Once, Vinatā, bowing humbly before her mighty son Garuḍa, found herself summoned by Kadrū, her co-wife and the mother of the serpents. Kadrū addressed her, saying, “O gentle Vinatā, carry me to the abode of the nāgas, that delightful and beautiful place at the edge of the ocean’s depths.” Obeying this request, Vinatā, Garuḍa’s mother, took up Kadrū, the mother of serpents, and Garuḍa himself, prompted by his mother’s words, bore the serpents along with them. As Garuḍa soared through the sky, he drew near the blazing sun, and the serpents, exposed to the fierce rays, became faint and scorched. Seeing her sons in such distress, Kadrū turned her thoughts to Indra, the king of gods, and began to praise him fervently: “Salutations to you, Lord of all the gods, slayer of mighty foes! Salutations to you, destroyer of Namuci, thousand-eyed lord of Śacī! For the serpents who are scorched by the sun, become a raft with water. You alone are our supreme protector, O best of immortals, the lord, the mighty one, the creator, O Purandara. “You are the cloud, the wind, the fire, and the lightning in the sky; you are the disperser of clouds, and you alone are called the great cloud. You are the unmatched, dreadful thunderbolt, resounding in the heavens; you are the rain-bringer, the creator of worlds, the unconquered destroyer. You are the light of all beings, the sun, the blazing fire; you are the great and wondrous being, the king, the best of gods. You are Viṣṇu, you are the thousand-eyed, the god, the supreme refuge; you are all the immortal, O god, you are Soma, supremely worshipped. “You are the moment, the lunar day, the instant, and the second; you are the bright fortnight and the dark, the divisions and measures of time, the smallest fractions; you are the year, the seasons, the months, the nights, and the days. You are the highest earth with mountains and forests, the ground with the sun, the sky without darkness; you are the ocean with its intoxicated whales, the great waves, the many crocodiles, and the multitude of fish. “You, of great fame, are always worshipped by the wise, by the delighted hearts of great sages; praised, you drink Soma at the sacrifice and partake of the offerings prepared for the beings. You are constantly worshipped by the Brahmins here for the sake of results; you, of immeasurable strength, are sung in the Vedas and their limbs; for your sake, the foremost twice-born, devoted to sacrifice, approach the Vedas and their branches with all effort.” Thus praised by Kadrū, the blessed Lord—bearer of the discus—filled the sky with masses of dark clouds. He commanded the clouds, “Rain down auspicious nectar!” and those clouds, shining with lightning, poured forth abundant water. Thundering incessantly, as if competing with one another, the wondrous and immense clouds made the heavens appear as if they were dissolving. With incomparable, ceaseless torrents and great roaring, the sky seemed to dance with countless streams and waves. The booming thunder, shaken by lightning and wind, resounded as the clouds rained without pause. The rays of the moon and sun vanished, and darkness veiled the sky, while the best of the serpents rejoiced as Indra’s rain fell. The earth was filled everywhere with cool, pure water that reached down to the netherworld. At that time, the earth was covered in many places by waves, and together with their mother, the serpents moved onward, seeking beauty. Drenched by these streams, the delighted serpents were swiftly carried by Garuḍa, the mighty Suparṇa, to an island. This island, inhabited by makaras and crafted by Viśvakarman himself, was the first place they reached, and there, they encountered dreadful salt. Yet, together with Garuḍa, the serpents beheld a charming forest encircled by ocean waters, resounding with flocks of birds. The forest was covered with wondrous fruiting and flowering trees, adorned with splendid dwellings and lotus ponds. Clear waters and divine lakes sparkled, fanned by blessed breezes carrying celestial fragrances. Malaya trees soared towards the sky, shedding showers of flowers scattered by the wind. Other trees, too, tossed their blossoms and seemed to rain flowers and water upon the serpents. This place was delightful to the mind, beloved of Gandharvas and Apsarases, resonant with the humming of intoxicated bees, and pleasing to behold. Charming, auspicious, and holy, captivating to all, filled with the songs of various birds, it brought joy to the sons of Kadrū. Having reached this wondrous forest, the serpents rejoiced and addressed Suparṇa, the lord of birds: “Carry us to another island, most delightful, with pure waters; for you, O sky-roamer, see many beautiful lands as you travel.” Hearing this, Garuḍa turned to his mother Vinatā and asked, “Mother, why must I do as the serpents say?” Vinatā replied with sorrow, “O best of birds, I have become a slave due to misfortune and the deceit of my co-wife; the serpents tricked me with a false wager.” Learning the reason for his mother’s bondage, Garuḍa, saddened, spoke to the serpents, “By bringing or knowing what, or by what act of valor, could I free my mother from slavery? Speak truly, O licking ones.” The serpents replied, “Bring us amṛta by your power; then your mother will be freed from slavery, O sky-roamer.” Thus addressed, Garuḍa turned to his mother and said, “I will go to bring the amṛta. But first, tell me, what food may I eat on the way?