Spiritual - Story of Garuda

 Story of Vainatheya / Garuda (1)

The story of Garuda appears in Adiparva of Mahabharatha. 

Sage Kashyapa is the son of Marici and the grandson of Lord Brahma.  The Sage was married to 13 daughters of Prajapathi Daksha.  Kadru and Vinata were among them.

Both Kadru and Vinata were devoted to Sage Kashyapa. Pleased with their devotion, the husband Sage asked them to seek a boon. Kadru sought to bless her to be a mother of 1000 mighty serpent sons. Vinata  asked to bless her to be mother of 2 eagle sons, mightier than that of Kadru's, and the Sage agreed. 

At the designated time Kadru’s 1000 eggs hatched, and serpents were born. Vinata was anxious as her eggs were yet to hatch. Jealousy took over her senses, and in haste, Vinata broke open one egg.  

To her dismay, a half grown eagle, Aruna, was born. He blamed his mother for his plight. He cursed her that she would serve as a slave of Kadru owing to unbridled jealousy. 

Aruna went away to Suryamandala as charioteer to Sun God (son of Sage Kashyapa and his half-brother). Aruna was equally powerful as Sun God. 

Indeed, Aruna could control Sun God's anger as the latter was frequently facing the wrath of Rahu and Ketu.  Arunodaya is the time just before sunrise and immediately after sunset.

Aruna, before leaving, advised his mother, Vinata, to protect the other egg and wait till it hatches. He said the Son born out of it would be very powerful, equivalent to Lord Indra, and help get rid of her slavery. 

What was the contest between Kadru and Vinata?

Once, these two sisters, Kadru and Vinata, went for a walk alongside the seashore. They saw a beautiful divine white horse, Ucchishrava, and admired its beauty. 

Kadru had a grudge against Vinata and desired to take revenge on her. She said “though Ucchishrava appears white in colour, its tail is black”. Immediately, Vinata disagreed and argued against it.

The argument converted into a contest wherein the loser was required to become a slave to the winner. Both agreed to meet at the same place and same time the next day.

Kadru hatched a plan and narrated the issue to  her sons (snakes) and requested them to coil around Uchhistrava's tail and make it appear black. The snakes disagreed and said it was not dharmic. Kadru cursed them that they would perish in King Janemejaya's Sarpa Yaga. 

Adishesha,  the eldest son of Kadru, was disgusted with his mother's attitude. He severed ties with his Mother and siblings and went away to perform tapas. 

Few snakes agreed involuntarily and coiled around Uchhistrava's tail. When Kadru and Vinata met as scheduled, the tail of the horse appeared black, and Vinata had to accept defeat.

Vinata had to undergo humiliation in the hands of Kadru. Just then, the second egg hatched, and Garudamantha was born.