Vibhavasu

A tortoise, cursed together with the elephant Supratika to fight eternally in a lake, until both were swallowed by Garuda in a single swoop.

Accounts of this vary across texts and traditions. This entry primarily follows Puranic tradition, with other tellings (Vedic tradition (Rigveda), Regional and sectarian traditions) noted where relevant.

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Introduction

Vibhavasu is a tortoise, cursed together with the elephant Supratika, a former sage-brother, to fight endlessly in the form of an elephant and a tortoise, until both were eaten in a single act by Garuda.

In the story

Vibhavasu shares fully in the story told of Supratika: the two were once sage brothers whose quarrelling led to a curse binding them to fight eternally as an elephant and a tortoise in a great lake, until Garuda, seeking food, seized and ate them both together, illustrating his tremendous size and strength. See the article on Supratika for the full account.

Sources

Mahabharata, Adi Parva (primary text) — https://sacred-texts.com/hin/maha/index.htm

This entry is independently written for myVamsam using the sources listed above. Where traditions differ, this entry identifies the relevant tradition rather than presenting one account as universally established fact.