Goddess Durga – The slayer of Mahisha

Goddess Durga is the warrior goddess who fought and defeated the evil Mahishasura.

The story of Mahishasura starts with his father - Ramba.

Ramba was an asura who performed severe penance to make the Gods happy. Lord Agni [the Lord of the Fire] was pleased with the penance and appeared before him, "Open your eyes, son of Dhanu."

Ramba opened his eyes and bowed to Agni.

Agni smiled and asked him, "I am pleased with your penance, what do you wish?"

Ramba said, "I wish for a son, my Lord, who cannot be killed by any man or God or animal."

Lord Agni said, "So be it. However if your son himself prays to Lord Brahma for the boon, he would become more powerful. "

Ramba nodded his head as Lord Agni disappeared.

Ramba the king of demons, then fell in love with Mahishi, a water buffalo (The water buffalo was Princess Shyamala, who was actually cursed to be a buffalo). Their son’s name was Mahishasura. As Mahisha's mother was a buffalo, he was able to change into human and a buffalo form and could even assume the form of other animals.

However Mahishasura's parents died soon after he was he was born. Mahishasura was brought up by Ramba’s relatives.

"No man or God can defeat you Mahisha. You are meant to be a great king." They would tell him.

Mahisha soon believed all this and thought that he was invincible.

When he had grown up, he went to his uncle, "Uncle, all my life you have told me that I am meant to be a great king – so great that I can rule the Devas." Mahishasura said with glowing eyes. "I want to know what I am supposed to do to make that dream a reality."

Mahisha's uncle looked at the strapping young boy and smiled. He told Mahishasura all about his parents and the boon of Lord Agni. Mahishasura listened attentively and finally nodded. "So I have to pray to Lord Brahma. Mahisha's uncle nodded.

The young boy then set out to the forest and performed a severe penance to Lord Brahma. Finally Lord Brahma was pleased and appeared before Mahishasura. "What boon do you seek Mahishasura?"

"Lord, I was born after my father had a boon from Lord Agni. I wish to get the boon myself to make it more powerful. I wish that I cannot be killed by any man, God or animal. I wish to be the most powerful of all creatures ever created," Mahishasura immediately said,

Lord Brahma was not very happy but he had no choice.

Lord Brahma had a suspicion that this boon was going to have very bad results. However as he had promised that he would give any boon and so he had to grant Mahisha's boon. With a heavy heart Lord Brahma granted Mahisha his boon and disappeared.

Mahishasura returned home a triumphant man and began preparations for war to expand his kingdom. Empowered by his boon, no one was able to stand up against Mahishasura and soon he became powerful. He ruled all over the earth. However Mahishasura just did not conquer kingdoms. He destroyed the kingdoms, and terrorized the people. People feared him but did not know what to do to escape from him. Anyone who stood up against Mahishasura was mercilessly killed by the demon.

The people prayed fervently to Mahadevi – the great Goddess to come and protect them.

Meanwhile Mahishasura was not satisfied after conquering the earth. He set his sight on the heavens. He invaded the heavens and defeated Indra, the king of the Gods. Indra’s army was defeated and the Devas were all driven out. The Devas ran and went to Brahma.

"My Lord Brahma," Indra said falling at Brahma"s feet, "Please save us. You are the only one who can protect us." Lord Brahma looked at the faces of the gods and realized that something was very wrong.

The Devas slowly told him how they had been routed by Mahishasura.

"My Lord," Varuna said, "nothing we do seems to hurt him. He just seems to get more and more powerful. "

Lord Brahma spoke for the first time, "Sons, you all know of the boon I gave Mahisha. I did not want to give him the boon, but I really did not have a choice. His penance was so strong that I had to give him what he had asked for," Lord Brahma said feeling more and more angry with himself for granting Mahisha the boon.

"However, don't worry Devas," Lord Brahma said collecting himself. “We will go and see Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. They are both at Vaikunta now discussing this very problem. Let us go there and join them."

Goddess Saraswati said, "I will accompany you to Vaikunta."

So Lord Brahma and Goddess Saraswati led the Devas to Vaikunta -Lord Vishnu’s home. There they saw Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati and Lord Vishnu with Goddess Lakshmi together.

Indra bowed to the Gods and told them of their problems. When Indra finished, the entire Vaikunta resounded with a voice, a strong and melodious voice, the voice of Mahadevi, the great Goddess. "Children, Lord Brahma’s boon protects Mahishasura from any man and God but not from a woman. Use all your powers and together create a great power. The three Goddesses should come together. I will incarnate there in the form of a warrior Goddess. Gift the warrior with all your weapons. She will solve all your problems."

Hearing this, the three Shaktis - Parvati, Lakshmi and Saraswati smiled. They were all incarnations of the great Goddess. Now their mother wanted to create another power strong enough to destroy Mahisha. The three of them merged together.

When they came together Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma gave out a blinding white light, which fused with the merged bodies of the three Goddess. The light was so fierce that it could not even be seen by Devas with their eyes.

The blinding lights met at the ashram of a priest Katyayan.

From this light emerged a woman with a thousand hands. The Goddess looked ferocious and beautiful at the same time.

The Goddess introduced herself in the same melodious and strong voice of Mahadevi, "I am Katyayani, because I was formed in the ashram of Katyayan. I am Durga [Durga literally translated in Sanskrit means "the invincible"]. I am the incarnation of the Mahadevi and I have come here to destroy all evil."

The gods all stared at the Goddess Durga and bowed to her.

Lord Shiva them picked up his trident and offered it to Durga. Lord Vishnu offered his Sudarshana Chakra to the Goddess. Lord Brahma then offered his Kamandalam of holy water.

Indra hesitatingly came forward and offered the Goddess his thunderbolt [Vajrayudham]. Following him the other gods also came forward. Varuna gave Durga a conch, Agni gave her a missile, Vayu gave her bows and arrows. Vishwakarma – the architect of the Gods gave Durga his axe and a very powerful armour. The God of the Mountains gave her a lion.

Now armed with the weapons, Goddess Durga sat on the lion majestically and let out a chilling roar. The roar was so loud that the three worlds trembled. Ocean waves crashed up the skies and the earth shook.

In the heavens, looking at all this Mahishasura’s heart nearly missed a beat.

He rushed outside his palace and wondered what was going on.

What he saw almost made his heart stop. There was a beautiful, fierce woman riding majestically on a lion and coming straight for him. Her face was gentle and patient, but try as he might, Mahishasura could not shake out the feeling of dread when he saw the Goddess.

Mahishasura realized that the woman was the cause of the roar and the trembling, he had heard and felt a few minutes back. Mahishasura was more and more terrified. Mahishasura hastily gave an order to all his people to have their armies ready to fight her. Deep inside Mahishasura wondered whether anything could protect him against the woman.

The woman was now within hearing distance and looked contemptuously at Mahishasura. "You are the one who wanted to die in the hands of a woman, didn’t you? Well here I am. "

Mahishasura hastily stepped back in fear. He turned to his men, "Well, what are you staring at? Is it not your job to protect me. Protect me from this woman." He said pointing to Goddess Durga.

Mahisha's men were in no mood to fight against the Goddess. But they had little choice. Mahisha was their ruler. They had to obey his wishes.

So the asuras fought with Devi. The first wave of the soldiers threw in their weapons. The Goddess destroyed all their weapons, with the same speed that the asuras threw them. Weapon-less, the asuras now attacked the Devi barehanded. Giving out another roar, the Devi used all her weapons with devastating effect. Almost half of Mahisha's army was destroyed in the attack of the Devi. And the worst part was none of them were able to find any weakness in the fighting technique of the Devi. It was almost as if she was fighting machine, made specifically for killing them all.

Looking at the battle from the confines of the palace, Mahishasura was terrified. He knew that he had no choice but to face the woman soon. The way she was going, there was nothing of his army going to be left by evening.

He called in his personal army. Asuras he had hand picked, who were very brave and brilliant fighters. He had always thought that there was no equal to his personal army anywhere in the world. Now he fervently hoped he was right.

He addressed his men, "You are the bravest among all of the Asuras. You have to show this woman what we can really do," He said looking at all of them. The men nodded and turned to the battlefield. Mahishasura was in their centre protected from them.

As Mahishasura marched in, Goddess Durga looked at him and his men. As she was firing weapons and killing Asuras, she realised that the personal army of Mahishasura was another matter. They were better fighters. Durga smiled.

These men were better fighters then the warriors that she was facing, the Goddess thought as she fired arrows with an unimaginable speed, killing asuras everywhere. I am also going to need people to fight for me.

Goddess Durga without stopping any of her arrows, muttered shlokas and concentrated hard.

Mahishasura could not believe what he was seeing. Durga had been fighting and then suddenly behind Durga he could see a new army. An army of fierce brave warriors, who looked every bit as ferocious and resolute as the Devi herself.

Mahishasura almost faltered. But he was the leader of his men. He could not back off now. He had to face it and try to win.

The army of the Devi made short work of the remaining army of Mahisha. All of them fought like Devi Durga – with single minded devotion, patiently and fiercely.

Mahisha told his men, "You take on her army, men. I will take her on. "

The men nodded and soon began a fierce battle. Durga’s army though small was extremely disciplined, and strong. Though Mahisha's personal army was powerful, Durga’s army seemed to handle the battle better.

Mahishasura saw angrily as more and more asuras died, whereas very few of Durga’s army were hurt. Enraged Mahisha turned into a buffalo and charged at Durga’s army. He wounded many soldiers, bit them and hit with his tail. Durga’s lion attacked the buffalo. Durga threw a noose around his neck and was about to pull out her sword.

Mahishasura suddenly changed form into an elephant. Using his trunk, he pulled up the legs of the lion towards him, trying to throw Durga to the ground. However it made no difference to the Devi. She stuck at Mahishasura with her sword. The sword found its mark and there was a blood flowing at the elephant’s trunk.

However at the last minute, Mahishasura changed into a lion himself. The Devi and the lion clashed.

The personal army of Mahisha was also not faring too well. Durga’s army was just trampling among Mahisha's men.

The Mahisha-lion was defeated by Goddess Durga. Mahisha decided to change into a man. But nothing changed. Durga still defeated him easily.

Mahisha tried his hands at everything. He tried to change his attack, his brute force, the positioning of his army, his own personal appearance. .he tried changing everything. hoping that something would stop the Warrior Goddess. But he should have known better.

She was Durga, the invincible.

The battle raged on. the battle raged for nine days. In the dawn of the tenth day, Mahishasura knew that he could not keep this up any more.

The woman was too powerful and she fought like.....Mahisha had no words to describe the fighting technique of the woman. What was actually difficult for Mahisha to believe was that in these ten days, Mahisha realised that the Devi had not fought him to her actual level. If she had, Mahisha thought shivering, the war would have been over in a day.

But Mahisha had no choice but to go on. He had started the war with a huge army. now there were barely a hundred of them left. And Mahisha also felt his own energy going down sharply.

In a last ditch effort, Mahisha attacked the Devi and her army in his own form of a buffalo. He came close to her, hoping that he could confuse her, but today the Goddess was prepared for him. She drew out her sword and slashed at him. Mahisha saw that the wound was very deep. If he had escape any further injuries, he had to change form. Mahisha had half emerged from the form of the buffalo, when the Devi let out another roar and jumped from her lion. She leapt on the Mahisha and pined him down. She used so much force that Mahisha was unable to move or even use his power of changing form.

The Devi then looked at him and with a flash, brought out her sword, before Mahisha could even understand what was happening, it was over. Mahishasura was no more.

The Gods who watched the entire battle were overjoyed. It was over. Mahisha was dead. He would never torment them again. The gods ran forward to the Devi and fell on her feet. "Devi. you have brought an end to the evil which tormented us. You are our mother, our protector. Mother please always protect us, whenever we are in trouble. "

Goddess Durga looked at all of them and smiled. "Go forth in peace, my sons. You have my blessings, now and forever. "

The Goddess vanished and the Gods gave Goddess Durga another name Mahishasuramardini [the one who ended Mahisha's life] and sang her praises and went back to heavens!

Click here for audio story. Voices by SA Krishnan Sancheta Jain and families

The marriage of Guna Kesi with Sumukha – Garuda humbled

Garuda is the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. Garuda is extremely powerful and strong. However all this got into his head and he became very haughty and arrogant. Do you know how Lord Vishnu cured Garuda of his pride? It starts with Matali, the charioteer of Lord Indra, the king of the Devas...

Matali was in a fix. His daughter Guna Kesi had reached a marriageable age and he could not find a good match for her. Matali rejected all the men he had seen till now... They just did not seem worthy of his daughter.

Matali was wondering what to do, when he heard a mischievous voice behind him, "Narayana! Narayana!". Matali turned and saw Sage Narada standing behind him. Matali smiled genially at Sage Narada and bowed to him. Sage Narada has roamed all over the three worlds...he would definitely be of great help to him..."Sage Narada! I need your help..." He said after Sage Narada blessed him.

Sage Narada laughed, "Well, that is what I do all the time...I help people. But I don"t understand, what the greatest charioteer in the world could want," Matali looked modest as Sage Narada continued, "You are Indra"s personal charioteer. I have heard that the way you deal with the horses is so magnificent that when you ride the chariot, it looks like as if the horses responds to your thought. Indra keeps talking on and on about how well you deal with the horses and how well you advised him during the times of war."

Matali shook his head very pleased with himself and trying his best not to show it. "But sage Narada, that is not what I want help from you. It is a problem in my home."

Sage Narada looked amused, "That is impossible! You have the most talented and skillful Guna Kesi as your daughter. She takes care of your home very well, what problems could you have?"

Matali smiled, "My daughter is of marriageable age now. She has asked me to choose a suitable man for her." Matali shook his head. "And I cannot find anyone who is good enough for her. I just don’t think I will ever find anyone who will love my daughter enough and keep her happy for the rest of her life."

Sage Narada laughed, "Spoken like a father!" Sage Narada waved his hands around, "You were not able to find anyone in the heavens worthy for your daughter."

Matali gave a slight shake as he spoke, "I want to search all the fourteen worlds before I select someone good for my daughter.I was just wondering whether you could...."

Sage Narada prodded Matali as he stopped, "Go ahead...tell me what is in your mind..." Matali took a deep breath, "you have seen the patala and all the other underground worlds too. I just want to know whether you have seen anybody there who is..." Matali trailed away not saying anything.

Sage Narada looked at Matali with mischievous eyes. "Now that you have asked me, I can think of someone who would be a good match for your daughter."

Matali’s eyes lit up with excitement. "Who is it? Please tell me, who it is." He begged Sage Narada.

Sage Narada said, "I won’t tell you!"

Matali looked surprised as Sage Narada continued, "I will show you."

Saying both Matali and Narada left for the underground world.

In the underground Matali and Narada went to the paatala – the lowest level of the underground world. There Matali saw many wondrous things and sights and was thrilled by them.

There in a beautiful garden, he saw a noble looking Naga. As Narada came forward, the man bowed to sage Narada. He welcomed the two of them heartily. But somehow Matali could not help noticing the dark circle under the man"s eyes. He also looked very sad. Matali wondered why.

Sage Narada was speaking, "Aaryaka! Meet my friend – Matali."

The Naga"s eyes grew round with astonishment, "Matali? The Matali?The charioteer of Lord Indra?" He asked studying Matali again. Sage Narada happily nodded his head as Matali looked modest.

Aaryaka welcomed the two of them very happily and gave them a very good lunch. After they finished eating, Aaryaka called his grandson. "Sumukha! Sumukha!"

A good looking, noble young man walked into the room. As Matali saw the man, he felt that this was the answer to all his prayers. Just looking at Sumukha – the way he carried himself, the respect with which he treated his grandfather, the love and patience in his eyes...

Matali knew that that he had found the perfect match for his daughter. With great joy he spoke for the first time to Aaryaka and Sumukha, "I have come here to ask something to the two of you!" Sage Narada remained silent allowing Matali and Aaryaka to speak. Sumukha stood back watching the two of them."I have a daughter – Guna Kesi! She is beautiful...and extremely talented." Matali said hesitatingly.

Sage Narada spoke up, "Oh there is no doubt about it! You will not find a more talented girl – both in heavens and the earth or anywhere underground. And," Sage Narada said looking at Sumukha, "She is extremely beautiful." Sumukha blushed but did not say anything.

Matali continued, "I was wondering whether you would be interested in getting your grandson – Sumukha married to my daughter?" He asked looking at the two of them.

Sumukha and Aaryaka looked at each other.

Matali saw an expression which he had never expected to see – despair. Matali was stumped. Why would the two of them look so unhappily at each other? He looked blankly at Sage Narada who was also looking at him as if he did not understand what was going on. He then turned to Aaryaka, "Why? Is there a problem?"

Aaryaka gave a dry laugh, "Problem? You have just offered the most perfect woman to be the wife of my grandson. And I am not in a position to accept it. Yes, you could say I have a problem."

Matali looked uncomprehendingly as Aaryaka continued, "Have you wondered why I am introducing my grandson to you? Logically you should be talking all this with my son – Sumukha"s father and not me in this place."

Matali nodded his head but did not say anything.

Aaryaka continued, "The reason Sumukha’s father Chirakha is not here and the reason why Sumukha cannot marry you is Garuda."

Matali was flabbergasted, "Garuda? You mean the vehicle of Lord Vishnu? That Garuda?" He asked Aaryaka incredulously

Aaryaka shuddered as Matali said the name of Garuda.

He glanced around furtively almost as if expecting Garuda to suddenly appear from somewhere. Sumukha also looked a little lost as he heard his grandfather, "Please, we do not speak his name here." Aaryaka breathed out slowly.

Matali sat back and listened as Aaryaka continued, "Garuda stole the pot of amrita from the Devas to give it to the Nagas - us" Aaryaka said pointing at himself, "... in return for freedom for himself and his mother Vinata.."

Matali nodded. He knew that story well. Garuda singlehandedly thrashed the Devas when he had come looking for the amrita pot. Indra had guarded the pot with all the defences at his disposal.

Indra could have left it just like that for all the effect it had. Garuda came like a storm and blew away all the Devas with his onslaught. Not even a single Deva could stand up against Garuda. Even Indra"s Vajra was useless before Garuda.

Matali remembered wryly. The only way Indra could make sure the Nagas could not get the Amrita was to make a deal with Garuda. After handing over the amrita to the Nagas, both Garuda and Vinata had become free. Then the nagas had gone to take a bath before taking the amrita. Indra had stolen the amrita at that time.

Aaryaka was saying something. Matali shook his head trying to pay attention to what Aaryaka was saying, "After that incident, Garuda became a sworn enemies of all the Snakes…Even Indra had promised all the Nagas as a natural food for Garuda…" Aaryaka winced as he thought back. "Garuda came here and wreaked havoc on all of us. We could not stop him at all. Nothing we did seemed to work against him. We did the only thing we could do." Aaryaka said feeling a little dejected, "We promised to send him a Naga a month and in return, Garuda was not to attack us indiscriminately."

Aaryaka pursed his lips looking angry and unhappy with himself. But Matali understood. As the king, Aaryaka felt like he had failed his people. But Matali also knew what happened when Garuda attacked. There was precious little that could be done when that happened.

Aaryaka looked unhappily at Sumukha, "Last month, my son Chirakha, Sumukha’s father was sent to Garuda. This month, Sumukha has to be sent." Aaryaka trembled as he looked at his grandson, who was trying his best to look brave.

Sumukha placed a hand on his grandfather’s shoulder to control Aaryaka’s trembling. Aryaka pulled himself together and looked helplessly at Matali, "There is nothing I can do," Aryaka said shrugging.

Matali looked at the two of them. Now more than ever, he was confident that Sumukha was the right choice for his daughter. He smiled as he saw Aaryaka and Sumukha, "There is nothing you can do. But there is something I can."

***************

When Matali entered Indra’s court at Amravathi, he knew it was a good omen. He felt that it was destined that the marriage between Sumukha and Guna Kesi was to take place. Sitting in Indra"s court was the beautiful Dark Lord – Lord Vishnu.

Bowing first to Lord Vishnu, who smiled at him enigmatically, Matali bowed to Lord Indra with Sumukha trailing behind him.

"Lord Indra," He said as he looked at Indra. Indra nodded to him. Indra studied Sumukha and then back at Matali with a puzzled look.

"Matali! Why have you brought Sumukha here?" Sumukha looked a little fidgety and uncomfortable. Matali then looked at Indra, "My Lord! I have a favour to ask from you."

Indra was feeling very happy. For years Matali had been his charioteer and he had been the best. There was no one who could come close to him. Indra had won so many wars and he could safely say that Matali was one of the important reasons he had won his wars. Now Indra felt happy that he could repay Matali’s service to him. Indra said, "Anything for you, my friend!"

Matali smiled and continued, "Sir! As you know I was searching a good match for my daughter Guna Kesi."

Indra nodded. Matali had been searching a groom for his daughter for a very long time. "I have finally found the perfect match for her. I think Sumukha here is the most perfect man for her. I am sure he will keep her happy." Indra vigorously nodded his head. He was feeling very happy for his friend. But before he could talk Matali interrupted him, "Your Majesty! However I have a problem – Garuda."

Indra blinked. Garuda? What was Garuda....Indra was suddenly feeling nervous. He had a faint suspicion of why Matali had brought Sumukha here. Indra suddenly felt very nervous. He cleared his throat and looked at the Dark Lord for support. He then spoke, "Go ahead Matali!" Indra felt his voice going hoarse.

Matali said, "Sir! The Nagas have been offering one Naga a month to Garuda to buy peace from him. Last month it was Chiraka – Sumukha"s father’s turn. Next month it is Sumukha’s turn." Matali said flatly.

Indra found his suspicions coming out right and felt that he was having difficulty talking.

He said, "So what do you want?"

Matali was aware that his king was distinctly uneasy. But he was determined. He continued, "I was wondering whether you would offer amrita to Sumukha. So that that he would become immortal."

Indra looked at Matali deflated. He knew that this was what Matali was going to ask. But how could he? Indra had no objections to handing over the amrita to Sumukha. Sumukha looked like a fine young man and giving him amrita was not wrong. It was the repercussions which bothered Indra. If he handed over the amrita to Sumukha, Garuda could take offence to it. He may think that Indra was purposely giving amrita to someone whom Garuda had marked, to humiliate him.

Indra realized that once offended Garuda was not someone he would fight with. Ever.

Indra shuddered as he remembered the last time Garuda had attacked the Devas. There was nothing left from the attack. Garuda had just blown off everything off. He turned desperately to Lord Vishnu, "Narayana! Please tell me what to do."

Lord Vishnu smiled, "You are the king of the Devas, Indra - Not me. I cannot make your choices for you. You will have to decide whether or not to give amrita to Sumukha." Indra knew that he could not escape this by asking Lord Vishnu to choose for him. Indra pursed his lips as Lord Vishnu continued, "I personally think that Sumukha is a good man and he would be a good person to marry Guna Kesi."

Indra nodded to himself and thought for some time. He finally looked at Sumukha, "I will give you the amrita, Sumukha." And I will face the consequences which follow. He thought to himself but he did not say anything. Lord Vishnu smiled at him but did not say anything. Sumukha and Matali looked visibly relieved.

Indra came forward and was about to hand over the amrita to Sumukha, when suddenly the court door flew open. Indra had the fright of his life when he saw a ferocious looking Garuda staring angrily at him. Indra opened his mouth to talk, when Garuda started yelling, "Indra! What are you doing?" Garuda shouted and Indra almost felt that the whole of the heavens was vibrating.

Indra shook himself up. He could not look weak before Garuda. He was after all the king of the Devas. He looked at Garuda and said haughtily, "I am giving Sumukha some amrita."

Garuda looked dangerously at Indra, "You are what?!"

Indra was about to say something when Garuda started talking arrogantly, "You are giving Sumukha amrita? You know that I am going to kill him in a month and yet to insult me you are giving him amrita?"

Indra shook his head. "I am giving him amrita because..."

Garuda shouted again, "Have you forgotten the last time we met in battle Indra? Do you want a repeat of that? Do you know that I am much better now than I was last time? I carry the Vishnu himself! Do you know how powerful I am?" Garuda ranted on and on.

Indra took a deep breath and said calmly, "Garuda, you can eat all the other Nagas. He is the only one I have stopped you from eating."

But Garuda was past hearing all that, "Indra! Do you know how strong I am? My feather can carry the weight of the whole world and I carry Vishnu on my back....."

"Garuda!" Came a soft voice. Though the voice was soft, Garuda stopped talking immediately. The power of the voice was like that. Lord Vishnu spoke again after Garuda stopped talking. Garuda was too angry to notice that Lord Vishnu was not smiling.

"Garuda!" Lord Vishnu said again, "I think you need to demonstrate to Indra, exactly how strong you are. Probably that way, Indra would be convinced of your strength and decide not to give amrita to Sumukha."

Indra was puzzled. What was the Dark Lord saying?

Garuda foolishly however went forward towards Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu held out his hands. "I think you should carry me and show them."

Lord Vishnu placed his hands on Garuda’s shoulder. Garuda blinked. He suddenly felt like the weight of the world…no…the weight of the universe was on his shoulders…Garuda broke out in sweat.

Lord Vishnu’s hand was on his shoulder and it suddenly felt that he was being pushed down. The weight was becoming unbearable. Garuda grunted and tried lifting Lord Vishnu’s hand. And Garuda just felt like his back was burning with pain.

Lord Vishnu looked at Garuda, "Garuda! You are proud and arrogant!You are strong and powerful! No doubt about that. But please let that not get into your head. You carry my weight because I let you carry my weight. It is me who carries all of you," Garuda fell to his knees his eyes streaming from tears as the weight on his shoulder increased.

Lord Vishnu said, "Indra was being reasonable. He has the right to choose whom to give amrita and whom not to. He is not depriving you of your natural food. Nor is he insulting you. He is just fulfilling the wish of his friend."

Garuda falling down suddenly realized the truth in Lord Vishnu"s words. He was behaving arrogantly. Indra was not insulting him. Garuda crumbled and fell as Lord Vishnu removed his hands.

Garuda lay there as slowly his breath came back to normal. He blinked as he slowly rose. He first bowed to Lord Vishnu, "My lord! I behaved arrogantly. Please forgive me."

Lord Vishnu smiled and shook his head.

Garuda then turned to Indra, "Indra, I am sorry! I was behaving foolishly. I had not seen the full truth. My power blinded me. Please forgive me."

Indra had watched the entire spectacle with awe. He looked at the Dark Lord and then at Garuda. He nodded his head and smiled at Garuda. Garuda then apologized to Sumukha and walked away from the court.

Needless to say Sumukha got his amrita and he and Guna Kesi lived happily ever after.

-From the Mahabharatha