15. Garuda forced into Slavery

Garuda returned home to be near his mother Vinata, who was suffering the pains of slavery. 

Once, Kadru asked Vinata to carry her to a remote place, situated in the midst of the ocean inhabited by the Nagas. 

The mother of the bird of fair feathers carried the mother of the serpents on her shoulders. Garuda carried the serpents on his back, as directed by his mother.

Carrying the serpents on his back, Garuda began to ascend towards the Sun. The serpents, scorched by the rays of the Sun, swooned. 

Seeing the plight of her sons, Kadru prayed to Indra, the Chief of the Devas, to protect her sons, by causing showers to fall on them.

Indra answered her prayers by causing the clouds to cover the sky above the snakes and then to come down on the earth as heavy downpour. 

The earth was flooded by the torrent of rain and the rain waters reached even the Netherlands. 

The serpents were delighted by the rain. They, along with their mother, eventually reached the island called Ramaniyaka.

This island had a pleasant appearance, with bountiful trees bearing fragrant flowers full of honey. 

The serpents enjoyed themselves for some time. Then they commanded Garuda to carry them to some other island that had pure water (since the water in that island was salty). 

They reasoned that Garuda, having been on the air most of the time, should have flown through such places.

Garuda asked his mother why he should do what the serpents ordered him to. Vinata told him about the wager that led to her becoming a slave to Kadru. 

Garuda, grieved on learning this, asked the serpents what he should do to free his mother from slavery. 

The snakes asked him to bring them Amrita (the divine elixir that would grant immortality to anyone who drinks it, the substance that caused the Deva-Asura war), from Indraloka (the land of Indra), by using force. They promised to free him and his mother, if he did so.

Next Post:  Garuda's Quest For Food
Previous Post:  Aruna and Garuda, The Amazing Siblings