Always serving the Lord

Garuda is always with Lord Narayana. In Brindavana, wherever Krishna went, Garuda flew above Him, sheltering Him from the sun. In his Stotra Ratna, Alavandar enumerates the ways in which Garuda serves the Lord, said Thenthirupperai Aravindalochanan in a discourse. Alavandar points out that Garuda is the Lord’s servant, His friend, His vehicle, His seat, His flag, His canopy and His fan. Alavandar further says that Garuda is the embodiment of the Vedas. In all Vishnu temples, we find a shrine for Garuda, where Garuda faces the Lord. When the Lord looks at Garuda, who is the Vedas personified, He is reminded of the fact that the Vedas sing His praises. During the war against Ravana, Indrajit used the naga pasa to bind Rama and Lakshmana. But when Garuda appeared, the snakes, which as arrows had bound Rama and Lakshmana, fled, thus releasing the two princes. Garuda then touched them, and the brothers’ wounds healed, and they became stronger than before. Garuda then lifted them and embraced them. Rama said that meeting Garuda gave Him the feeling that He was meeting His father Dasaratha. Thus in two vibhava avataras — Rama avatara and Krishna avatara, Garuda played a role.

Tirumala, where Lord Srinivasa resides, is also called Garudadri.When Bhu Devi requested Varaha to remain on the earth, the latter asked Garuda to bring seven hills that He had in Sri Vaikunta. Because Garuda brought the seven hills from Sri Vaikuntha, the hills came to be called Garudadri. Although we now have the practice of referring to just one of the seven hills as Garudadri, all of them have the name Garudadri. The Garuda sevai festival of Kanchipuram Varadaraja Perumal temple is famous, although all temples have the processional deity carried on Garuda vahana during the main temple festival.