Is Garuda one of the Hindu gods?
Technically in Hindu theology Garuḍa is not exactly a “god” he is known as a Nitya-sūri and is part of the retinue of Mahā-Viṣṇu and serves as his vehicle. But he is also worshipped as an individual deity with his own ceremonies and mantras.
Garuda means Wings-of-speech, in the Vedas he is also known as Garutman. He represents the Vedas which carry the Lord of Sacrifices — Viṣṇu. Garuda is the personification of the mantras of the Veda which travel with the speed of light from one world to another.
trivṛd vedaḥ suparṇākhyo yajñaṁ vahati pūruṣam
The Lord who is the embodiment of Sacrifice (yajñam) is borne by Garuda who is an embodiment of the three Vedas. (S.B. 12.11.20)
Garuda is also taken as the personification of courage (Satapatha Brahmana 6;7;2;6.)
According to the Puranas, Garuda is the son of Kashyapa (vision) and Vinata (She-before-whom-knowledge-bows). Vinata quarreled with her co-wife Kadru (chalice-of-immortality) who was the mother of the ever-moving ones-the serpents which are the symbols of the cycles of time. From this quarrel originated the enmity between Garuda and the serpents.
Garuda’s wife is Unnati (progress) also called Vinayaka (queen-of-knowledge).
He has six sons; Summukha (Beautiful-face), Sunama (Beautiful-name), Sunetra (Beautiful eyes), Suvarcas (Beautiful vigour), Suruk (Beautiful brightness) and Subala (Beautiful strength).
Our first intimation or concept of Spirituality and Divinity is through the medium of the scriptures. The existence of a God can be inferred by logic but through the senses and mind it is impossible to know anything about the Godhead.
It is through Veda alone that we can know the Lord; therefore Veda is the vehicle of Divinity and as such the Vedas are depicted in iconography as Garuda.
According to the Amara-kosha; Garuda is called as Garutman which means the stratosphere which surrounds the earth. When the Lord is identified as Surya Nārāyaṇa, then Garuda becomes the stratosphere which conveys and modifies the rays of the sun to the earth and thus prevents the destruction of life by the intensity of the heat.
Garuda always has a separate Shrine in front of a Vishnu temple in South India. The largest image of Garuda is at Srirangam Temple.
Garuda is one of the most popular Hindu Divinities who have been adopted by the Buddhists and found in the national symbol of Thailand as well as throughout the rest of South East Asia and Tibet.
And the biggest statue in the world is in Bali Indonesia — the country with the largest Muslim population. Bali always gets top marks for anything related to Hinduism! India always comes second!
- garuda- ( Tibetan Version )
2. garuda - ( Thai Version )
3. Garuda - ( Indonesian Version )
Garuda Gayatri Mantra :
ॐ तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे सुवर्णपक्षाय धीमहि तन्नो गरुडः प्रचोदयात् |
oṃ tatpuruṣāya vidmahe suvarṇapakṣāya dhīmahi tanno garuḍaḥ pracodayāt |
Mantra for Garuda Puja :
वैनतेय महासत्व सर्वपक्षिपते विभो ।
प्रगृह्यतां बलिर्देव मन्त्रपूतो मयोद्यतः ॥vainateya mahāsatva sarvapakṣipate vibho |
pragṛhyatāṃ balirdeva mantrapūto mayodyataḥ ||
Meaning — O the son of Vinatā, the high-souled one, the lord, the king of all the birds, accept this my best offering.
