When Raghupati was playing at fighting a battle (with Meghanada, Ravana’s son) – the very thought of which fills me with shame – and allowed himself to be bound by Meghanada, Narada the sage despatched Garuda.

When Garuda the snake-eater cut the bonds and departed, a grievous dejection possessed his soul. Recalling how the Lord had been bound, the enemy of snakes pondered the matter to himself;

'It was the all-pervading and passionless Brahma, the Lord of speech, God Supreme, transcending illusion and infatuation, who had, I was told, become incarnate in the world, but I saw none of his divine glory.

The same Rama, by the repetition of whose name men are set free from the bonds of birth and death, was bound by a wretched demon in serpent coils.’

Garuda did his best to reassure himself, but light of understanding did not dawn on him; on the other hand, illusion overshadowed his soul all the more. Distracted with grief and full of mental questionings, he fell a prey to delusion just like yourself.

In his perplexity he went to the divine seer (Narada) and told him the doubts that preyed upon his mind. On hearing his tale, Narada was deeply moved with compassion and said, ‘Listen, Garuda formidable is Rama’s delusive power,

For it robs the wise of their wits and bringing them under its sway, clouds their mind with utter infatuation. The same Maya that befooled me many a time has, O king of birds, laid its hold on you.