Garuda in Hinduism
Origins
The Vedas, composed in approximately the second millennium B.C.E., provide the earliest reference to Garuda, though by the name of Śyena (Sanskrit for "eagle"). In Rg Veda (1700–1100 B.C.E.), this mighty eagle fetches soma, the intoxicating ritual elixir, from either a crag in a rock or from heaven itself. Both the Mahabharata (c. 400 B.C.E. - 400 C.E.) and the Puranas, which came into existence much later, have Garuda performing similar mythological tasks, suggesting that Śyena and Garuda are one and the same figure.
Mythology
The story of Garuda's birth and deeds is told in the first book of the great epic Mahabharata. His father was the creator-rishi Kasyapa, while his mother was Vinata. Garuda was born out of a huge egg with the torso and limbs of a human male and the talons, wings and beak of an eagle. When he first burst forth from his egg, Garuda appeared as a raging inferno equal to the cosmic conflagration that consumes the world at the end of every age. Frightened by his power, the gods begged him for mercy and Garuda complied with their requests, significantly reducing himself in both size and vigor.
One day, Vinata entered into and lost a foolish bet with her sister Kadru, mother of serpents. As a condition of her defeat, she became her sister's slave. Resolving to release his mother from her newfound state of bondage, Garuda approached Kadru and her serpents and asked them what it would take to emancipate his mother. Kadru decreed that Garuda would have to bring them the elixir of immortality, also called amrita. This was a tall order indeed, considering that the amrita was at that time in the possession of the gods in heaven. Indra, the mighty king of the gods, guarded it jealously. In order to protect the elixir, the gods ringed it with a massive fire that covered the sky. They had also blocked the way to the elixir with a fierce mechanical contraption of sharp rotating blades. Lastly, they had stationed two gigantic poisonous snakes next to the elixir as deadly guardians.
Undaunted, Garuda hastened toward the abode of the gods, intent upon robbing them of their treasure. Well-aware of his powerful design, the gods met him in full battle-array. Garuda, however, defeated the entire host and scattered them in all directions. Taking the water of many rivers into his mouth, he extinguished the protective fire the gods had thrown up. Reducing his size, he crept past the rotating blades of their murderous machine. Finally, he eluded the two gigantic serpents they had posted as guards: even the quickest glance of these snakes was deadly so Garuda subdued them by blowing dust in their eyes. Taking the elixir into his mouth without swallowing it, he launched again into the air and toward the heavens. En route, he encountered Vishnu, who was impressed with Garuda's might. Rather than fighting the bird, Vishnu decided to reward him with a boon: the gift of immortality, even without drinking from the elixir. In return, Garuda gratefully requested that he become Vishnu's mount. Flying onward, Garuda encountered Indra. The king of the gods hit Garuda with his thunderbolt, but Garuda was virtually unscathed by the blow, losing but a single feather. Fully aware of Garuda's power, Indra called for a truce with Garuda, and so another exchange of pacts was undertaken: Garuda promised that once he had delivered the elixir, thus fulfilling the request of the serpents, he would make it possible for Indra to regain possession of the elixir and to take it back to the gods. Indra in turn gave permission to Garuda to have the nagas as food.
At long last, Garuda finally arrived before the anxiously waiting serpents. He handed them the pot of nectar, requesting that they cover it with sharp, spiky Darbha grass while taking their purificatory bath. Placing the elixir on the grass, and thereby liberating his mother Vinata from her servitude, he urged the serpents to perform their religious ablutions before consuming it. As they hurried off to do so, Indra descended from the sky to make off with the elixir and return it to heaven. When the nagas came back, they licked the darbha grass in absence of the pot and cut their tongues, leaving them with the forked tongues typical of serpents. From that day onward, Garuda was the ally of the gods and the trusty mount of Vishnu, as well as the implacable enemy of snakes, upon whom he preyed at every opportunity. Garuda is said to have been the first to teach humankind how to cure snake poison; moreover, worship of or meditation upon Garuda is said to remove snakes from one's path.
According to the Mahabharata, Garuda fathered six sons from whom were descended the race of birds. The members of this race were of great might and without compassion, subsisting on the nagas. Fittingly, Vishnu was their protector.