Can anyone help me? I am looking for a mythological flying creature(s) that has saved human life?
I am asking for a project in progress. Thanks.
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3 Answers
In the Ramayana, when Ram battled Ravan to free his wife Sita, during the battle Ravan's son Megnaad (also called Indrajeet, for defeating Indra, king of the Devas) fired upon Ram's army the Naagpaash, a weapon which would bind the targets with coils of venomous snakes.
Ram, seeing his army's plight, called upon Garuda, mount of Vishnu, who was the mortal enemy of snakes, who are all the snakes tying down Ram's army.
Of course, this technically doesn't answer your question, since Ram and his brother Lakshman were the only humans in his army, which was made mostly of monkeys and bears.
One that immediately comes to mind is, "The Golden Ram," or by another name, "Khrysomallos," from Greek Mythology.
Cliff notes version of the story- King had two kids with a goddess (or a cloud nymph). When the king remarried, she plotted the death of the two kids. To save them, the cloud nymph/goddess, in some form, appeared to them with a winged ram who had a coat of gold (as in metal, not color, but color as well I suppose). They climbed on the back of the ram to safety, though one of the children fell off into the sea.
answered Jul 7, 2018 at 22:52
There is a very similar story found in Hindu epic Mahabharata - Adi Parva- Astika Parva - Section XXX, where "Garuda" the mighty eagle saved lives of "Valkhilyas" the great maharishis or sages.
Background- In the starting sections of epic poem Mahabharata there is a narration of Garuda the eagle, who is the son of Kashyapa Prajapati and Vinita and is known for his impressive speed and strength. In Hindu mythology, Garuda is Vahana or vehicle of Vishnu.
Once Garuda was on his way to fetch "Amruta" (the nectar of immortality ) to save his mother from her captives which was guarded by many gods in Swarga i.e. heaven. On his way he became hungry. His father Kashyapa told him to eat a giant tortoise and an elephant bent upon slaying each other in a sacred lake.
Garuda then grabbed both elephant and tortoise and started to find a place where he can in leisure eat both of them. While searching he came across a large banian tree in the forest known as Alamva. The banian tree requested Garuda to sit on one of his branches to eat his meal. But on that branch there he saw Valakhilya Rishis hanging with their heads downwards and engaged in ascetic penances. As garuda sat on the branch of the tree, due to his feet the branch of the tree broke away and Garuda caught it in his beak and in order to save the Valakhilya he flew away saving them from falling down. He then left the Sages to a mountain called Gandhamadana.
And from fear of slaying the Rishis and desire of saving them, held that bough in his beaks, and rose on his wings. The great Rishis were struck with wonder at the sight of that act of his which was beyond even the power of the gods,
"And shaking the mountains by his wings, Garuda leisurely coursed through the skies. And as he soared with the elephant and the tortoise (in his claws), he beheld various regions underneath. Desiring as he did to save the Valakhilyas, he saw not a spot whereon to sit. At last, he went to that foremost of mountains called Gandhamadana.
The nature of Valkhilyas are divine they are often regarded as sages or wise men. So here is a story as you have enquired about a flying creature saving human life.
