Birth of Garuda, King of birds

MahaBharata

Adi Parva Section 16,17

Astika Parva

Rishi Jaratkaru married Jaratkaru, sister of serpent king Vasuki to neutralise the curse given to snakes by their mother that they will be burnt in the snake sacrifice. Astika, son of Jaratkaru saved the snakes from that sacrifice.

Once upon a time, long time ago, Prajapati Kasyapa married two daughters of Prajapati Brahma. Vinata and Kadru. Kasyapa granted them a boon each. Kadru asked for thousands of snakes as sons with great strenth. Vinatha asked for two sons who surpass the sons of Kadru in strength, valor, and in all good qualities. Kasyapa said, 'so be it'. In due course Kadru gave birth to multitude of snakes, all having strength and valor. Vinata had two eggs, that were not hatching for 500 years. She couldnt wait and broke open one egg. The embryo was a son, whose upper part is formed but lower part is not. He curses his mother for this impatience and tells her that as a consequence she will be a slave to her sister. If she waits for the completion of hatching of second egg, the son who comes out will procure her freedom from bondage. After 500 years, out of the egg came Garuda, the lord of all birds. He flew immediately upwards towards light leaving his mother.

The half formed elder son of Vinata is the charioteer of Sun, who can be seen in the morning.

Kadru, and Vinata see the milky white divine horse (Uchchaisravas), and they have an argument. Kadru says that it is black, Vinata says it is white and they wage a bet that whoever wins, will get the other as slave.

Kadru orders her sons to go and hide in the tail of the horse, so that it looks black. They refuse to do the bidding of their mother, upon which she curses the snakes that "Agni the firegod will eat you up in a snake sacrifice". Being afraid at this curse, snakes agree to do the bidding of their mother and they go and hide in the tail of the horse. Vinata loses the bet and she becomes the slave of Kadru for 500 years. It is a different story how Garuda procures her release from slavery from the bondage of snakes.