Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 41: Aṁśumān Searches for His Uncles and the Horse
Text 1.41.16
विसार्य निपुणां दृष्टिं ततोऽपश्यद्खगाधिपम्
पितॄणां मातुलं राम सुपर्णमनिलोपमम्
visārya nipuṇāṁ dṛṣṭiṁ tato ’paśyad khagādhipam
pitṝṇāṁ mātulaṁ rāma suparṇam anilopamam
visārya = he broadened and; nipuṇām = his sharp; dṛṣṭim = vision; tataḥ = then; apaśyat = noticed; khaga-adhipam = Garuḍa, the king of birds; pitṝṇām = his younger fathers’; mātulam = maternal uncle; rāma = O Rāma; suparṇam = Garuḍa; anila-upamam = was as fast as a wind.
O Lord Rāma, he then broadened his sharp vision and noticed Garuḍa, his younger fathers’ maternal uncle. Garuda, the king of birds, was as fast as the wind.
Aṁśumān then looked all around and noticed Garuḍa. Nipuṇām indicates that he was capable of seeing objects at a distance.
NOTE. The Supreme Personality of Godhead notes in Bhagavad-gītā 10.30—vainateyaś ca pakṣiṇām: “Among birds I am Garuḍa.” Śrīla Prabhupāda remarks, “Of the million varieties of birds, Garuḍa, the bearer of Lord Viṣṇu, is the greatest.” Hence, Garuḍa represents Him.