GirijŒ, I have thus narrated the whole episode as to when I visited the bird (KŒkabhuÜu˜˛i). Now hear the circumstances under which Garu˛a (the glory of the feathered kingdom) called on the crow. When the Lord of the Raghus enacted the sport of a combat (with MeghanŒda, RŒva˜a’s son)—the very thought of which fills me with shame—and allowed Himself to be bound by MeghanŒda (the conqueror of Indra), the sage NŒrada despatched Garu˛a. When Garu˛a (the devourer of serpents) had cut the bonds and departed a terrible dejection possessed his soul. Racalling the Lord’s bondage, the enemy of the serpents thought over the incident in many ways : “It was the all-pervading and passionless Brahma, the lord of speech, the supreme Ruler beyond MŒyŒ and error, who had, I was told, taken descent in this world. But I saw none of His divine glory. (1—4)