The German orientalist Paul Deussen, who partially translated the Garuda Upanishad describes it essentially as a snake-charm dedicated to Garuda, the mount of Vishnu, and the eternal foe of serpents. It serves two objectives: to prevent snakebite and to alleviate the evil effects of the bite. The snake charm was elevated to the status of the Upanishad due to the imminent danger of snakebite in India, where people had to walk in the dark in snake-infested regions or work in fields and forests. Pious people following the dictum of Ahimsa have to resort to snake charm, as for them killing snakes is taboo. The snake charm is similar to the other spells of the sage Bharadvaja, who is said to have taught the Garuda Upanishad charms to his disciples. Bharadvaja's spells are said to prevent or cure infectious diseases, wounds by weapons and carnivorous wild beasts like tigers and bites and infestations by insects and worms. However, snakes feature prominently in these spells due to higher probability and danger of snakebite.