purā pratijñopanatāṃ nāgānāṃ dāsabhāvataḥ / niṣkraṣṭukāmo jananīṃ garuḍaḥ kaśyapātmajaḥ // tanmūlyabhūtāṃ devebhyaḥ sudhāmāhartumudyataḥ / balasya hetor bhakṣyārthī svapitur nikaṭaṃ yayau // sa cainaṃ yācito 'vādīnmahāntau gajakacchapau / abdhau staḥ putra tau bhuṅkṣva gaccha śāpacutāviti //
Long ago Garuḍa, the son of Kaśyapa, wishing to redeem his mother from her slavery to the snakes, to whom she had been subjected in accordance with an agreement,[19] and preparing to obtain from the gods the nectar which was the price of her ransom, wanted to eat something which would increase his strength, and so he went to his father, who, being importuned, said to him: ‘My son, in the sea there is a huge elephant and a huge tortoise.