Vishnusahasranama

Vikramah: He who rides on a bird (Garuda)

vi means the king of birds, Garuda; krama is the Lord’s sancAra playfully on the Garuda who is the embodiment of the three vedas, around the world.

prahlādaś cāsmi daityānāḿ kālaḥ kalayatām aham
mṛgāṇāḿ ca mṛgendro ’haḿ vainateyaś ca pakṣiṇām (BG 10.30)

Among the Daitya demons I am the devoted Prahlada, among subduers I am time, among beasts I am the lion, and among birds I am Garuda.

The Garuda Panchasatakam and Garuda Dandakam composed by Vedant Desika describes the greatness of Garuda. Tha Gayatri Mantra are the eyes of Garuda. Garuda is known as the protector and so the Gayatri Mantra protects whoever chants it. Garudadeva’s name is the Yajur Veda. The chandas of the Vedas are His limbs. The feet of Garudadev is known as Drishnya. The stoma (hymns) of the Sama Veda is the atma of Garuda. Garuda is said to be the personification of the Vedas.

Garuda knows ashtamasiddhis, He is the possessor of two abilities- He can make Himself the lightest of the lightest and heavier of the heaviest. The Supreme Lord Krishna seated on the Garuda, who is His vehicle is known as Garudarooda. Garuda as the personification of Vedas is known as Veda Swaroopi.

veda: svArthAdhirooDha: bahi: abahi: abhi-vyaktim abhyeti yasyAm  siddhi: sAnkarshaNee sA pariNamati yayA sApavarga trivargA | 
praaNasya praaNam anyam praNihita manasa: yatra nirdhArayanti  prAcee sA brahmavidyA paricita gahanA pAtu gArutmatee na: || (Garuda Panchashat Shloka 2)

The Garuda mantra manifests the Lord who shines in and out of Garuda, (inside as the import of the Vedas of which Garuda is the personification and outside as garudaarooda,  seated  on  Garuda)  and  it  gives  all  the  purusharthas  including  moksha, as Garuda is described as the amsa of Sankarshana. Those who become engrossed in this manthra consider it as even above the life force, praaNa. This mantra  is  quite  ancient  and  difficult  to  comprehend  even  with  successive  chanting. May that mantra protect us!

‘Vedaaatmaa  vihageSvara:’,  Garuda  is  the  personification  of  Vedas,  which  has  been  mentioned  in  the  Veda  itself.  The  symbolism  of  his  being  the  vehicle  of  Lord  is  that  Vedas  are  the  sole  means  of  communication  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  as  declared  in  the  brahmasuthra,  ‘Saastrayonitvaat’. 

One wing of Garuda is the called Saaman and the other is called Rathandra. Upanishads, the crown of the Vedas mention about Garuda. Garuda received the boon from Supreme Lord Krishna to be His vehicle and the Lord sports Garuda on His flag as a symbol of Victory.

Lets chant the Holy Name and seek to be protected and become Victorious in our Devotional service and Spiritual pursuit always. Nama 79 – VishnuSahasranama

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