O noble one, hear now the wondrous tale as it unfolded. Vinatā, yearning for offspring, was assured by the great Kaśyapa: “O lady, your wish shall bear fruit. By the austerity of the Vālakhilyas and through my resolve, you shall give birth to two heroic sons, destined to be lords of the three worlds, honored everywhere. Let this great and auspicious pregnancy be carried with utmost care.” He foretold further: “One of your sons will become Indra among all the birds, a hero esteemed throughout the world, able to assume any form at will.” Then, Kaśyapa, lord of creatures, turned to Śatakratu, the mighty Indra, and said, “Two mighty brothers will be your allies. O Purandara, do not be anxious; there will be no fault on your part because of them. You alone will remain Indra. But henceforth, do not insult those who speak Brahman, nor, out of pride, despise those whose words are like thunderbolts and who are easily angered.” Thus reassured, Indra departed without fear to his heavenly abode, and Vinatā, her heart fulfilled, became joyful. In time, she gave birth to two sons: Aruṇa, who was deformed and became the forerunner of the sun, and Garuḍa, who was anointed as king of the birds, the Indra among them. Now hear of Garuḍa’s great deed. From that mighty mountain, Garuḍa arose—majestic, swift, and powerful—approaching the very gods. Seeing him, resplendent and strong, the gods trembled, seizing their weapons in alarm. There stood among them a being of immeasurable nature, radiant like lightning and fire, born of the earth and guardian of Soma. In the fierce battle that followed, Garuḍa struck him with wings, beak, and claws, and swiftly slew him. Then Garuḍa soared through the sky, his wings raising a great cloud of dust that darkened the worlds and showered upon the gods, casting them into confusion. Shrouded in dust, they could no longer see the guardian of the nectar. The celestial realm shook under Garuḍa’s might, and with blows from his wings and beak, he scattered the gods. Indra, the thousand-eyed, quickly urged Vāyu, the Wind-god: “Dispel this dust, O Wind! This is your task, Marut!” At once, Vāyu swept the dust away with his force. As the darkness cleared, the gods attacked Garuḍa together. The mighty Garuḍa roared like a great thundercloud, terrifying all beings as the hosts of gods struck him. Yet he soared high above them, unshaken, and the gods, with Indra at their head, showered him with lances, clubs, spears, maces, and blazing discs like the sun. But Garuḍa, son of Vinatā, waged a most terrible battle, scattering the gods with his wings, chest, and beak as if burning the sky itself. Wounded and scattered by Garuḍa, the gods fled in all directions, shedding blood from his fierce attacks. The Sādhyas and Gandharvas fled east, the Vasus south, and the Rudras together. The Ādityas went west, the Ashvins north, all repeatedly glancing back at the mighty bird. Undaunted, Garuḍa fought with the hero Ashvakranda, with Renuka, the valiant Krathana, and Tapana, the sky-roamer. He battled Uluka, Svasana, Nimesha, Praruja, and Pulina as well. Enraged like Shiva at the end of an age, Garuḍa struck them with the tips of his wings, claws, and beak, scorching his foes. His strength and energy were immense; they roared like thunderclouds, pouring forth streams of blood as they were wounded in many ways. Having slain them all, the foremost of birds pressed on in search of the nectar and beheld fire on every side—a great blazing fire, its flames enveloping the sky, fanned by violent winds and sharp rays. With his chariot of wings, Garuḍa crossed over the fire by means of rivers, subdued the flames, and made his form small to enter within. Very swiftly, he returned with speed, his body golden as jambū-nada, shining with a multitude of rays. Like the rush of water into the ocean, he forcefully entered further. There, near the nectar, he saw a wheel with razor-sharp edges, spinning ceaselessly, its blade of iron, extremely keen—a dreadful device blazing with the radiance of fire and sun, terrifying in form, constructed by the gods to guard the nectar. Seeing a gap in the spinning wheel, Garuḍa, the sky-roamer, compressed his body and darted through the space between the spokes. Beneath the wheel, he beheld two serpents, brilliant as blazing fire, with lightning tongues, great might, shining mouths, and glowing eyes. Thus did Garuḍa, king of birds, overcome every obstacle in his quest, his might and valor shining forth throughout the three worlds.