---
title: Garuda
author: Mark Cartwright
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Garuda/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 1970-01-01
---
# Garuda
_Authored by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/)_
Garuda is a bird creature from [Hindu](https://www.worldhistory.org/hinduism/) [mythology](https://www.worldhistory.org/mythology/) that has a mix of eagle and human features. He is the vehicle (*vahana*) of [Vishnu](https://www.worldhistory.org/Vishnu/) and appears on the [god](https://www.worldhistory.org/God/)'s banner. Garuda represents birth and heaven, and is the enemy of all snakes. In Indian art, Garuda gradually acquired more human form over the centuries and so maintained only his wings. In Cambodia, however, he retains even today the great talons and vicious-looking beak of a bird of prey. Garuda is a national symbol of [India](https://www.worldhistory.org/india/), Indonesia and Thailand.
### Appearance & Associations
The mythological bird creature Garuda traditionally has the torso and arms of a man and the wings, head, beak and talons of an eagle or vulture. His body is [gold](https://www.worldhistory.org/gold/) in colour, his wings are red and his face is white. Garuda is also known as the 'king of the birds' (*Khagesvara*), as 'he who has beautiful feathers' (*Suparna*), as 'golden bodied' (*Suvarnakaya*) and 'the devourer' (*Nagantaka*). The latter name is in reference to his role as the enemy of all snakes which are symbolic of [death](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Death/) and the underworld. In contrast, Garuda represents birth and heaven; in addition he is associated with the sun and fire.
Garuda's wife is Unnati (or Vinayaka in other versions) and his son is Sampati, another mythical bird and ally of [Rama](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rama/). Garuda is the offspring of Kasyapa and Vinata (or also Tarksya in other versions). It was following his mother's quarrel with her co-wife Kadru, the queen of [serpents](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Serpents/), that Garuda acquired his dislike of snakes.
### Mythological Adventures
In the *Bhagavata Purana* a legend is told where Garuda fights the fearsome many-headed snake Kaliya. Since long ago offerings were left for snakes during the first days of each month and a part of this offering was given by the snakes to Garuda. However, on one occasion Kaliya, thinking himself safe from Garuda because of his terrible poison, kept for himself all the offerings. Not best pleased at this impertinence, Garuda attacked Kaliya, hitting him so hard with his wings that Kaliya hid in a pool of the Kalindi River. Here Kaliya was safe because the sage Saubhari had once cursed Garuda for stealing one too many fish from the river, and if Garuda ever entered its waters again he would immediately expire. Kaliya would later get his comeuppance though as [Krishna](https://www.worldhistory.org/Krishna/) swam into the pool and chastised him by stamping on each of his many heads.
In the *[Mahabharata](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mahabharata/)* Garuda eats evil men. In one episode he swallowed a brahmana and his wife but the priest burned Garuda's throat so much that he was compelled to spit the couple out.
In perhaps the most famous episode from Hindu mythology involving Garuda, the [giant](https://www.worldhistory.org/Giants/) bird attempted to steal from the gods the sacred *amrta* or 'water of life'. [Indra](https://www.worldhistory.org/Indra/) soon found out and, unconvinced by Garuda's motive that he needed the *amrta* as a ransom to free his mother from the clutches of Kadru, fought the giant bird in an epic [battle](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/battle/). Mighty Indra lost his famous thunderbolt in the clash but eventually managed to retrieve the *amrta*.
In another story, Garuda once came to the aid of a sparrow that had been taken advantage of by the Ocean. The sparrow had laid her eggs on the beach but Ocean carried them away with his waves. Begging to no avail to have the eggs returned, the sparrow pecked at the edge of the Ocean to encourage him to return what was not his. The determined sparrow became famous for her persistence and so caught the attention of Garuda who, as king of the birds, felt sympathy and threatened the Ocean that if the eggs were not given back then Garuda himself would incessantly attack the Ocean. Ocean relented and returned the eggs to the ever grateful sparrow.
[  Vishnu & Garuda Bob King (CC BY) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/3939/vishnu--garuda/ "Vishnu & Garuda")### Garuda in Art
Garuda often appears in sculptural representations of Vishnu (*Garudasana Visnu*), especially on columns such as the 5th century CE Eran [column](https://www.worldhistory.org/column/) in Madhya Pradesh which has two figures of Garuda, unusually with human heads as opposed to the typical eagle ones. The 6.5 metre high sandstone column at Besnagar, which dates to at least the 1st century BCE, is also thought to have once been topped by a figure of Garuda.
In Nepalese art, Garuda usually has a youth's face and he often wears his wings like a cloak. The earliest complete example is from Cangu Narayana which dates to the 6th-7th century CE. In Cambodia, where Garuda is known as Kruth, he has a human torso and fearsome clawed feet. In each hand he clutches a snake and is a common figure in architectural [sculpture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Sculpture/), notably at Angkor, but also frequently as a wooden support at the corners of the roofs of [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) buildings.
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).
## Bibliography
- [Dowson, J. *Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion; Geography, History.* DK Print World, 2000.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/8124601089/)
- [Hackin, J. *Asiatic Mythology 1932.* Kessinger Publishing, LLC, 2005.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/1417976950/)
- [Harle, J.C. *The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent, Second Edition.* Yale University Press, 1994.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0300062176/)
- [Michell, G. *Hindu Art and Architecture.* Thames & Hudson, 2000.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0500203377/)
## About the Author
Mark is WHE’s Publishing Director and has an MA in Political Philosophy (University of York). He is a full-time researcher, writer, historian and editor. Special interests include art, architecture and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share.
## Cite This Work
### APA
Cartwright, M. (2015, June 25). Garuda. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Cartwright, Mark. "Garuda." *World History Encyclopedia*, June 25, 2015. .
### MLA
Cartwright, Mark. "Garuda." *World History Encyclopedia*, 25 Jun 2015, .
## License & Copyright
Submitted by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/ "User Page: Mark Cartwright"), published on 25 June 2015. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.