Garud is the ride of Bhagvaan Vishnu, the son of Kashyap and Aditi (a daughter of Daksh), and Indra's younger brother. Because his name is mentioned in almost everywhere wherever Vishnu's name is mentioned. So his name is not confined to Raamaayan only. Mahaabhaarat, Puraan also mention him.

Garud is the son of Maharshi Kashyap and Vinataa (a daughter of Daksh). Indra and Vishnu are the sons of Kashyap too but from Aditi. Kashyap's another wife Diti gave birth to Daitya. And yet his another wife Kadru gave birth to Naag. It should be known that Daksh married his 13 daughters to Kashyap. Vinataa had one son Garud, and Kadru had 60,000 Naag as her sons.

This story comes in Mahaabhaarat. Once Kadru and Vinataa started an argument on Soory'as chariot's horses' tails color. Kadru said - "Soorya's chariot's horses' tails are black." Vinataa said - "No, their tails are white." Kadru said - "No their tails are black." Both entered into argument and the argument came to an end with a bet. Kadru told that they would confirm this when the chariot would appear there again in the sky. If his tail was black then Kadru would win and Vinataa would be her slave; and if the tail was white then Vinataa would win and she would be her slave. Vinataa agreed upon this as she was sure of her knowledge.

Now it so happened that the chariot appeared again in the sky and both saw that the tails of the horses were black. Vinataa lost the bet and she started her life as a slave of Kadru. In fact Kadru knew that the horse's tail was white, but because of fear to lose the bet she asked her sons (Naag) to wrap around his tail so that it would look black. And she was successful, the tail looked black and she won the bet. Vinata started her life as the maidservant of her sister Kadru.

When Garud came to know about this cheating, he vowed that he would eat all Naag. Since then garud became the enemy of Naag. Wherever he saw a Naag he used to eat it. And since then their enmity is known and Naag are always careful about their lives. Even Kaaliya Naag also hid himself in Kaaliya Daha only because of fear of Garud. Then Krishn danced on his heads and made him fearless saying that "when Garud will see His footprints on his head he wouldn't say anything to him." and sent him to sea.

How Vinataa could be released from this slavery? Kadru asked her to bring the pot of Amrit for her, and as she would give her that pot, she would release her from her slavery. One day Vinataa's son Garud came to know about this. The pot of Amrit was in the custody of Indra. So he flew and stole that pot. The caretaker of that pot reported the incident to Indra. Indra got very angry. Garud explained him that he had to take that pot and give it to his mother and free her from Kadru's slavery.

Indra was not happy with this as others who were not worthy of it will become immortal by drinking it. At this Garud found a way, he said - "I take this pot and give it to my mother. She will give it to Kadru and Kadru will release my mother after getting he pot. Then you may steal it or whatever to get it back from her." Indra agreed at this and as soon as Kadru handed over the pot to Kadru, she got released from slavery, and Indra ran away snatching it from Kadu's hands.

As he was wandering, he came to nether region, he met Naarad on the way. Naarad asked him - "How come you are wandering here? Are you on Indra's mission or your own mission?" Then he told everything to Naarad, that he was looking for the groom for his daughter. Naarad said - "I know everything of these places, so let me take you there and you can choose whoever you like." So both went around. They went to Daitya's place, then birds' place, then they came to Naag's place Bhogvatee Nagaree. 

There Maatali selected a boy and asked Naarad to settle an alliance with him. Naarad said - "He is Aryak's grandson Sumukh. Aryak's son Chikoor was killed by Garud. Let us go to Aryak and talk to him." They went to him and talked to him about Maatali's daughter Gunaakeshee's marriage to his grandson. Aryak got sad and said - "I would have been very happy to accept this alliance but my son's age is very short. Garud has already killed his father, we are still grieving him; and he has told us that he would come back to kill him in one month time."

Maatali said - "I have an idea. Let him go with me to Indra. We will find some way." So all four went to Indra. Vishnu was also happened to be there by chance. Hearing all this Hari asked Indra to give Amrit to Sumukh, but Indra didn't give Amrit to Sumukh but just increased his age. As Garud heard this he got very angry with Indra to take his food. He said - "Don't think I am weak. I have similar lineage as yours and Vishnu's. I can support Trilok. I carry your younger brother with his friends on my one feather only. So He himself can decide who is more powerful amongst us."

Hari smiled and said - "Being so weak, how do you think yourself so powerful? Even Trilok united together cannot bear my weight. I myself bear my weight and yours too. If you think so then try to bear the weight of my right arm only." And saying this Hari put His right arm on Garud's shoulder. Garud could not bear its weight. He fell down almost fainted. Hari, however, did not hurt him much. Gasping his breath, he said to Hari in a feeble voice - "I did not know your strength before. You are the greatest." Hari said - "Never behave like this in future." Thus Hari crushed Garud's pride. After that Garud and Sumukh became friends. All became happy and went to their places.

(Read the story of Sumukh)

Then Hanumaan got an idea and he flew from there and came to Garud and told the whole incident. Then he requested him that his Swaamee was lying like this and He needed his help. Garud thought a bit and got ready to help his Swaamee. Both came to the battle ground. As snakes saw Garud coming towards them they immediately left Raam and Lakshman's bodies and ran away. Thus Raam and Lakshman's lives were saved. After finishing his work Garud flew away to his Lok.

On his way he thought - "My Swaamee is so powerful that He can alleviate all the pains of others, He can give anything to anybody, nobody can defeat Him, but how come that He could not save Himself from these ordinary snakes. He had to take my help for this. He who frees everybody from every kind of bondage, why I had to go to free him from these ordinary snakes? Then what kind of power He has? it means that I am more powerful than Him that I was called to save His life."

While going to his Lok he was thinking like this. He got so much confused with this idea that he diverted himself to Shiv. He told everything to Shiv and prayed that Shiv should remove his confusion. Shiv said - "I am in hurry to go to somewhere, you go to Kaagbhushundi Jee, he should be able to alleviate your confusion." Garud went to Kaagbhushundi and told his story.

Kaagbhushundi received him with great respect and politely told Raam Kathaa to him. He told him his own story also as how he got confused by Raam's Maayaa. There is nobody in the world who has not been affected by Raam's Maayaa but this Maayaa affects him less who always hears Raam's Kathaa.

(Read this story in Raamaayan)