mahabharata stories

Suta said: “Hey the superior one among all the bramhins! While all the deities were standing ready for battle, Gurutmanta, the king of birds, reached them. Seeing that mighty one, all the gods trembled with fear and began to fight among themselves with all their weapons. Among the protectors of Soma Ameyatma, Vidyudagnisamaprabha and Sumahavirya Bhauvana were also there. He fought for a moment with Patagendra and fell having stuck in between the wings, beak and tentacles of Patagendra and died in the battlefield. That khechara raised a huge dust storm by stretching his wings wide and plunging the three worlds into darkness and gave tension to the gods. Since the entire area was covered with dust, the gods fainted. Those who stood waiting for Amrita were unable to see him in the dust. Thus Garuda smashed the guardian deities of the three worlds by giving a blow using his wings and beaks. Then the god Sahasraksha was terrified and thus gave command to the god vayu in this manner: “Hey ...

Shaunaka said: “Sutaja! What was Mahendra's crime and mistake? How did the birth of Garuda happen due to Valakhilya's penance? How was a bird born as the son of Brahmin Kasyapa? How did he become the one who cannot be killed and invisible everywhere? How did that khechara become Kamachari and Kamavirya? I want to hear all this as told in Puranas.” Suta said: “Dwija! All the things you have heard are explained in Puranas. Let me summarize them all. Listen. When Prajapati Kasyapa undertook the yajna for the sake of his children, the sages, deities and Gandharvas all helped a lot. Kasyapa was tasked with bringing samit to Indra, Valakhilya sages and other gods. Shakra, without tiring at all, carried a mountain's worth of materials according to his strength. On the way he saw all the sages who were as small as a thumb in size carrying a single stick of Palasha. Those Tapodhanas, who were poor from starvation, fell into a hole caused by a cow's foot on the road and were tor...

Suta said: “As soon as Mahabali Garuda touched that branch with his talons, he also grabbed the severed branch to break it. He saw Valakhilya hanging upside down while smiling at that severed branch. Afraid of their destruction, Khagadhipa, desiring to save them, took the branch in his beak and slowly ascended, shaking the mountain itself. Flying like this with elephants-kachchapa-valakhilyas, he saw many countries but did not find any land worthy of landing. Then Avyaya went to Mount Gandhamadana and found his father Kasyapa engaged in penance. His father, Lord Kashyapa, knowing what his intention was, saw that divine figure, brimming with brilliance and strength, swift as the wind, gigantic as a Shailasringa, sharp as the curse of a Brahman, inconceivable and unknowable, all-terrifying, mighty, brilliant as the veritable fire, invincible by the demons, able to crush mountain peaks like Kritanta, who could absorb all the waters of the ocean, and destroy all the worlds, and addresse...