Garuḍa Pañcamī
The Appearance Day of Śrī Garuḍa-deva
Garuḍa Pañcamī is a festival celebrated to commemorate the birth of Garuḍa-deva, an ardent devotee and the bird carrier (vāhana) of Lord Viṣṇu. He appears like a half man and half eagle. He is so intimately related to Lord Viṣṇu that Lord Viṣṇu marks His flag with the emblem of Garuḍa and thus is also known as Garuḍa-dhvajaḥ. The fifth day of the waxing moon in the month of Śrāvaṇa is celebrated as Garuḍa Pañcamī. Garuḍa is the son of Vinatā (aka Suparṇā) and Kaśyapa Muni (aka Tārkṣya). As per Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa 5th canto, 20th chapter, 8th verse, Garuḍa-deva lives on the planet known as Sālmalīdvīpa where he is constantly offering prayers to Lord Viṣṇu. In the same Mahāpurāṇa, he is glorified as follows:-
garuḍo bhagavān stotra
-stobhaś chandomayaḥ prabhuḥ
rakṣatv aśeṣa-kṛcchrebhyo
viṣvaksenaḥ sva-nāmabhiḥTRANSLATION
Lord Garuḍa, the carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, is the most worshipable lord, for he is as powerful as the Supreme Lord Himself. He is the personified Vedas and is worshiped by selected verses. May he protect us from all dangerous conditions, and may Lord Viṣvaksena, the Personality of Godhead, also protect us from all dangers by His holy names. (SB 6.8.29)
Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (10.30) — vainateyaś ca pakṣiṇām, “Among the birds, I am Garuḍa.” Garuḍa carries Lord Viṣṇu on his back always and therefore he is considered the transcendental prince of all carriers.
In the Vedic literature, it is stated that the two wings of the transcendental bird Garuḍa, are two divisions of the Sāma Veda known as bṛhat and rathāntara. When Garuḍa flaps his wings, a liberated soul can hear the chanting of the hymns from Sāma Veda. Garuḍa is engaged in eternal service to Lord Viṣṇu in Vaikuṇṭha. Every temple of Lord Viṣṇu has a Deity of Śrī Garuḍa sitting in front of the Lord with folded hands.
There are many historical incidences as found in the Vedic scriptures that describe the glories of Garuḍa-deva. Lord Viṣṇu goes to many places sitting on Garuḍa-deva. Garuḍa-deva took Lord Viṣṇu to save Gajendra, a great devotee of Lord Viṣṇu.
A crocodile had seized one leg of Gajendra. Gajendra out of great pain and agony lifted a lotus from its trunk and prayed to Lord Viṣṇu to save him from the crocodile. Lord Viṣṇu made sure that He went to the exact place Gajendra was calling for help and cut the crocodile’s head with the Sudarśana cakra.
In another incidence, we can see how Garuḍa-deva threatened the ocean for the sake of saving the eggs of a small sparrow. A very little sparrow had laid the eggs on the shores of the ocean and the ocean had taken away the eggs. The sparrow asked the ocean to give back the eggs. The ocean neglected the sparrow’s request.
The sparrow was determined to do anything to get the eggs back and decided to dry up the ocean by taking little water in a small beak. Everyone laughed at the tiny efforts of the sparrow. This story reached Garuḍa-deva and out of compassion, Garuḍa-deva promised to help the sparrow.
Garuḍa-deva personally threatened the ocean to give back the eggs or else Garuḍa-deva will dry up the ocean. The ocean was very frightened and returned the eggs. The little sparrow became very happy. The story motivates us that if we are trying very hard to attain the Supreme Abode of God, then by the causeless mercy of God and His messenger (in this case Garuḍa-deva) we would be able to do something which is otherwise impossible to accomplish. As in the case of the little sparrow to get back the eggs were not possible on its own strength but by the divine interference of Garuḍa-deva, it got the eggs back.
It is said that by the mercy of a great devotee one can quickly make advancements in spiritual life. Therefore, on the day of Garuḍa Pañcamī, one should humbly pray to Śrī Garuḍa-deva for his mercy so that one may also follow the footsteps of this great devotee of the Lord.
Garuḍa is also known by the names: Pakṣirāja (king of the birds), Vainateya (son of mother Vinatā), Suparṇa (one who has beautiful feathers), Garutman, Periya Tiruvadi, Vinatāsuta (son of mother Vinatā), Viṣṇuvāhana (carrier of Lord Viṣṇu), Nāgāntaka (ender of the snakes) and Kaśyapeya (son of sage Kaśyapa).
