Editing Garuda (section)

==Hinduism==
{{multiple image
| footer            = Garuda may be shown as a [[brahminy kite|kite]] (left, painting by [[Raja Ravi Varma]]) or a semi human being carrying Vishnu (right, c. 1725 painting from [[Punjab States Agency|Punjab hills]]).<ref name=rao285/><ref name="Donaldson2001p253"/>
| width1            = 200
| image1            = Raja Ravi Varma, Lord Garuda.jpg
| alt1              = 
| image2            = Brooklyn Museum - Vishnu on Garuda (cropped).jpg
| alt2              = 
| width2            = 200
| align             = 
| direction         = 
| total_width       = 
| caption1          = 
| caption2          = 
}}

In [[Hinduism]], {{IAST|Garuda}} is a divine eagle-like sun bird and the king of birds.<ref name=williams21>{{cite book|author=George M. Williams|title=Handbook of Hindu Mythology |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7LOZfwCDpEC |year=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-533261-2|pages=21, 24, 63, 138}}, Quote: "His vehicle was Garuda, the sun bird" (p. 21); "(...) Garuda, the great sun eagle, (...)" (p. 74)</ref> A ''Garutman'' is mentioned in the ''[[Rigveda]]'' who is described as celestial [[Deva (Hinduism)|deva]] with wings.<ref name=dalal144/><ref name="Williams2008p138">{{cite book|author=George M. Williams|title=Handbook of Hindu Mythology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7LOZfwCDpEC&pg=PA138|year=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-533261-2|pages=138–139|access-date=6 January 2018|archive-date=6 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706205929/https://books.google.com/books?id=N7LOZfwCDpEC&pg=PA138|url-status=live}}</ref> The ''Shatapatha [[Brahmana]]'' embedded inside the ''Yajurveda'' text mentions Garuda as the personification of courage. In the ''Mahabharata'', Garutman is stated to be same as Garuda, then described as the one who is fast, who can shapeshift into any form and enter anywhere.<ref name=dalal144/> He is a powerful creature in the epics, whose wing flapping can stop the spinning of heaven, earth and hell. He is described to be the vehicle mount of the Hindu god [[Vishnu]], and typically they are shown together.<ref name=dalal144>{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC |year=2010|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|pages=144–145}}</ref> He is the younger brother of [[Aruna (Hinduism)|Aruna]], who is a charioteer of the sun god, [[Surya]].

According to George Williams, Garuda has roots in the verb ''gri'', or speak.<ref name="Williams2008p138"/> He is a metaphor in the Vedic literature for ''Rik'' (rhythms), ''Saman'' (sounds), ''Yajna'' (sacrifices), and the ''atman'' (Self, deepest level of consciousness). In the Puranas, states Williams, Garuda becomes a literal embodiment of the idea, and the Self who attached to and inseparable from the Supreme Self (Vishnu).<ref name="Williams2008p138"/><ref name="Dyczkowski1988p40">{{cite book|author=Mark S. G. Dyczkowski|title=The Canon of the Saivagama and the Kubjika: Tantras of the Western Kaula Tradition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qoZIJMGo4W0C&pg=PA40|year=1988|publisher=State University of New York Press|isbn=978-0-88706-494-4|pages=40–41|access-date=6 January 2018|archive-date=6 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706205929/https://books.google.com/books?id=qoZIJMGo4W0C&pg=PA40|url-status=live}}</ref> Though Garuda is an essential part of the [[Vaishnavism]], he also features prominently in [[Shaivism]], Shaiva texts such as the ''Garuda Tantra'' and ''Kirana Tantra'', and Shiva temples as a bird and as a metaphor of ''atman''.<ref name="Dyczkowski1988p40"/><ref name="Heehs2002p195">{{cite book|author=Peter Heehs|title=Indian Religions: A Historical Reader of Spiritual Expression and Experience|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jgsu-aIm3ncC&pg=PA195|year=2002|publisher=New York University Press|isbn=978-0-8147-3650-0|pages=195–196|access-date=6 January 2018|archive-date=6 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706205930/https://books.google.com/books?id=Jgsu-aIm3ncC&pg=PA195|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Dominic Goodall|title=Hindu Scriptures|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EKUteclXOK8C&pg=PA341|year=2001|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-1770-8|pages=341–358|access-date=6 January 2018|archive-date=6 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706210430/https://books.google.com/books?id=EKUteclXOK8C&pg=PA341|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Iconography===
[[File:Bharhut portable Garuda pillar.jpg|thumb|upright|Relief depicting a portable Garuda pillar, one of the oldest images of Garuda, [[Bharhut]], 100 BCE.<ref>Gupta, The Roots of Indian Art, 1980, p.29</ref>]]
The Hindu texts on Garuda iconography vary in their details. If in the bird form, he is eagle-like, typically with the wings slightly open as if ready and willing to fly wherever he needs to.<ref name=rao285/> In part human-form, he may have an eagle-like nose, beak or legs, his eyes are open and big, his body is the color of emerald, and his wings are golden-yellow. He may be shown with either two or four hands.<ref name=rao285/> If he is not carrying Vishnu, he holds a jar of ''amrita'' (immortality nectar) in one hand in the rear and an umbrella in the other, while the front pair of hands are in ''anjali'' ([[namaste]]) posture. If he is carrying Vishnu, the rear hands provide the support for Vishnu's feet.<ref name=rao285/><ref name="Donaldson2001p253">{{cite book|author=Thomas E. Donaldson|title=The iconography of Vaiṣṇava images in Orissa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2BvqAAAAMAAJ|year=2001|publisher=DK Printworld|pages=253–259|isbn=978-81-246-0173-0|access-date=7 January 2018|archive-date=6 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706210432/https://books.google.com/books?id=2BvqAAAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to the text ''Silparatna'', states Rao, Garuda is best depicted with only two hands and with four bands of colours: "golden yellow colour from feet to knees, white from knees to the navel, scarlet from navel to neck, and black above the neck". His hands, recommends the text, should be in ''abhaya'' (nothing to fear) posture.<ref name=rao285/> In ''Sritatvanidhi'' text, the recommended iconography for Garuda is a kneeling figure, who wears one or more serpents, pointed bird-beak like nose, his two hands in ''namaste'' posture. This style is commonly found in Hindu temples dedicated to Vishnu.<ref name=rao285/>

In some iconography, Garuda carries Vishnu and his two consorts by his side: [[Lakshmi|Sridevi]] and [[Bhumi (goddess)|Bhudevi]].<ref name="Dalal2010p123">{{cite book |author=Roshen Dalal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pNmfdAKFpkQC |title=The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths |publisher=Penguin Books |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-14-341517-6 |page=123 |access-date=8 January 2018 |archive-date=6 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706210439/https://books.google.com/books?id=pNmfdAKFpkQC |url-status=live }}</ref>

Garuda iconography is found in early temples of India, such as on the underside of the [[eave]] at Cave 3 entrance of the [[Badami cave temples]] (6th-century).<ref name=rao285/><ref>{{cite book|author=George Michell|title=Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zzTcoQEACAAJ| year=2015|publisher= Jaico Publishing|isbn=978-81-8495-600-9|pages=49–52}}</ref>

===Beliefs===
[[File:Garuda image facing Chennakeshava temple at Belur with gopura (entrance tower) in the background.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0 |left|Garuda is found in Vishnu temples; Above: in Belur, India.]]
Garuda's mythology is linked to that of [[Aruṇa|Aruna]], the charioteer of the Hindu sun god [[Surya]]. Both Aruna and Garuda developed from an egg. According to one version related by George Williams, Kashyapa Prajapati's two wives [[Vinata]] and [[Kadru]] wanted to have children, and [[Kashyapa]] granted each of them a boon.<ref name="Williams2008p62"/> Kadru asked for one thousand [[Nāga]] sons, while Vinata asked for just two, but each an equal to all of Kadru's thousand sons. Kashyapa blessed them, and then retreated to a forest to meditate. Later, Kadru gave birth to one thousand eggs, while Vinata gave birth to two eggs. After incubating them for five hundred years, Kadru's eggs hatched and out came her 1,000 sons. Vinata, eager for her own sons, impatiently broke one of her eggs. From this egg emerged the partially formed Aruna, looking radiant and reddish as the morning sun, but not as bright as the midday sun as he was promised to be.<ref name="Williams2008p62">{{cite book|author=George M. Williams|title=Handbook of Hindu Mythology |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7LOZfwCDpEC |year=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-533261-2|pages=62–63}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/70 70]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref> Aruna chided his mother Vinata for her impatience, and warned her to not break open the second egg, cursing her to be a slave until his brother rescued her. Aruna then left to become the charioteer of Surya, the sun god.

[[File:Garuda Wishnu Bali.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Bali]]nese wooden statue of Vishnu riding Garuda, [[Purna Bhakti Pertiwi Museum]], [[Jakarta]], [[Indonesia]].]]
Vinata waited, and after many years, the second egg hatched and Garuda was born. After losing a bet to Kadru through trickery, Vinata was forced to become her slave. Garuda later asked his brothers to free his mother from her slavery, to which they demanded Amrita from heaven. Garuda waged a war against gods with his extraordinary might and abilities, and defeated all of them, including [[Indra]]. He then took Indra's nectar vessel and flew back to earth. Vishnu then came to Garuda, and asked him to be his ride, to which he agreed. Indra requested that Garuda not give the [[Amrita]] to the [[Nāga|Nagas]] though, as it would bring great trouble later, so they forged a plan. Upon reaching his brothers Garuda placed the vessel before them, and asked them to first purify themselves before drinking. Meanwhile, [[Jayanta]] (the son of Indra) stole the vessel back. On returning, the nagas were all devoured by Garuda.<ref name="Williams2008p62"/><ref name="K2012">{{cite book|author=Ashok, Banker K|title=Forest of Stories|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3sQqQQhe5aQC|pages=173–175|access-date=6 March 2013|year= 2012|publisher= Westland|isbn=978-93-81626-37-5}}</ref>

Some myths present Garuda as so massive that he can block out the [[sun]].<ref>{{cite book | title = Mythical Creatures Bible | author = Brenda Rosen | publisher = Godsfield Press | year = 2010 | isbn = 978-1-4027-6536-0 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=mI0vKhZXJqwC&pg=PA158 | page = 158 | access-date = 16 August 2019 | archive-date = 6 July 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230706210439/https://books.google.com/books?id=mI0vKhZXJqwC&pg=PA158 | url-status = live }}</ref> The text ''[[Garuda Purana]]'' is named after him.<ref>{{cite book|author=Ludo Rocher|title=The Purāṇas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n0-4RJh5FgoC|year=1986|publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag|isbn=978-3-447-02522-5|pages=175–177|access-date=9 January 2018|archive-date=6 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706210440/https://books.google.com/books?id=n0-4RJh5FgoC|url-status=live}}</ref>

Garuda is presented in the Mahabharata as one who eats snake meat, such as the story about him planning to kill and eat Sumukha snake, where [[Indra]] intervenes. Garuda in anger, vaunt about his feats and compares himself to Indra's equal. Vishnu teaches a lesson to Garuda and cured his pride on might.<ref name="Buitenen1973p167">{{cite book|author=Johannes Adrianus Bernardus Buitenen|title=The Mahabharata, Volume 3 (Book 4: The Book of the Virata; Book 5: The Book of the Effort)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wFtXBGNn0aUC&pg=PA167|year=1973|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-84665-1|pages=167–168, 389–393|access-date=7 January 2018|archive-date=6 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706210432/https://books.google.com/books?id=wFtXBGNn0aUC&pg=PA167|url-status=live}}</ref> Garudas are also a race of birds who devour snakes in the epic.<ref name="Buitenen1973p167"/>

The ''[[Suparṇākhyāna]]'', a late [[Vedic period]] poem considered to be among the "earliest traces of epic poetry in India," relates the legend of Garuda, and provides the basis for a later, expanded version which appears within the ''[[Mahabharata|Mahābhārata]]''.<ref name="Winternitz1996">{{cite book|author=Moriz Winternitz|title=A History of Indian Literature, Volume 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JRfuJFRV_O8C&pg=PA292|year=1996|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0264-3|pages=291–292|access-date=22 November 2018|archive-date=6 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706210944/https://books.google.com/books?id=JRfuJFRV_O8C&pg=PA292|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Vogel1995">{{cite book|author=Jean Philippe Vogel|title=Indian Serpent-lore: Or, The Nāgas in Hindu Legend and Art|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=caskYEbIQDoC&pg=PA53|year=1995|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-1071-2|pages=53–54|access-date=22 November 2018|archive-date=6 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706210945/https://books.google.com/books?id=caskYEbIQDoC&pg=PA53|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Symbolism===
[[File:Gilt bronze Garuda.jpg|thumb|150px|19th century gilt bronze Garuda.]]
Garuda's links to Vishnu – the Hindu god who fights injustice and destroys evil in his various [[avatar]]s to preserve [[dharma]] – have made him an iconic symbol of kings' duty and power, an insignia of royalty or dharma. His eagle-like form is shown either alone or with Vishnu, signifying divine approval of the power of the state.<ref name="Williams2008p138"/> He is found on the faces of many early Hindu kingdom coins with this symbolism, either as a single-headed bird or a three-headed bird that watches all sides.<ref name="Bajpai2004p19">{{cite book|author=K. D. Bajpai|title=Indian Numismatic Studies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=chGrJUMarHoC|date=October 2004|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-81-7017-035-8|pages=19–24, 84–85, 120–124, 148–149|access-date=7 January 2018|archive-date=6 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706210945/https://books.google.com/books?id=chGrJUMarHoC|url-status=live}}</ref>

Throughout the Mahabharata, Garuda is invoked as a symbol of impetuous violent force, speed, and martial prowess. Powerful warriors advancing rapidly on doomed foes are likened to Garuda swooping down on a serpent. Defeated warriors are like snakes beaten down by Garuda. The Mahabharata character [[Drona]] uses a military formation named after Garuda. [[Krishna]] carries the image of Garuda on his banner.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VW6fDwAAQBAJ&dq=Krishna+Garuda+banner&pg=PA338 |title=Krishna's Lineage: The Harivamsha of Vyasa's Mahabharata |date=2 July 2019 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-027920-2 |pages=338 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Temples ===
{{Expand section|date=August 2024}}
Though Garuda stautues and iconography can be seen in many Vishnu temples, there are very few temples dedicated to Garuda as a deity in India.

==== Vellamassery Garuda Temple, [[Triprangode]], [[Tirur]], [[Malappuram district|Malappuram]], [[Kerala]] ====
A 1800 year old ancient [[kavu]] dedicated to Garuda, it is famous in the state for the alleviation of 'sarpa dosham'. Nearby the main temple is a rare subsidiary shrine dedicated to the [[Kurma]] avatar of Lord Vishnu.

==== Chemmanadu Sri Krishna Garuda Mahavishnu Temple, [[Thiruvaniyoor|Tiruvaniyoor]], [[Ernakulam district|Ernakulam]], Kerala ====
This temple was believed to have been constructed after Garuda himself manifested in eagle form in front of the devotees during the consecration ceremony. Lord Vishnu is present in his [[Mohini]] ''swaroopam'' in this temple, adding to its rarity.

==== Garuda Swamy Temple, Koladevi, [[Mulabagilu|Mulbagal]], [[Kolar district|Kolar]], [[Karnataka]] ====