Kathasaritsagara 4.2.236

4.2.236

mā mā garutman naivaiṣa nāgo nāgo hy ahaṃ tava /
tad enaṃ muñca ko 'yaṃ te jāto 'kāṇḍe bata bhramaḥ //

In the meanwhile Śankachúda came there, having worshipped Gokarna, and saw the rock of execution sprinkled with many drops of blood; then he thought— " Alas! surely that great-hearted one has offered himself for me, so 1 wonder where Garuda has taken him in this short time. I must search for him quickly, perhaps I may find him." Accordingly the good snake went following up the track of the blood. And in the meanwhile Garuda, seeing that Jímútaváhana was pleased, left off eating and thought with wonder: " This must be some one else, other than I ought to have taken, for though I am eating him, he is not at all miserable, on the contrary the resolute one rejoices." While Garuda was thinking this, Jímútaváhana, though in such a state, said to him in order to attain his object: " O king of birds, in my body also there is flesh and blood; then why have you suddenly stopped eating, though your hunger is not appeased?" When he heard that, that king of birds, being overpowered with astonishment, said to him— "Noble one, you are not a snake, tell me who you are." Jímútaváhana was just answering him, " I am a snake, so eat me, complete what you have begun, for men of resolution never leave unfinished an undertaking they have begun," when Śankachúda arrived and cried out from a- far, " Stop, stop, Garuda, he is not a snake, I am the snake meant for you, so let him go, alas!

how have you suddenly come to make this mistake?" On hearing that, the king of birds was excessively bewildered, and Jímútaváhana I at not having accomplished his desire. Then Garuda, learning, in the course of their conversation with one another, that he had begun to devour by mistake the king of the Vidyádharas, was much grieved. He began to reflect, "Alas! in my cruelty I have incurred sin. In truth those who follow evil courses easily contract guilt. But this great-hearted one who has given his life for another, and despising the world, which is altogether under the dominion of illusion, come to face me, deserves praise." Thinking thus, he was about to enter the fire to purify himself from guilt, when Jímútaváhana said to him: " King of birds, why do you despond? If you are really afraid of guilt, then you must determine never again to eat these snakes: and you must repent of eating all those previously devoured, for this is the only remedy available in this case, it was idle for you ever to think of any other." Thus Jímútaváhana, full of compassion for creatures, said to Garuda, and he was pleased and accepted the advice of that king, as if he had been his spiritual preceptor, determining to do what he recommended; and he went to bring nectar from heaven to restore to life rapidly that wounded prince, and the other snakes, whose bones only remained.