Chapter 33
“Santi said, ‘And that bird, assuming a golden body bright as the rays ofthe Sun, entered with great force (the region where the Soma was), like atorrent entering the ocean. And he saw, placed near the Soma, a wheel ofsteel keen-edged, and sharp as the razor, revolving incessantly.
And thatfierce instrument, of the splendour of the blazing sun and of terribleform, had been devised by the gods for cutting in pieces all robbers ofthe Soma. Garuda, seeing a passage through it, stopped there for amoment. Diminishing his body, in an instant he passed through the spokesof that wheel. Within the line of the wheel, he beheld, stationed therefor guarding the Soma two great snakes of the effulgence of blazing fire,with tongues bright as the lightning-flash, of great energy, with mouthemitting fire, with blazing eyes, containing poison, very terrible,always in anger, and of great activity. Their eyes were ceaselesslyinflamed with rage and were also winkless. He who may be seen by even oneof the two would instantly be reduced to ashes. The bird of fair featherssuddenly covered their eyes with dust. And unseen by them he attackedthem from all sides. And the son of Vinata, that ranger of the skies,attacking their bodies, mangled them into pieces. He then approached theSoma without loss of time. Then the mighty son of Vinata, taking up theAmrita from the place where it was kept, rose on his wings with greatspeed, breaking into pieces the machine that had surrounded it. And thebird soon came out, taking the Amrita but without drinking it himself.And he then wended on his way without the least fatigue, darkening thesplendour of the Sun.
“And the son of Vinata then met Vishnu on his way along the sky. AndNarayana was gratified at that act of self-denial on the part of Garuda.And that deity, knowing no deterioration, said unto the ranger of theskies, ‘O, I am inclined to grant thee a boon.’ The ranger of the skiesthereupon said, ‘I shall stay above thee.’ And he again spake untoNarayana these words, ‘I shall be immortal and free from disease without(drinking) Amrita.’ Vishnu said unto the son of Vinata, ‘Be it so.’Garuda, receiving those two boons, told Vishnu, ‘I also shall grant theea boon; therefore, let the possessor of the six attributes ask of me.’Vishnu then asked the mighty Garuda to become his carrier. And he madethe bird sit on the flagstaff of his car, saying, ‘Even thus thou shaltstay above me.’ And the ranger of the skies, of great speed, saying untoNarayana, ‘Be it so,’ swiftly wended on his way, mocking the wind withhis fleetness.
“And while that foremost of all rangers of the skies, that first ofwinged creatures, Garuda, was coursing through the air after wresting theAmrita, Indra hurled at him his thunderbolt. Then Garuda, the lord ofbirds, struck with thunderbolt, spake laughingly unto Indra engaged inthe encounter, in sweet words, saying, ‘I shall respect the Rishi(Dadhichi) of whose bone the Vajra hath been made. I shall also respectthe Vajra, and thee also of a thousand sacrifices. I cast this feather ofmine whose end thou shalt not attain. Struck with thy thunder I have notfelt the slightest pain.’ And having said this, the king of birds cast afeather of his. And all creatures became exceedingly glad, beholding thatexcellent feather of Garuda so cast off. And seeing that the feather wasvery beautiful, they said, ‘Let this bird be called Suparna (having fairfeathers). And Purandara of a thousand eyes, witnessing this wonderfulincident, thought that bird to be some great being and addressed himthus.’
“And Indra said, ‘O best of birds, I desire to know the limit of thygreat strength. I also desire eternal friendship with thee.'”
So ends the thirty-third section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.
