Birds of the Ramayana

It is a fleeting but crucial moment within the Ramayana

when Garuda, the king of the birds, enters to save Rama
and Lakshmana, and withdraws without participating in
the battle with Ravana. A faithful and constant
companion of Narayana, he would have dearly loved to
have fought alongside Rama. It is amazing that in spite
of this momentary inclusion in the Ramayana, it is this
grand epic and Garuda that brings together the
tremendous diversity and panorama of nations from
Mongolia, to Central Asia to South Asia and the Far East
and South East Asian nations.
There are only two common threads between all these
nations, and they are the Ramayana and Garuda. It is
indeed a most challenging task to limit oneself to the
presence and actions of Garuda within the Ramayana
and not allow any of the many hundreds of stories of
Garuda to be retold here. It is in the first day of the
battle, in the Yuddha Kanda of the Ramayana that
Garuda helps Rama and Lakshmana. So shall it be told...
The warriors of Ravana came to him and informed him
that the city of Lanka had been surrounded by Rama
along with his Vanara warriors. Knowing this, Ravana

began to make arrangements for war, and climbed up to

the ramparts of the city walls to look at the invading
army and to ensure that Lanka was well defended.
Ravana looked all about the beautiful city of Lanka, and
the mountains and forests that were within it, and around
the city walls. The beauty of his glorious city was
marred by the extensively spread out army of Rama,
waiting to attack.
From where he stood, Ravana could see that Rama's
army of Vanaras was in good strength. At this moment,
the valiant Ravana was perplexed, seeing the numbers of
the Vanaras, and wondered how he could destroy them
completely. Knowing the strength of his own army, his
generals and especially his son, Indrajit, Ravana
regained his confidence and assured himself that victory
would definitely be his, and Rama and his army of
Vanaras would be wiped out.
At the same moment, Rama was inspecting the city and
its great walls. Rama, seated on Hanuman's shoulders,
moved about his army of Vanaras, and inspected the
armies of Ravana, the manner in which the city was
defended, the various banners of Ravana's generals and
the numerous settlements within the protected walls. For
Rama, he did not see the beauty of Lanka, and neither
did he seem to appreciate the forests and mountains. For
him, his heart in anguish, he kept telling himself, that
this was the city where Sita, the daughter of Janaka, was
hidden away.
Valmiki writes that, at that moment, Rama thought of

Sita, who eyes resembled those of a fawn, and yet was

tormented with severe grief, and probably was in severe
physical distress, possibly refusing to eat, and sleeping
on bare ground and suffering all these days merely

because of the actions of Rama, himself. Thinking of

Sita in trouble, thus, Rama commanded his army of
Vanaras to attack the city of Lanka immediately.
Realising that Rama was not weary of having arrived in
Lanka just then, crossing over the bridge that they had
constructed, having struggled with it for many days, the
eager army of Vanaras were delighted. They were all
keen to begin the battle, and show their prowess to Rama
and Sugreeva, the King of the Vanaras.
The Vanara warriors roared in pleasure, eager to fight,
roaring that they would destroy the city of Lanka, and
that they would do so merely with rocks, mountainpeaks or with their fists. Some Vanara generals roared
that they could destroy the city of Lanka with their bare
hands. They could tear off and lift entire mountain
peaks, huge rocks or pull out huge trees and carry them
as weapons. Having armed themselves, they began to
attack the city walls, and Ravana stood, waiting,
watching and wondering.