In Hindu mythology, the bird-like creature that serves as Lord Vishnu’s mount is Garuda.
Garuda is usually portrayed as a powerful eagle-like divine being and the king of birds. In Hindu tradition he is Vishnu’s vahana, or vehicle, and images commonly show Vishnu riding on his shoulders. Garuda is also revered as a symbol of strength, speed, vigilance, and devotion.
The Mahabharata describes Garuda as the son of the sage Kashyapa and Vinata. His adversaries include the nagas, or serpent beings, because of an ancient conflict involving his mother. One famous episode tells how Garuda sought amrita, the nectar of immortality, to free Vinata from bondage.
Garuda is not the same as Jatayu, the vulture-like hero who aids Rama in the Ramayana. Nandi is Shiva’s bull mount, while Hanuman is a monkey deity and devoted servant of Rama. Garuda’s importance extends beyond Hinduism: he appears in Buddhist and Jain traditions and became a major symbol in Southeast Asian art and royal culture, especially in Indonesia and Thailand.