Garuḍa Kākabhuśuṇḍi Saṃvāda

This episode comes from the Uttara Kāṇḍa of the Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa. The divine eagle Garuḍa heard the whole Rāmakathā (the story of Rāma) from the crow Kākabhuśuṇḍi at the Nīlādri mountain. It began when Garuḍa saw Bhagavān Rāma bound by Meghānāda’s nāgāstra during the Laṅkā war, and a doubt rose in his mind. Nārada sent him to Brahmā, Brahmā sent him to Bhagavān Śiva, and Bhagavān Śiva sent him to Kākabhuśuṇḍi. After hearing the Rāmāyaṇa, Garuḍa’s doubt was gone and his bhakti (devotion) was firm.

Garuḍa’s doubt at the Laṅkā war

During the Laṅkā war, Garuḍa saw something that deeply disturbed him. Bhagavān Rāma lay bound on the battlefield by Meghānāda’s nāgāstra, the serpent-weapon. Nārada had called Garuḍa, and Garuḍa had come to free Rāma and Lakshmaṇa from the serpent-bonds. The Laṅkā Kāṇḍa tells that liberation in full. But after he had done this service, Garuḍa could not forget the sight. Bhagavān Rāma, who fills all things, had lain helpless before the weapon of a mere dānava, a dānava’s son.

The king of birds thought to himself: “The one who has come down as Rāma is Parabrahman, *sarvavyāpaka (all-pervading) and māyātīta (beyond illusion). How did that master of the universe get caught in the net of chains thrown by a petty dānava?”*

Later Bhagavān Śiva told this account to Pārvatī. He said: “Just as you yourself, Devī, once fell into doubt about Rāma’s nature, so this king of birds fell into confusion. Rāma’s *māyā cannot be measured.”*

The journey through the three lokas

Troubled by his doubt, Garuḍa went to Nārada. The divine ṛshi heard him with a gentle smile and said: “O Garuḍa! The *māyā of Prabhu Rāma of Avadha cannot be imagined. Even the greatest jñāna-dhanas (those rich in knowledge) fall under that māyā at times. Even I have been tricked by it many times. Words alone will not end your doubt. Go to Brahmā. He alone can give you the right answer.”*

Garuḍa went to Brahmā. The four-faced creator heard the doubt and answered with a serious voice: “O Khagendra! Who am I to describe the *māyā of Śrīpati? Even the greatest scholars and knowers of Paramātmā fall under it at times. The power of that Parātpara can be fully known by Śaṅkara alone. He is the only one who can give you a fitting answer.”* Brahmā then sent Garuḍa toward Kailāsa.

Garuḍa met Bhagavān Śiva on the road. Bhagavān Śiva was on his way to see Kubera at Alakāpurī. Garuḍa came forward, bowed at Bhagavān Śiva’s feet, and humbly told him the doubt. Bhagavān Śiva was very pleased with Garuḍa’s honest wish to understand, and said:

“O Nāgāntaka! I understand your doubt. But I have no free time now. And a doubt of this kind, about the mysteries of Bhagavān Rāma’s *līlā, cannot be settled by a short talk. It needs long satsaṅga (company of the good). Bhagavān Rāma’s divine history is deep and subtle. Without hearing the Purāṇas it cannot be fully understood. Without sādhu-saṅga (the company of holy people), Hari-kathā (the story of Bhagavān Hari) is not heard. Without Hari-kathā, ajñāna (ignorance) does not end. Without the end of ajñāna, firm bhakti at Rāma’s lotus feet is hard to get.*

“O king of the air! To the north of this place is a mountain called Nīlādri. Near it lives a pure-hearted, virtuous and blessed being named Kākabhuśuṇḍi. He tells the Rāmāyaṇa without a break. Go to that devotee of Rāma and hear the divine story of Bhagavān Rāma. Through it your doubts, born of *moha (delusion), will go.”*

So Bhagavān Śiva sent Garuḍa to Kākabhuśuṇḍi.

How Bhagavān Śiva came to hear the story

Bhagavān Śiva then told Pārvatī how he himself had come to hear this account. After Satī’s death and Daksha’s yajña, Bhagavān Śiva had wandered in grief through mountains and forests. He saw their beauty but found no comfort. During that wandering he came upon Kākabhuśuṇḍi at the Nīlādri and heard the Rāmakathā from him. It was this very account that he later told to Pārvatī.

Bhagavān Śiva also told her how Garuḍa came to Kākabhuśuṇḍi. He had sent Garuḍa from the road to the Nīlādri, knowing it was Bhagavān Rāma’s own plan to remove the pride of his great devotee, by leading him through doubt to satsaṅga. Bhagavān Rāma does not bear excessive pride (durabhimāna) even in his nearest devotees. Through this arrangement Garuḍa’s mind was both humbled and raised.

Garuḍa reaches the Nīlādri

As Garuḍa came near the holy Nīlādri, the very sight of the peak began to clear away the clouds of māyā that covered his mind. Being near that mountain made his inner sight clear. He bathed in the sacred lake nearby and went to the great vaṭa (banyan) tree where the crow had his āśrama.

There he saw a remarkable scene. Under that great tree an assembly of birds, haṃsas and others, had gathered in good order. Kākabhuśuṇḍi was in the middle of a kathā-pravacana (a talk on a sacred story). When the birds saw the king of birds arrive, they all stood up with respectful words of welcome, gave him a seat and asked after his wellbeing. Kākabhuśuṇḍi then bowed low before Garuḍa and said:

“O Rājakula! Your holy arrival has made our home pure. We are blessed to have your *darśana. What service can I do for you?”*

Garuḍa asks for the Rāmakathā

Garuḍa was glad at the warm welcome and replied: “O Khagottama! The great Parameśvara Śiva himself told me of the good fortune of meeting you, a supreme *bhāgavata (devotee of Bhagavān Rāma). From the moment I entered this āśrama, my wish has been fulfilled. O Saumya! Please tell me the holy and blessed history of that Prabhu Rāma of Sāketa, and give my ears a feast.”*

Kākabhuśuṇḍi was overjoyed at the purity and honesty of Garuḍa’s wish. He began with a description of the Rāmacaritamānasa lake. Then he went through the whole Rāmāyaṇa: the birth of Rāma, his childhood, his learning under Viśvāmitra, the killing of Tāṭakā, the freeing of Ahalyā, the events at Mithilā, the exile, and all seven kāṇḍas up to the coronation. He told everything with deep devotion and care.

When the whole telling was finished, Garuḍa’s doubt was gone, his mind was calm, and his bhakti was firm and unshaken. In joyful thanks he praised Kākabhuśuṇḍi in many ways.

Kākabhuśuṇḍi’s teaching on Rāma’s true nature

After telling the Rāmāyaṇa, Kākabhuśuṇḍi gave Garuḍa the key to what he had seen:

“O Khagēśvara! Rāma is truly *saccidānanda-svarūpa, the living form of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss. He is aja (unborn), vijñāna-mūrti (the form of perfect knowing), sarvaguṇa-dhāma (home of all virtues), sarvavyāpaka (all-pervading), akhaṇḍa (undivided), ananta (endless) and amēya-śakti (of power beyond measure). That divine one is avāṅmanasa-gocara, beyond the reach of speech and mind. He is ajita (unconquerable) and avināśī (imperishable).*

“O Mitra! Can the *māyā of Bhagavān Rāma, so great, be reached or overcome by mere darkness? Can darkness ever come near the sun? Bhagavān Rāma himself came down to earth in human form for the good of his devotees, and showed his līlā as an ordinary person would. An actor puts on many costumes in a play and acts well in each, yet he is always the same actor. In the same way, understand the avatāra-līlā of Bhagavān Rāma. Those who cannot understand this are bewildered by ajñāna. Those who are foremost among devotees (bhakta-pravas) never fall into this confusion. They always see Śrī Rāma as Bhagavān Rāma himself.”*

Kākabhuśuṇḍi also spoke of nirguṇa (without qualities) and saguṇa (with qualities): “O Garuḍa! To know nirguṇa Brahman is quite easy. But to recognise saguṇa Brahman is very hard. This is because nirguṇa Brahman is of one flavour (ekarasa*), while saguṇa Brahman shows itself in endless forms.”*

Garuḍa’s departure

When the whole teaching had been received, Garuḍa bowed to Kākabhuśuṇḍi many times with folded hands. His voice was thick with thanks: “O Paramatattvajña! O Bhāgavatottama Bhūśuṇḍī! By the good fortune of hearing the Rāmacaritamānasa-amṛta, rich with *bhakti-rasa, my life has been made worthwhile today. The delusion and grief born of māyā have gone. My mind is pure and my heart is at peace. Through your teaching the secrets of Rāma’s avatāra are clear to me. O Dharmaja! It is well known that even the greatest cannot cross the ocean of saṃsāra without a guru. Rāma himself came to me in your form, gave me guru-bodha (a guru’s teaching) and cleared my doubts.”*

Garuḍa asked one more question, about Kākabhuśuṇḍi’s crow body and his past lives. This led to the full telling of Kākabhuśuṇḍi’s pūrva-gātha (account of his past). When it was finished, Garuḍa bowed deeply again, received Kākabhuśuṇḍi’s blessing, and left the Nīlādri āśrama, singing the glories of Nārāyaṇa. He returned to Vaikuṇṭha.

Sources

• Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Uttara Kāṇḍa, Śiva Narrates to Pārvatī (including How Śiva Heard Rāma Kathā)
• Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Uttara Kāṇḍa, Garuḍa-Kākabhuśuṇḍi Meeting
• Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Uttara Kāṇḍa, Kākabhuśuṇḍi’s Teaching (including Bhakti Is Supreme)
• Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Laṅkā Kāṇḍa (the liberation of Rāma and Lakshmaṇa from the nāgāstra)