Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/96

82 the Yajus, the Samas, the sacred sacrificial butter, all the mysteries (Upanishads), constitute thy strength !"

'Garuda, thus addressed by his father, wended to the side of that lake, He saw that expanse of clear water with birds of various kinds all around. And remembering the words of his father, that ranger of the skies possessed of great swiftness of motion, seized the elephant and the tortoise, one in each clow. And that bird then soared high into the air. And he came upon a sacred place called Alamva and saw many divine trees. And struck by the wind raised by bis wings, those trees began to shake with fear. And those divine trees having golden boughs feared that they would break. And the tanger of the skies seeing that those trees capable of granting every wish were quaking with fear, went to other trees of incomparable appearance. And those gigantic trees were adorned with fruits of gold and silver and branches of precious gems. And they were washed with the water of the sea. And there was a large banian among them, which had grown into gigantic proportions, that spoke unto that lord of birds coursing towards it with the fleetness of the mind, -'Sit thou on this large branch of mine extending a hundred yojanas and eat the elephant and the tortoise. When that best of birds, of great swiftness and of body resembling a mountain, quickly alighted upon a bough of that banian tree, the tesort of thousands of winged creatures: and that bough also tull of leaves shook and broke down."

So ends the twenty-ninth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.

Sauti said,-'At the very touch by Garuda of great might with his feet, the branch of the tree broke as it was caught by Garuda, Casting his eyes around in wonder he saw Valakbilya Rishis hanging chrefrom with heads downwards and engaged in ascetic penances. Reflecting that it that bough fell down, the Rishis would be slain, the mighty one held the elephant and the tortoise scill more firmly with his claws. And from fear of slaying the Rishis and desire of saving them, held that bougb in bis beaks, and rose on his wings. The great Rishis were struck with wonder at the sight of that act of his which was beyond even the power of the gods, and gave that mighty bird a name. And they said, -'As this ranger of the skies rises on its wings bearing a heavy burden, let this foremost of birds having snakes for his food be called Garuda (bearer of heavy weight) !"

And shaking the mountains by his wings, Garuda leisurely coursed