1-Brahm Puraan,  2-Padm Puraan,  3-Vishnu Puraan,  4-Shiv Puraan,  5-Bhaagvat Puraan,
6-Naarad Puraan,  7-Maarkandeya Puraan,  8-Agni Puraan,  9-Bhavishya Puraan,
10-Brahm Vaivart Puraan,  11-Ling Puraan,  12-Vaaraah Puraan,  13-Skand Puraan,
14-Vaaman Puraan,  15-Koorm Puraan,  16-Matsya Puraan,  17-Garud Puraan,  18-Brahmaand Puraan
 

17-Garud Puraan

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Avataar

Once it so happened that Romharshan Jee came to Naimish Aranya. Hearing about his coming many Rishi who were living there, gather around him and requested him to tell them "Hey Soot Jee, You know everything. Who is the god of all gods? Who is to be worshipped? What does one meditate on? Who destroys evil? How did the world come to be created? What is Dharm (righteousness)? Tell us all these things and more." Romharshan said - "I will. I will recite Garud Puraan to you. That should satisfy your queries. It was first told by Garud Jee himself to his father Kashyap Jee; and I heard it fro my Guru Ved Vyaas Jee.

First I tell you about the 22 Avataar (incarnations) of Vishnu Bhagavaan.
(1) The 1st Avataar was of a Kumaar (young boy). In this form he observed celibacy and performed difficult Tapasyaa.
(2) His 2nd incarnation was of Varaah (a Boar) to recover the Earth from Hiranyaaksh's control - the brother of Hiranyakashyap.
(3) In His 3rd incarnation, of a Devarshi, He spread knowledge of several Tantra.
(4) The 4th incarnation was of two sages - Nar and Naaraayan.
(5) The 5th incarnation was of Kapil who taught Saankhya philosophy to his mother Devahooti.
(6) The 5th incarnation is of Dattaatreya, the son of Atri and Anasooyaa.
(7) The 7th incarnation was of Swaayambhuv Manu, as the son of Ruchi Prajaapati and Aakooti, and performed many Yagya.
(8) In His 8th incarnation, Vishnu was born to Naabhi and Meru as their son Urukram. He taught everyone
(9) In th 9th incarnation, Vishnu was born as the King Prithu and restores food grains and herbs to Prithvi.
(10) The 10th incarnation was of a Matsya (Fish)  who saved Vaivaswat Manu from flood that had covered the world.

(11) In His 11th incarnation, He appeared as a Koorm (Kashchap or Turtle) and kept Mandaraachal Parvt on His  back to stabilize it to churn the Ksheer Saagar (Saagar Manthan).
(12) In His 12th incarnation, He appeared as Dhanvantari, the physician of gods, and the originator of medicines.
(13) The 13th Avataar was of Mohinee Avataar by which He saved Amrit from Asur.
(14) In the 14th Avataar, the Narasinh Avataar, he saved His Bhakt Prahlaad and killed Hirnyakashyap Daitya.
(15) The 15th Avataar was Vaaman Avataar in which He begged three feet land from Datya Raaj Bali an gave it to Indra.
(16) The 16th Avataar was of Parashuraam, in which He emptied Prithvi from Kshatriya 21 times.
(17) The 17th Avataar as of Ved Vyaas Jee in which he divided Ved and wrote Puraan etc books for the welfare of mankind.
(18) Vishnu's 18th Avataar was Sage Naarad
(19) The 19th Avataar was of Raam, in which He killed Raavan.
(20) And the 20th Avataar was of Krishn, in which He killed many Asur including Kans and killed many Kshatriya through His Geetaa's preaching to Arjun in Mahaabhaarat war.

In the 21st incarnation, He came as Buddha,
His 22nd Avataar is yet to come, that is Kalki Avataar who will destroy evil and restore righteousness.
These incarnations are the major ones, although there have been several minor ones also.

The Origin of Garud Puraan

Once Romharshan Jee went to Badarik Aashram and met Ved Vyaas Jee there. He greeted him respectfully and asked the true nature of Vishnu. Ved Vyaas Jee said - "I tell you the Garud Puraan, which might help you to know His true nature a little bit.

Once Naarad, Daksh, Bhrigu and other sages went to Brahmaa Jee and after paying him their respect said thus - "What is the best form of knowledge?"

Garud Jee is the king of birds. Once Garud Jee pleased Vishnu with his Tapasyaa so Vishnu Bhagavaan appeared before him and asked - "What boon do you wish for?" Garud Jee said - "I wish to be your Vaahan (carrier). I may prevail all over snakes, and finally grant me the wisdom so that I can compose a Puraan." All the boons were granted, so from that dy Garud Jee became the Vaahan of Vishnu; could eat all kind of snakes and he composed a Puraan also - Garud Puraan, in his own name.

Creation

In the beginning there was nothing. Only Brahm was existing. The same Brahm is the origin of all this Universe. It has no beginning and no end. The whole Universe was immersed in the water. A golden egg appeared in the water and Vishnu was inside that egg. He had adopted a physical form to create. e created Brahmaa who had four faces. First all that He created was inside the egg only. Brahmaa is the Creator, Vishnu is the Preserver and Shiv is the Destroyer. There were these three but they were the three forms of the same Brahm - they are no the separate entities.

At first Brahmaa created four types of beings - Devtaa (gods), Asur (demons), Pitri (ancestors) and Maanav (human beings). The gods were stronger in the day time and the Asur were stronger in the night time. Later Brahmaa created two other types of beings - Raakshas and Yaksh. Then he created Gandharv too.

Snakes were born from Brahmaa's hair, sheep from his chest, goats from his mouth, cows from his stomach, and horses, elephants, donkeys and camels from his feet. The air on Brahmaa's body became herbs. Braahman came out from his mouth, Kshatriya from his arms, Vaishya from his thighs and Shoodra from his feet. The four Ved came out from his for mouths.

Brahmaa created his 10 sons from his Maanas Shakti (mental power) - Dharm, Rudra, Manu, Sanak, Sanaatan, Bhrigu, Sanat Kumar, Shuddha, Mareech, Atri, Angiraa, Pulastya, Pualah, Kratu, Vashishth and Naarad. He created Daksh from his right thumb and Daksh's wife from his left thumb. From his own body he created Swaayambhuv Manu and a woman named Shataroopaa.

Manu and Shatroopaa had two sons - Uttaanpaad and Priyavrat and three daughters - Prasooti, Aakooti and Devahooti. The sage Kashyap was born from Brahmaa. He was married to 13 daughters of Daksh - (1) Aditi, (2) Diti, (3) Danu, (4) Kalaa, (5) Anaayu, (6) Muni, (7) Kadroo, (8) Prabhaa, (9) Iraa, (10) Krodhaa, (11) Vinataa, (12) Surahi and (13) Khagaa. The sons of Aditi were called Aaditya gods, and sons of Diti were called Daitya. Two of Diti's sons were Hiranyakashyap and Hiranyaaksh. Danu's sons were called Daanav. Vinataa had two sons- Arun and Garud. He is the same Garud who composed this Garud Puraan. Kadroo's sons were snakes. Krodhaa's sons were Pishaach (cannibalistic demons). Surabhi gave birth to cows and buffaloes. Iraa gave birth to trees and bushes and Khagaa gave birth to Raakshas and Yaksh; and Muni gave birth to Apsaraa (dancing girls).

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