HARIVAHANA , THE STORY OF GARUDA, edited✅

7. a quest for freedom.

The nagas fell, one by one, from Garuda's back, screaming for their mother. The sun scorched their already rough skin, causing them immense pain. "Maaaaaaa." A naga screamed so loud and pained that Kadru heard it immediately and turned sideways to see the most horrific sight. Her naga sons were falling off Garuda's back, their skin scorched and half burned by the heat of the sun god.Vinata too, followed the sight of kadru and met with two golden eyes staring at her with so much anger and grief in them. Vinata knew that Garuda had done it deliberately. She gestured for him to stop with her fingers, to which he shook his head.Kadru, who was grief-stricken at her now half-burned sons, started praying to Indra, the lord of rain and thunder. What could Indra do now when a mother calls him with so much grief, in grief, to save her sons from the heat of the sun? He immediately answered Kadru's prayers. He poured torrential rains all over the place they were traveling, making the already furious Garuda grow more furious. Who had put their nose in his plan, destroying it completely? How could the thunder god not see his and his mother's plight and stay unbothered? Why did he answer his torturer's prayer? Garuda felt an immediate urge to fly to Devaloka and fight Indra, teaching him a lesson. But no, he had to keep his manners. This is not the purpose of his birth. He had to help the gods, not be their rival. So, he decided to leave the matter for now, as the nagas who had fallen previously had regained their consciousness and climbed onto his back again, this time beating and biting parts of his body harder than before.Enduring all that, Garuda and Vinata reached the dweep. After they had completed doing their duties, Garuda flew to his panting mother. "Ma, do you need water?" Garuda asked, his eyes tearing up seeing his mother's condition. His determination increased by the minute. "No, son. We'll have to carry them back, right? So, I shall drink water after that." Garuda nodded as he gestured his mother to climb on his back. Vinata looked confused. "Why, putr?" "I am going for a quest, Ma. A quest for freedom." Garuda said, his voice determined and unwavering. "I shall give the nagas anything they wish for and gain us back our lost freedom, Ma. I promise this upon myself." Garuda added and flew to the nagas with Vinata on his back. "Come, come, Vinata.""I was wondering where you were, for my legs are paining. Come, sit here at my feet and massage them." Kadru said, smiling a fake smile. "And you, our half-brother. Come and take us for a tour over these islands." The nagas stated in an authoritative voice.Garuda nodded calmly, as he shook off some feathers of his body. "I shall carry you, brothers. But before that, I must ask you something." "Go ahead, Garuda." Vasuki said, his eyes filled with pity and sorrow. He could not do his jyesht's bidding. He could not take care of his little brother. He just stood there, watching as his brother and his Mata Vinata suffered miserably in their own home."What do you want for you all to free us and our mother?" Garuda asked, his eyes showing clearly what he had said. The nagas thought and had a wicked smile on their faces. They slithered to Kadru as they whispered the thing of their choice in her ears.Kadru had a smile of pridefulness plastered on her face as she spoke their mind out to the eagle god. "We ask you for the amrita. Are you willing to get it for us, son of Vinata?" Kadru asked, and Vinata's face turned pale. Her eyes teared up. Garuda looked at his mother, confused.Sesha looked up and saw the most amazing sight of his life, ever. There stood the Tridev in all their glory. Brahma had a smile that spoke of all the wisdom in the world Vishnu, as usual, had his charming, calm, yet mischievous smile dancing on that beautiful face. Shiva had an enigmatic smile on his calm and handsome face."Why did you do such severe austerities when you had done no fault, child?" Brahma asked, and Sesha thought for an answer. "My own mother treated my cousin and his mother as her slave. I needed some peace of mind, Prabhu." Brahma smiled and looked at the other deities who nodded for him to continue."Ask for anything that will satisfy you, dear one." Brahma continued. "Give me some control over my mind, oh lord, so that I can continue my ascetic penances." Brahma smiled affectionately at the first serpent and blessed him with the boon before disappearing, leaving Vishnu and Shiva to converse with the son of Kadru."So, tell me, dear Sesha. Are you interested in helping me out?" Vishnu's melodious voice made the latter feel energetic. His voice made an unknown calm creep into his rampaging mind. That melodious lilt in his voice pulled Sesha's heart to the lord of the Trilok. He didn't know why, but a surge of some unknown emotion flowed through his till then heavy heart. He stared at the dark lord, nodding his 1000 heads slowly. "What may I do for you, Lord?" Sesha asked in a low whisper."As you know," Vishnu started. "The earth is full of forests, mountains, palaces, cities, oceans, etc." Sesha nodded in affirmation. Shiva had a knowing smile plastered onto his lovely face. "So," Vishnu continued. "The earth is unstable. None, but you, are worthy and are capable of stabilizing the earth. Would you do that help for me?" Vishnu asked blinking innocently at a smiling Shiva."M-me?" Sesha stuttered. Never in his entire lifetime had he imagined that he'd be fortunate enough to serve the lord of the Trilokas himself. "Yes, you." Shiva remarked. Sesha slowly nodded his head, his pain and tiredness slowly ebbing away as new strength built in him."Lord," Sesha called to a grinning Vishnu. "Yes?" Vishnu asked, a knowing smile playing on his face. "I... I wish to be your bed. Your resting place. I wish to protect you from the heavy waves of the ocean. Even though you are the most powerful, I just... just want to serve you." Vishnu smiled as he raised his hand in Varada mudra. "Tatasthu." Vishnu said as he smiled. "You shall assist me in establishing dharma and shall be my eternal companion in my abode of Vaikuntha." Shiva's turn arrived. And with a beautiful smile, Shiva announced. "You shall be the king of all serpents. All the serpents shall obey you. You shall be the help for Shrihari in creating and overseeing time." Shiva and Vishnu looked at the son of Kadru who was overwhelmed with all that he had received for one last time, blessing him, as Sesha went forth to Vaikuntha and the underworld. In Vaikuntha, he became the bed and the eternal serpent. In the Patal Loka, he is there, stabilizing the entire planets on his thousand heads.A/n: Guys. The story of Sesha is not so prominent or heard by everyone of you. There is another version of the story in which Brahmadev is the one who gives the boon of stabilizing the earth on his head. And that's the most heard one. So, how was the chapter? Well, will Garuda agree to bring up the amrita? How will he achieve his goals? Find out in the next chapter. The story of Sesha comes to an end here. Bye. See you in the next chapter.