Rage destroys

Sage Kashyapa, Garuda’s father, asks him to look at a

strange sight — an elephant and a tortoise fighting on
the banks of a river. The story goes that the two had
been brothers in their previous birth. The brothers
Vibhaavasu and Supradheeka were pious men who had
done a lot of penance. But when their father died, a
dispute arose between them about dividing their
father’s property. In the course of the fight,
Supradheeka cursed Vibhaavasu that he be born as an
elephant and the latter cursed that his brother be born
as a tortoise. Unfortunately, so much was their hatred
for each other that the fight continued even in their
next birth according to the curse. None dared
interfere, because of their powers of penance. This is
the scene Garuda witnesses.

Sage Kashyapa asks Garuda to eat the two creatures,

for only he will be able to digest them despite their
powers, elaborated V.S. Karunakarachariar, in a
discourse.

Garuda clutches the two creatures in his talons and

flies off to a banyan tree. But the branch on which he
perches sags because of the weight. Doing penance on
the branch are tiny sages called Valakilyas. Afraid that
the sages may fall if the branch broke, Garuda
transfers the two creatures to his mouth. He takes hold
of the branch and carefully puts it down. All through
this, the two brothers continue to fight, oblivious to
what is happening around them! Garuda then
swallows them, but even as they slip into his throat,
they continue to fight. Until they are digested, they
keep up the fight. Such is their rage.

Rage destroys people, and if we give in to it, it will

ultimately spell doom for us.