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
