GARUDA, GARUDA BIRD
Hindu Mythology
Mythology of Buddhists
Indonesian Mythology
This is the name of a fabulous bird in the Hindu and Buddhist mythologies of India and other eastern countries with these traditions, especially Indonesia. GARUDA, also known as TARSWIN, meaning "Swift One", is variously described as having the body of an eagle that may be gold, green, or red; four human arms; and wings that are golden or scarlet. He has the head of a bird with a human face that may be gold or white. GARUDA was hatched from an egg over a period of 500 years, although it is the son of KASYAPA and VINATA. When his mother was enslaved by his father's second wife, a NAGINI, GARUDA undertook to steal the AMRITA from the gods as her ransom. After this his hatred for the NAGAS knew no bounds, and he became the sworn enemy of these snake beings. GARUDA met with the god VISHNU and became a celestial steed of the god. GARUDA is not only the symbol of many nobles and royalty in southeastern Asia but also a heraldic symbol of the Indonesian Garuda Airlines.
Source: Giants, Monsters, and Dragons: An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and Myth