Once, in the celestial realm of Vaikuntha, Garuda Maharaj—the mighty divine eagle and loyal servant of Lord Vishnu—felt a strange curiosity in his heart. Though he had seen all corners of heaven and beyond, one thought troubled him deeply: How does life truly appear on Earth in the eyes of the divine?
One bright day, he went before Lord Vishnu, folded his wings in reverence, and said,
“Lord, with your permission, I wish to visit Earth once. I want to see how people live and how the law of destiny works there.”
Lord Vishnu smiled kindly. “Go, Garuda. But remember, every flight you take must bring back wisdom, not just sights.”
Garuda bowed deeply, spread his golden wings, and soared across the sky. As he flew between heaven and Earth, his sharp eyes noticed a dark figure in the distance—calm, powerful, and surrounded by an aura of silence. It was none other than Yamraj, the god of death, holding his magical noose.
Garuda descended and greeted him respectfully.
“Pranam, O Lord of Death. Where are you headed with your noose today?”
Yamraj smiled gently and replied, “I am going to take the soul of a five-year-old child.”
Hearing this, Garuda’s heart sank. “A child?” he asked in shock. “O Dharmaraj, how can you do that? There are so many old people on Earth who have lived full lives and even wish to die. Why take an innocent child who has just begun to live?”
Yamraj’s face remained calm. “Garudji, this is not as simple as it seems. Death is not a punishment. It is merely a change—a transformation from one state to another. The soul needs new experiences to evolve. Just as a traveler changes clothes, the soul changes bodies to learn different lessons.”
Garuda still looked troubled. “But how can a newborn or a small child have learned enough to deserve this change? They hardly live long enough to understand life itself!”
Yamraj nodded patiently. “Garudji, for the soul, even a moment can hold the meaning of a lifetime. You measure life by years, but the soul measures it by realization. And remember, I only take those souls who themselves wish for change, knowingly or unknowingly.”
Garuda was not satisfied. His compassionate heart refused to accept the idea of a child’s death. Yamraj noticed his silence and said, “Come with me. I will show you something that will make you understand better.”
Both of them descended toward Earth. To move unnoticed among humans, Yamraj took the form of a middle-aged man, and Garuda transformed himself into a young traveler.
They landed near a dusty road where they saw an old man walking slowly with a heavy wooden box on his shoulder. His clothes were torn, his beard white, his skin wrinkled, and his body frail. Despite his weakness, he was dragging himself forward under the hot sun.
A traveler passing by stopped near the old man and bought something from him. As he paid a coin, he asked kindly, “Old father, you don’t look well. Is everything alright?”
The old man gave a tired smile. “Nothing is alright, son. I’m more than eighty years old and still work daily to fill my stomach. I have lived long enough and wish to die, but it seems Yamraj has gone deaf. I call him every day, but he never listens! Maybe he’s on vacation!”
The traveler shook his head with pity and walked away.
Garuda turned to Yamraj and said, “Here is an old man who truly wishes to die, yet you don’t take his life. Why?”
Yamraj smiled knowingly. “I never take a life unless the soul agrees to leave the body. Saying one wishes to die and truly being ready to die are very different things.”
Garuda frowned. “So you mean he lies when he says he wishes to die?”
“No,” said Yamraj, “he is not lying. His words are just a way to release his frustration. Come, let’s test his heart.”
They approached the old man. Yamraj asked gently, “How are you, old father?”
The old man looked at him with irritation. “Who are you to ask me that? Can’t you see my state? I am eighty, yet I still carry boxes for food. If I could die, all my problems would end. But Yamraj is cruel—he doesn’t come even when I call him.”
Yamraj smiled faintly, and in that instant, both he and Garuda revealed their divine forms. The old man’s eyes widened in shock and fear.
“Who are you?” he trembled.
Garuda spoke first, “I am Garuda, the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. And this—” he pointed toward his companion— “is Yamraj, the very god you remember every day.”
The old man stepped back in disbelief. “Yamraj? You mean…the Lord of Death himself?”
Yamraj nodded kindly. “Yes, old man. You have been calling me, haven’t you? I am here to take you now.”
The old man froze for a moment, then said hesitantly, “Oh…you have come now? That’s fine. But…could you come a bit later? I promised my little grandson I’d bring him gifts for his birthday tomorrow.”
Garuda raised an eyebrow, hiding his anxaiety.
Yamraj said calmly, “As you wish. I will come after tomorrow then.”
The old man panicked. “Wait! My elder daughter has invited me to her in-laws’ house for the first time next week. I can’t die before visiting her.”
Garuda chuckled softly, but Yamraj remained patient. “Then I’ll come after that,” he said.
The old man continued quickly, “Also, my younger daughter’s marriage is fixed for next month. I can’t leave before that. Let me settle everything first.”
Yamraj finally smiled and said, “Enough, old man. You see, you do not really wish to die. You only say so when life feels heavy. Deep down, you still want to live.”
Garuda looked at the old man with surprise. “Then why do you complain every day that Yamraj is not listening?”
The old man sighed and smiled faintly. “Ah, When I am frustrated, I take Yamrajji’s name to calm myself. It’s not that I truly want to die—I just express my pain through his name. It reminds me that life and death are both in divine hands. That thought gives me peace.”
Then he looked kindly at both divine beings and said, “When my duties are done and my family no longer needs me, I will gladly go with you, Yamrajji. Till then, please forgive an old man’s foolish words.”
He picked up his wooden box again and started walking home. After a few steps, he turned around, gave a half-smile, and said teasingly, “Yamrajji, what kind of god are you? You don’t even understand an old man’s jokes!”
With that, he disappeared into the dusty path, humming softly to himself.
Garuda stood silently beside Yamraj, his eyes filled with understanding. He folded his wings and said humbly, “You were right, Yamrajji. Death truly listens to the soul, not the words. People may speak of dying, but the desire to live hides in every heart.”
Yamraj simply nodded, his calm face glowing with divine wisdom.
Before Yamraj could say or ask further Garudji spread his mighty wings, bowed once more, and soared back toward Vaikuntha. When he reached Lord Vishnu, he narrated everything that had happened. The Lord smiled gently and said,
“Garuda, you have understood the law of life and death. The wish to live is the greatest proof that life itself is sacred. Even those who complain about pain are still clinging to the joy hidden in existence.”
Garuda bowed his head and whispered, “Truly, my Lord, life and death are not enemies—they are two wings of the same bird.”
And with that realization, the divine eagle rested his wings in peace, his heart filled with a newfound understanding of the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
