Vedanta Desika’s Garuda Panchasat describes how Garuda attacked the snakes which had, by resort to trickery and deceit, enslaved Garuda’s mother. Garuda’s sharp beak, his talons and his teeth strike fear in the hearts of the snakes. Garuda goes out against all snakes and so fierce is he that Surya begins to fear that he might be in danger of losing his horses, because the bridle used to control them is a snake! But he takes consolation from the fact that one of his charioteers is Aruna, Garuda’s brother.
Lord Siva has a bow, called the Pinaaka, the string of which is the snake Vasuki. So Siva’s worry is that if Vasuki is disturbed, He will be without a bow! Lord Narayana reclines on the serpent Adisesha and He too requests Garuda not to disturb His serpent bed.
Garuda seeks out the snakes, so that they have no place to hide from him. He even goes after them into the netherworlds, elaborated V.S. Karunakarachariar, in a discourse. His fierce glance makes it clear to them what is in store for them. It is not just the snakes that tremble in fear. The oceans roar and the mountains tremble. The power of his wings parts the waters of the ocean, making way for him to enter the netherworlds. But even before the parted waters can get back together, Garuda is back, having slain his foes! So swift is Garuda. The eight important snakes become his ornaments.
