sea.”

Thereupon the mother of the bird took upon her shoulder the mother of the snakes. Garuda also, requested by his mother, took the snakes on his back.

The son, of Vinata, the bird, began to ascend towards the sun; and the snakes, scorched by the rays of the sun, all fainted away.

Seeing her sons in this plight, Kadru began to praise Indra thus : "I bow to you, O Lord of the celestials, I bow to you, O slayer of Bala.

O slayer of Namuchi, I bow to thee, O god of thousand eyes, O Lord of Sachi, save my sons, oppressed by the rays of the sun by your showers.

You are our great protector. O best of gods, O Purandara, you can grant rains in torrents.

You are Vayu, you are the clouds, you are Agni, you are the lightning in the sky, you are the propellers of the clouds and therefore you are called the great clouds.

You are the incomparable thunder, you are the roaring clouds, you are the creator and the destroyer of the worlds, you are unconquerable.

You are the light of all creatures you are Aditya and Vibhavasu, you are the highest knowledge, you are wonderful, you are king, you are the best of the celestials.

You are Vishnu, you have one thousand eyes, you are a deity, you are the final refuge, you are all Ambrosia, you are the much adored Soma.

You are moments, you are the Tithis, you are the Lava you are the Kshana, you are the white fortnight, you are Kala, Kashtha, Truti, you are the year, seasons, months, the nights and the days.

You are the beautiful earth with its mountains and forests, you are the clear sky with the sun that drives away all darkness. You are the great ocean with heaving billows and abounding in Timingilas, Timis, Makaras and various other fishes.

You are of renown, you are always adored by the wise and the great contemplative Rishis, you drink the Soma juice and the clarified butter offered with sacred invocation in the sacrifices.

You are always worshipped in the sacrifices by the Brahmanas, desirous of receiving fruits. O God of incomparable strength, you are sung in the Vedas. It is for this reason that the learned Brahmanas, engaged in sacrifices, study the Vedangas with all care."