The Divine Dialogue Between Garuda and Kag Bhusundi

One of the most mystical and spiritual conversations ever recorded in the scriptures—the Garuda–Kag Bhusundi dialogue from the Uttar Kanda of the Ramcharitmanas. Garuda, the celestial vehicle of Lord Vishnu, once asked Lord Shiva a profound question: “O Lord, why is this world filled with suffering, and how can one attain liberation from the endless cycle of birth and death?”

Lord Shiva smiled and replied: “O King of Birds, this question is extremely subtle and sacred. Only the great devotee of  Rama and Brahma-jnani sage Kag Bhusundi can explain it to you.” Thus, Garuda journeyed to Sumeru Mountain and arrived at the holy site of Naimisharanya, where under a vast banyan tree, Kag Bhusundi Ji was absorbed in the name of Lord Rama. His form was radiant, peaceful, and filled with compassion. Garuda humbly bowed and requested him to resolve seven profound questions about existence, sorrow, virtue, and liberation. Kag Bhusandi ji was a devotee of Rama, an immortal yogi, and it is said he has seen the Ramayana 12 times and the Mahabharata 16 times. His original birth was in the Treta Yuga. By the blessings of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, he assumed the form of a crow so that he could witness all the ages of creation and continuously narrate the Ram Katha.

The Symbolism: Soul and Intellect in Dialogue

This dialogue is not merely between two beings but symbolizes an inner conversation between the inquiring mind (Garuda) and the realized soul (Kag Bhusundi).

·       Garuda Ji represents the curious soul, seeking truth and freedom.

·       Kag Bhusundi Ji represents the inner Guru, the awakened self established in the soul.

·       Naimisharanya represents the inner sacred forest, where all desires end.

·       The Banyan Tree symbolizes the eternal, stable consciousness of realization.

This divine dialogue reveals how true wisdom arises when the mind surrenders to the soul. So this dialogue is not just a spiritual discussion but a divine analysis of human consciousness and psychology. Here, Tulsidas ji is trying to explain the mental illnesses from the depth of the soul. Understand this. 

The Seven Profound Questions of Garuda Ji

1.     Which body is the rarest among all?

Kag Bhusundi replied that the human body is the rarest of all births. It alone carries the capacity for self-realization. Yet, it is also bound by disease, decay, and suffering.

“This human body is both a gift and a test. It is miserable in the world of death, but without it, liberation is impossible.” Even the suffering of the body serves a purpose—it awakens detachment and leads the soul toward higher understanding.

2. What is the greatest sorrow in the world?

The greatest sorrow is poverty, but not material poverty. Here, poverty means lack of faith and devotion. “A person without devotion is spiritually poor. They are dry within, however wealthy they may appear.” True wealth is devotion and faith in the Supreme Being. Without them, the mind remains restless, and the heart remains empty. Money is not everything. Along with Devotion, Brahma Knowledge- Soul knowledge is equally important

3. What is the greatest happiness in the world?

“The company of saints is the greatest happiness.” The company (satsang) of saints brings the light of wisdom and removes ignorance. Saints radiate divine energy that uplifts all around them. Even a single thought from a saint can transform thousands of lives. “Just as a banyan tree gives shelter to many, saints give peace to the world.”

4. What is the nature of saints and wicked beings?

Saints live for others’ happiness; they sacrifice their own comfort to uplift humanity. Wicked beings, however, cause harm without reason—like a snake that bites or hail that destroys crops. Like a Banyan tree provides its bark as clothing for others, similarly, saints give up their own happiness to alleviate the suffering of others. The nature of the wicked is to harm others, much like a snake bites without reason or hail destroys crops, or a rat gnaws at clothes without gaining anything. Bapuji’s work, explains how one saint’s effort—like creating an ashram, writing divine knowledge, or meditating for the world—can transform countless souls. “Every soul should take the resolve to become a world-benefiting soul. Even sharing one message of peace multiplies the vibration of Paramshanti across the Earth.”

5. What is the highest virtue according to the Vedas?

“Ahimsa (Non-violence) is the highest virtue.” Non-violence does not only mean abstaining from killing but also avoiding harm through thought, speech, or deed.True ahimsa is inner stillness—being established in the soul, where no violence can arise. There is a place near Gandhinagar where during Navratri there were some Muslim boys, not just two or four boys, there was a huge gang, a lot of people came together and they stoned that village and burned two shops belonging to Hindus. They burned two shops and injured many people. They even vandalized police vehicles.

 It is clarified that while weapons may appear in the hands of divine beings, they symbolize spiritual power used to destroy ignorance, not beings. “The Lord carries weapons not to harm, but to restore balance and uphold Dharma when ignorance rises.”

The Hidden Message

Through this conversation, Tulsidas Ji remind us that the true war is not external—it is between ignorance and knowledge, attachment and awareness.The human body may be fragile, but its purpose is divine—to realize the Supreme Self and become an embodiment of Paramshanti. The Garuda–Kag Bhusundi dialogue is, therefore, not an ancient tale but a mirror of the modern seeker’s journey—from confusion to clarity, from sorrow to supreme peace.

6. What is the Greatest Sin, and How Can One Be Free from It?

Garuda Ji humbly bowed and asked, “O Great Sage, please tell me, what is the greatest sin in this universe, and how can a being be freed from it?” Kag Bhusundi Ji replied: “slander, criticizing others. Kaga Bhusundi says that beings who criticize God, gurus, or saints are undoubtedly doomed. For example, those who slander God or the guru become frogs for a thousand lifetimes. The greatest sin is forgetting the Lord, forgetting one’s own true Self.”

Those person who finds evil even in the goodness of others becomes the darkness of the soul; wonderful observation! The person who finds faults in others' goodness becomes the darkness of the soul. It's dangerous.When a soul forgets its divine origin and becomes entangled in ego, body-consciousness, and illusion (Maya), it creates a chain of karma, desires, and rebirths. “O Garuda, ignorance of the Self is the root of all sin.”

this idea through Bapuji’s knowledge: “When a soul forgets that it is a point of divine light, a child of the Infinite Supreme, it begins to see separation and duality. From that illusion arises anger, greed, pride, and attachment.” The moment a soul remembers its origin in the Supreme Source — the Ocean of Paramshanti — all sins dissolve like darkness before the Sun. Thus, remembrance (smaran), meditation (dhyan), and self-realization (atma-jnan) are the true purifiers — greater than any ritual, penance, or sacrifice. “Remember the Lord in every breath. In remembrance lies liberation.”

7. What is the True Path to Liberation (Moksha)?

Finally, Garuda Ji asked the deepest question: “O revered sage, please tell me, what is the sure path to liberation from this ocean of death?” Kag Bhusundi Ji replied with great compassion: “There is only one path—Bhakti (devotion) born from knowledge of the Self.”

He explained that there are three stages of the soul’s journey:

1.     Karma (Action) — The path of duty and righteous deeds.

2.     Jnana (Knowledge) — The path of wisdom, knowing the Self.

3.     Bhakti (Devotion) — The path of love, surrendering to the Supreme.

Yet, the highest among all is Divine Devotion mixed with Self-Knowledge, for it unites the soul directly with the Supreme Being. “Without knowledge, devotion is like a lamp without oil;Without devotion, knowledge is like a barren tree.” As per Bapuji’s shared wisdom “True devotion is not emotional worship; it is remembrance of one’s own divinity. True knowledge is not intellectual; it is experience of the Supreme within.” When the soul merges its consciousness with the Supreme Paramatma, that state is Paramshanti — beyond all sound, beyond all thought, beyond the vibration of creation itself. That is Moksha — not just freedom from rebirth, but entry into the Infinite Silence of the Supreme Abode (Paramdham).

The Realization of Kag Bhusundi Ji

Kag Bhusundi Ji himself had once been a proud Brahmin who disrespected saints. Through many lifetimes, he suffered the consequences of ego until finally, by grace, he realized the futility of pride and the glory of surrender. Even after gaining liberation, he chose to remain in the form of a crow to teach others — showing that humility is the ornament of true knowledge. “He who teaches peace even in the lowest form is greater than one who seeks heaven for himself.”

Kag Bhusundi Ji’s consciousness transcended body, time, and dimension — he could travel to the past and future, witnessing infinite creations and dissolutions of the universe (kalpas). Bapuji too has revealed that highly realized souls can travel through infinite Brahmands, observing the rise and fall of creation cycles. Such souls act as Loka-Kalyankari Atmas — world-benefiting souls — whose only aim is to help others awaken.

The Hidden Cosmic Message

Garuda–Kag Bhusundi Samvad is not just a dialogue of devotion — it is a cosmic map of spiritual evolution.

• Garuda represents the mind seeking wings of freedom.

• Kag Bhusundi represents the realized consciousness guiding that mind.

• Lord Rama represents the Infinite Supreme within every soul.

When the seeker (Garuda) listens to the inner Guru (Kag Bhusundi) and remembers the Supreme (Rama), the soul rises beyond birth, beyond time, and attains its eternal abode.

The Essence in Bapuji’s Language

Bapuji Dashrathbhai Patel often explains that the ultimate goal is not just to attain Moksha from the Earth realm but to reach the Infinite Universe (Behad ka Brahmand) — where the soul becomes light, pure, and divine beyond the cycle of death and rebirth. In that state, the soul does not merely rest in peace — it creates peace. It radiates Paramshanti across dimensions, transforming vibrations and purifying universes. Such souls become co-creators with the Supreme, participating in the grand work of universal upliftment.“To become a soul of Paramshanti is the true goal of existence.”