Garuda Purana is one of the great puranas of India. This scripture contains details of the various punishments given to a person after death for the sins committed in life. These include Khumbipakam (burned in oil) and Kirimibhojanam (given as prey to leeches). The scripture describes about 24 types of death. Some western scholars see this script as analogous to the judgement day of Christianity.

Further Details

Garuda Purana is in the form of instructions by Lord Maha Vishnu to Sri Garuda (The King of Birds - a vagana of Lord Perumal). This Purana deals with astronomy, medicine, grammar, and gemstone structure and qualities. In addition, the Garuda Purana is considered the authoritative Vedic reference volume describing the Nine Pearls, which includes not only the well known Oyster Pearl, but also the Conch Pearl, Cobra Pearl, Boar Pearl, Elephant Pearl, Bamboo Pearl, Whale Pearl, Fish Pearl, and Cloud Pearl.

The latter half of this Purana deals with life after death. The Hindus of north-India generally read this Purana while cremating the bodies of the dead. This has given great importance to the origin of Garuda. There are nineteen thousand verses describing the ways to the Lord.

Further reading

• Mani, Vettam. Puranic Encyclopedia. 1st English ed. New Dehli: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975.

External links

• The Garuda Purana at sacred-texts.com (Wood and Subrahmanyam translation, 1911)
• The Garuda Purana
• The Puranic Encyclopedia
• The Garuda Purana - English translation of some important verses

Puranas