Why Did Garuda Steal Amrit From the Gods to Save His Mother?

According to the Mahabharata, Garuda was born to Sage Kashyapa and his wife Vinata. Kashyapa had another wife named Kadru, who was the mother of the Nagas, or serpents.Both wives received boons from Kashyapa. Vinata wished for two powerful sons, while Kadru wanted a thousand serpent sons.

After some time, both women laid eggs. Kadru's eggs hatched first, and a thousand serpents were born. However, Vinata's eggs took much longer to hatch.Growing impatient, Vinata broke open one of her eggs before the child inside had fully developed. The son, Aruna, was born incomplete. Angered by his mother's impatience, he told her that she would become a slave to Kadru and that her second son would eventually free her.Vinata's second egg later hatched, giving birth to Garuda, a powerful divine bird.But the prediction about Vinata's slavery soon came true.

One day, Vinata and Kadru saw the divine horse Uchchaihshravas, which had emerged during the churning of the ocean.They began arguing about the colour of its tail. Vinata believed it was white, while Kadru claimed that it was black.

The two sisters decided to settle the disagreement through a wager. The loser would become the winner's servant.However, Kadru knew that the horse's tail was white. To win the bet, she secretly instructed her serpent sons to cover the horse's tail with their dark bodies, making it appear black.When Vinata saw the horse, she believed Kadru was right and lost the wager.As a result, Vinata became Kadru's slave. Garuda also had to serve the serpents and carry out their demands.

Garuda could not bear to see his mother living as a slave. He approached the Nagas and asked what he needed to do to secure her freedom.The serpents gave him an extraordinary condition: he had to bring them Amrit, the divine nectar of immortality, which was guarded by the gods in heaven.This was an almost impossible task. Amrit was not an ordinary drink. It was considered the nectar that granted immortality, and the Devas protected it carefully.Yet Garuda agreed.His purpose was not to drink the nectar or gain eternal life for himself. He wanted to fulfil the demand and release his mother from bondage.

Garuda began his journey towards heaven, but reaching the nectar was not easy.According to the Mahabharata, he faced several dangerous obstacles.First, he encountered powerful guardians protecting the nectar. A massive fire surrounded the place where Amrit was kept, making it difficult to approach.Garuda used his extraordinary abilities to overcome the flames. He then encountered a rotating wheel with sharp blades that guarded the entrance.Using his intelligence and speed, he managed to pass through the dangerous barrier.Two enormous and poisonous serpents were also guarding the nectar. Garuda blinded them with dust and defeated them before reaching the pot of Amrit.After overcoming these challenges, he finally seized the nectar and flew away.But one detail makes this story even more interesting: Garuda did not drink the Amrit himself.He had risked everything to obtain it, yet his mother's freedom mattered more to him than immortality.

While carrying Amrit through the sky, Garuda encountered Lord Vishnu.The Lord was pleased with Garuda because he had obtained the nectar but had not consumed it for his own benefit.Vishnu offered him a boon. Garuda asked for immortality without having to drink Amrit and for a position above the Lord.Vishnu granted his wishes and asked Garuda to become his vehicle.Garuda agreed, and their relationship became one of the most important associations in Hindu mythology.This encounter explains why Garuda is traditionally shown carrying Lord Vishnu across the heavens.

After meeting Vishnu, Garuda continued his journey and encountered Indra, the king of the Devas.Indra was determined to recover the nectar because it belonged to the gods. Garuda explained that he needed it only to fulfil the condition imposed by the Nagas and secure his mother's freedom.The two eventually formed an understanding.Garuda agreed to place the pot of Amrit on a bed of sacred Kusha grass, allowing the serpents to approach it. In return, Indra would be able to take the nectar back.Garuda then reached the Nagas and placed the pot on the grass. He told them to complete their purification rituals before drinking it.Once the serpents left to bathe, Indra seized the opportunity and took the nectar back to heaven.

By the time the Nagas returned, the pot was gone.However, Garuda had fulfilled the condition placed before him. His mother was freed from slavery.The serpents, hoping to find traces of Amrit, began licking the Kusha grass on which the pot had rested. According to the traditional story, its sharp edges split their tongues, which is used to explain why snakes have forked tongues.

The story of Garuda is remembered for more than his extraordinary strength and ability to defeat the gods' guardians.It highlights the depth of a son's love and his determination to free his mother. Garuda did not undertake the dangerous journey for wealth, power or personal immortality. His only goal was to bring an end to Vinata's suffering.His decision not to drink Amrit also reveals his self-control. Even when he had the nectar of immortality within his reach, he remained focused on his promise.The story also explains Garuda's special connection with Lord Vishnu and why he is worshipped as the divine bird and the Lord's vehicle.

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