As Purandara, the mighty Indra, approached Garuda with a wish for friendship, Garuda responded graciously, “Let there be friendship between us as you desire, O Purandara. But know this—my strength is great, truly beyond bearing.” Yet Indra, the best among the gods, gently admonished Garuda, saying, “The virtuous do not praise their own strength, O best of gods. Such unprompted boasting brings only reproach. Even when asked by another, O lord of the earth, one should speak of one’s virtues, but not proclaim them unasked, O Śatakratu.” Garuda, understanding Indra’s words, replied, “But since you have called me friend and have asked, I will tell you. Self-praise should not be spoken without cause. O Śakra, with a single wing I can bear this earth—its mountains, forests, and waters—and you as well, if you rely on me. I could carry, without fatigue, all the worlds together with their stationary and moving beings; know this to be my great strength.” Having spoken thus, the illustrious Garuda, foremost among the blessed, was addressed by Shaunaka, the lord of the gods and benefactor of all worlds. Indra said, “Just as you have spoken, so shall it be. All is possible in you. Now accept from me this supreme and everlasting friendship. If I do not need the Soma for myself, let it be given. But those who would trouble us are those to whom you would give this.” Garuda replied, “For a certain reason, I am taking this Soma. I will not give Soma to anyone for consumption. Wherever I myself place this Soma, O thousand-eyed one, you may then take the grass and carry it away, O lord of the three worlds.” Pleased by Garuda’s words, Indra, the egg-born one, said, “Take from me whatever boon you desire, O best of birds.” Garuda, not recalling the sons of Kadru, replied, “Let the mighty serpents, O Shakra, become my food.” Indra, lord of all, agreed, “So be it. Let the mighty serpents become your food.” Having thus agreed, Indra, the destroyer of the Danavas, followed Garuda, the great-souled lord of yogis, Hari, god of gods. Indra approved Garuda’s words and said again, “I will take the Soma once it is placed.” Then Suparna, Garuda, swiftly went to his mother. With humility and bowed head, Garuda spoke, “This nectar of immortality has been brought from the gods’ abode by me. Command me, O mother, what shall I do, O you of auspicious vows? This nectar of immortality that I have brought, I will place for you upon the kusa grass. Having bathed and adorned with auspicious rites, then the serpents shall partake. As you have said, so shall it be for you who are seated here. Let this mother be mine from today onward; as spoken by you all, your words have been fulfilled for me.” The serpents, having replied “so be it,” went to bathe. Meanwhile, Shakra seized the nectar and returned to heaven. The serpents, eager for Soma, arrived at the place, having bathed and recited prayers, rejoicing and adorned with auspicious rites. Harboring mutual hatred, they rushed forward to drink the Soma, each declaring, “I will go first! I will go first!” When the nectar had been placed upon the bed of kusa grass, the serpents realized it had been taken and replaced with an imitation. Understanding what had happened, and thinking, “This is the place of the Soma,” the serpents licked the blades of darbha grass. As a result, their tongues were split in two. Because of contact with the nectar, those purifying blades of grass became immortal; but the serpents, deceived and abandoning Vinata, fell into deep despair due to Garuda’s power. Thus, the nectar was taken and carried away by Garuda, the great-souled one, and the serpents were made two-tongued by him. Suparna, filled with supreme joy at having accomplished his aim, delighted his mother Vinata in the forest. He was honored by the birds as the devourer of serpents, though his fame was somewhat diminished. Whoever always hears or recites this story in the assembly of foremost Brahmins will, without doubt, attain heaven, gaining merit through the praise of the great-souled lord of birds. O Sutanandana, you have told the cause of the curse upon the serpents, as well as the story of Vinata and her son. You have also spoken of the granting of boons by their husband to Kadru and Vinata, and the names of the two bird sons of Vinata. But, O son of Suta, you have not recounted the names of the serpents; we wish to hear their principal names. O ascetic, because the names of the serpents are many, I will not recite them all; but hear from me their chief names. First was born Shesha, then Vasuki; after them came Airavata, Takshaka, Karkotaka, and Dhananjaya. Kaliya, Maninaga, Apurana, Pinjaraka, Elapatra, and Vamana were also born as serpents. Nilā and Anila, Kalmasha and Shabala, Aryaka and Ugraka, and the serpent Kalashapotaka. Sumanakhya, Dadhimukha, Vimalapindaka, Apta, Kotaraka, Shankha, and Valishikha. Nishtanaka, Hemaguha, Nahusha, Pingala, Bahyakarna, Hastipada, and Mudgarapindaka. Thus were the chief serpents named, their origins and deeds woven into the tapestry of the world’s story.