When Viṣṇu granted Garuḍa the boon he had sought, the great bird—son of Vinatā—stood before the Lord in the quiet of the forest. Grateful, Garuḍa turned to Viṣṇu and offered a boon in return, inviting the Blessed Lord himself to choose. Viṣṇu, recognizing Garuḍa’s might and peerless strength, chose him to be his own vehicle. Thus, Viṣṇu declared that Garuḍa would be his banner, forever soaring above him. Accepting this honor, Garuḍa bowed to Nārāyaṇa and took his leave, his heart filled with purpose. With a force and swiftness that rivaled the very wind, Garuḍa sped away. As he carried the nectar of immortality, Indra, king of the gods, struck him with the thunderbolt in anger, seeking to stop him. Even as the thunderbolt struck, Garuḍa, the greatest of birds, merely laughed and spoke gently to Indra, honoring the sage whose bone had become the weapon and promising to respect both the thunderbolt and Indra himself. He assured Indra that he would lose only a single feather, whose end could never be found, and declared that he felt no pain from the blow. After these words, Garuḍa released his son. When those present saw the beautiful feather that had fallen, they marveled and named him Suparṇa. Witnessing this wonder, Indra, Purandara of the thousand eyes, realized the greatness of Garuḍa and spoke, expressing his desire to know Garuḍa’s supreme strength and to form an endless friendship with him. Garuḍa accepted the offer of friendship, but reminded Indra that true strength is not praised by the virtuous without cause, for self-praise brings reproach. Yet, since Indra had asked as a friend, Garuḍa revealed his might: with a single wing, he could bear the earth and all its mountains, forests, and waters, and even Indra himself if he relied on him. He could, without weariness, carry all the worlds and their beings, both moving and unmoving—such was his strength. Hearing these words, Indra, lord of the gods and benefactor of the worlds, affirmed that all Garuḍa had said was possible and offered his everlasting friendship. Indra said that if he no longer needed the soma, Garuḍa could give it to whomever he wished, except to those who would trouble them. Garuḍa replied that he was taking the soma for a particular reason and would not give it to anyone for consumption. He promised Indra that as soon as he placed the soma, Indra could retrieve it and take it away. Pleased with Garuḍa’s words, Indra offered him any boon he desired. Garuḍa, not recalling the sons of Kadru at that moment, asked that the mighty serpents become his food. Indra, lord of all, granted this wish. With these agreements made, Indra followed Garuḍa and Hari, the lord of yogis. Indra approved all that Garuḍa had spoken and reaffirmed that he would take the soma once it was placed. Then Suparṇa, Garuḍa, swiftly went to his mother. Approaching Vinatā with humility, Garuḍa bowed and announced that he had brought the nectar of immortality from the gods’ abode. He asked her to command him, eager to fulfill her wish. Garuḍa promised to place the nectar for her upon the sacred kusa grass, so that, after the serpents had bathed and performed auspicious rites, they might partake as she desired. Garuḍa declared that from that day onward, Vinatā would be honored as his mother, and the words spoken by her and the others had been fulfilled. The serpents, agreeing to these terms, went to bathe, while Indra seized the nectar and returned to heaven. When the serpents, adorned and purified, returned, they rushed forward in mutual hatred, each insisting on being the first to drink the soma. But when they reached the kusa grass, they found only an imitation of the nectar, realizing too late that the real soma had been taken. Thinking the soma had touched the grass, the serpents licked the blades, and as a result, their tongues split in two. Because the sacred grass had been touched by the nectar, it became immortal, but the serpents, deceived and abandoned by Vinatā, fell into despair due to Garuḍa’s power. Thus, Garuḍa, the great-souled one, had carried away the nectar and made the serpents two-tongued. Having accomplished his aim and filled with supreme joy, Suparṇa delighted his mother Vinatā in the forest. Honored by the birds as the devourer of serpents, Garuḍa’s fame was established, though somewhat diminished by the events that had transpired.