Garuḍa's Identity
Garuḍa (Sanskrit: गरुड — 'the devourer' or 'the mighty bird') is the king of birds — the divine eagle or sun-bird — who serves as the Lord Śrīman Nārāyaṇa's vāhana (vehicle/mount). He is the son of Kaśyapa and Vinatā in the Purāṇic accounts, but in Śrī Vaiṣṇava theology he is foremost a nityasūri — an eternal resident of Vaikuṇṭham, never bound by karma.
Garuḍa as Nityasūri
Garuḍa's service as the Lord's vehicle is not servitude but the highest kainkaryam — the honor of carrying the Supreme Being. His wings create the celestial sounds of the Vedas; the syllables of the Vedic chant are said to be the sounds of Garuḍa's wings in flight. He is described in the Vedas as the bird who carried the amṛta (nectar of immortality) — an allegory for carrying the liberating knowledge.
Garuḍa in Divya Desams
At many Divya Desam temples, a large Garuḍa statue stands facing the main deity — performing eternal kainkaryam by facing and worshipping the Lord. The Garuḍa-sthambha (Garuḍa-pillar) is a defining feature of the temple entrance at many Divya Desams. During Brahmotsavam, the Garuḍa-sevai (the Lord riding on Garuḍa's back) is among the most spectacular and sacred processions.
In the Āzhvārs' Works
Garuḍa is extensively celebrated in the Divya Prabandham. He is invoked as the Lord's intimate companion and as the one who makes the Lord accessible — carrying Him from Vaikuṇṭham to the devotee's heart.