Garuda- Buddhist CreatureCreature · Hybrid"King of Birds"
Also known as: Garuḍa, Karura, 迦樓羅, Suparna, Supaṇṇa, and गरुड
Description
Golden-winged beings vast enough to blot out the sun, the garudas are the eternal hunters of the nagas. They seize serpents in their talons and devour them. Yet the Buddha himself brokered peace between the two races, and both became protectors of the dharma.
Mythology & Lore
Hunters of the Nagas
The garudas are golden-feathered beings with a human body and the wings, beak, and talons of an eagle. They inhabit the slopes of Mount Meru in the realm of the Four Great Kings, alongside the very nagas they hunt. The enmity between bird and serpent is older than the current world. Garudas seize nagas in their talons and devour them; naga venom cannot touch them.
The Supanna Samyutta describes the Buddha establishing peace between the two races, forbidding the garudas from killing nagas who had taken refuge in the dharma. Both became protectors of the teachings. Mantras invoking the garuda are recited for protection against poisoning, and garuda amulets ward off venomous creatures. A being born to hunt serpents became a healer of their bites.
Karura
In Japan, the garuda became Karura: a serene, bird-headed figure with a human body, often depicted playing a flute. The predator turned guardian. Karura masks appear in traditional Gigaku theater performances, and Karura figures stand watch over temple architecture. The flute replaced the talons.