[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Architecture and art](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art) › [The Development of Hindu Iconography](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.banerjea-1941) › c19.s3.1 # The Development of Hindu Iconography c19.s3.1 The Development of Hindu Iconography c19.s3.1 - **Language:** English ### [c19.s3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.banerjea-1941.c19.s3.1) It has already been shown in Chapter X of this book that Garuḍa or Garutmān, the mount of Viṣṇu (in the Sātvata list of the 39 incarnations of the god he appears as Vihaṅgama and Amṛtaharaṇa, the god's 9th and 18th Avatāras; Amṛtaharaṇa may also stand for Indra, for he stole the nectar from the Nāgas) was originally the Sun conceived as a bird. The Ṛgvedic hymn (I. 164, 46) describes the celestial Garutmān as endowed with beautiful wings (divyaḥ sa suparṇo Garutmān). Garuḍa's another name is Tārkṣya in the epic and Purāṇic literature; the latter name, occurring twice in some late verses of the Ṛgveda (I. 89, 6 and X. 178, 1), denotes a horse. In many passages of the Great Epic, Garuḍa is formally identified with the Vedic Garutmān, and is described as the brother of Aruṇa, the forerunner of Sūrya; in the developed mythology of the epic and Purāṇic period, he is the son of the sage Kaśyapa and Vinatā (one of his names is Vainateya), and is thus the half-brother of the Nāgas, sons of Kaśyapa by his other wife. Garuḍa's enmity with the Nāgas is proverbial (he is called bhujagāri, pannagāśana, pannaga-bhojana, etc.), and the texts ascribe it to the ill-treatment of his mother by her co-wife and stepsons. The Mahābhārata (Ādiparva, Chs. 43-50) narrates the story of the stealing of Amṛta or the nectar (Amṛtaharaṇa) by Garuḍa who undertook this task for the Nāgas in order that they would release Vinatā from Kadru's bondage. While on his way to secure the nectar for his half-brothers, he lifted up an elephant named Supratīka and a tortoise called Vibhāvasu with his talons from the lake Ālamba. He later ate up his two prizes, and proceeding to Indra's capital vanquished the divine guards of the nectar and flew with it to the Nāgas. Vinatā was set free as stipulated, but the Nāgas were deprived of Amṛta which was stolen by the crafty Indra in disguise. The tongues of the Nāgas were cleft asunder, and remained so ever afterwards, because they licked up the sharp-edged kuśa grass on which the pot of ambrosia was placed by Garuḍa; this is also the reason why the kuśa grass is so sacred to the Hindus (for various other epic stories about the Sun-bird, refer to Hopkins, Epic Mythology, pp. 21ff.). - [Previous: c19.s2.17](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.banerjea-1941.c19.s2.17) - [Next: c19.s3.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.banerjea-1941.c19.s3.2) - [Up: c19.s3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.banerjea-1941.c19.s3) ## Linked texts (2) - [Ṛgvedasaṃhitā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.samhita.rg.1.164.46) — Sanskrit - [Mahābhārata](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.banerjea-1941.c19.s3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.banerjea-1941.c19.s3.1) · Pramāṇa