By “Soota continued, ‘Garuda then said, ‘O Purandara (Lord Indra), let there be friendship between you and me as you desire. You know, my strength is hard to bear. O you of a thousand yagnas (Lord Indra), the good never approve of speaking highly of their own strength, nor do they speak of their own merits. But being made a friend, and asked by you, O friend (Lord Indra), I will answer you, although self-praise without reason is ever improper. I can bear, on a single feather of mine, O Shakra (Lord Indra), this Earth, with her mountains and forests and with the waters of the ocean, and with you also stationed thereon. You know, my strength is such that I can bear without fatigue even all the worlds put together, with their mobile and immobile objects.’
“Soota continued, ‘O (Rishi) Shaunaka, after Garuda of great courage had thus spoken, (Lord) Indra – the chief of Devas, the wearer of the (divine) crown, ever bent upon the good of the worlds, replied, saying, ‘It is as you say. Everything is possible in you. Accept now my sincere and hearty friendship. If you have no concern with the Soma (Amrita), return it to me. Those to whom you would give it would always oppose us.’
“Garuda answered, ‘There is a certain reason for which the Soma (Amrita) is being carried by me. I shall not give the Soma to any one for drink. But, O you of a thousand eyes (Lord Indra), after I have placed it down, you, O lord of the heavens, can then, taking it up, instantly bring it away.’
“(Lord) Indra then said, ‘O one born from egg, I am highly pleased with these words now spoken by you. O best of all traveller of the skies; accept from me any boon that you desire.’
“Soota continued, ‘Then Garuda, recollecting the sons of Kadru and remembering also the (slave) bondage of his mother caused by an act of cheat owing to the well-known reason (viz., the curse of Arunaa – Garuda’s brother), said, ‘Although I have power over all creatures, yet I shall do your direction. Let, O Shakra (Lord Indra), the mighty snakes become my food.’ The slayer of Daanavaas (Lord Indra) having said to him, ‘Be it so,’ then went to Hari (Lord Vishnu), the Devon ke Dev, of Mahatma, and the lord of Yogins. The latter (Lord Vishnu) sanctioned everything that had been said by Garuda. The illustrious lord of heaven (Lord Indra) again said to Garuda, ‘I shall bring away the Soma (Amrita) when you place it down.’ Having said so, he bade farewell to Garuda. The Suparna (Garuda) then went to the presence of his mother with great speed.
“Garuda in joy then spoke to all the snakes, ‘Here have I brought the Amrita. Let me place it on some Kusha grass (Kusha grass is also known as Darbha grass and is botanically known as Desmotachya bipinnata). O you snakes, sitting here, drink of it after you have performed your bath and auspicious rites. As said by you, let my mother become, from this day, free, for I have accomplished your command.’
“The snakes having said to Garuda, ‘Be it so,’ then went to perform their bath. Meanwhile, Shakra (Lord Indra) taking up the Amrita, went back to heaven. The snakes after performing their ablutions, their daily devotions, and other sacred rites, returned in joy, desirous of drinking the Amrita. They saw that the bed of kusha grass (Kusha grass is also known as Darbha grass and is botanically known as Desmotachya bipinnata) whereon the Amrita had been placed was empty, the Amrita itself having been taken away by a counter-act of deception. They (Snakes) began to lick with their tongues the kusha grass, as the Amrita had been placed thereon. The tongues of the snakes by that act became divided in two. The kusha grass (Kusha grass is also known as Darbha grass and is botanically known as Desmotachya bipinnata), too, from the contact with Amrita, became sacred from that time. Thus, did the illustrious Garuda bring Amrita (from the heavens) for the snakes, and thus were the tongues of snakes divided by what Garuda did.
“Then the bird of fair feathers (Garuda), very much delighted, enjoyed himself in those woods accompanied by his mother. Of grand achievements, and deeply respected by all travellers of the skies, he pleased his mother (Vinata) by consuming the snakes.
“That man who would listen to this story, or read it out to an assembly of good Brahmanas, must surely go to heaven, acquiring great merit from the recitation of (the feats of) Garuda.’”
SRIMAD MAHABHARATA – AADI PARVA – AASTIKA (UPA) PARVA – PART 34 – TONGUE OF SNAKES’ GETS SPLIT
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