A class of mythical birds generally mentioned in company with Nágas (E.g., J.iv.181, 202).
They live in Simbali-groves (E.g., J.i.202) and are usually huge in size, sometimes one hundred and fifty leagues from wing to wing (J.iii.397). The flapping of their wings can raise a storm, known as the Garuda-wind (J.v.77). This wind can plunge a whole city in darkness and cause houses to fall through its violence (J.iii.188).
A Garula has strength great enough to carry off a whole banyan tree, tearing it up from its roots (J.vi.177). The Garulas are the eternal enemies of the Nágas (J.ii.13; iii.103) and live in places, such as the Seruma Island (J.iii.187), where Nágas are to be found. The greatest happiness of the Nágas is to be free from the attacks of the Garulas (J.iv.463). A Garula's plumage is so thick that a man - e.g., Natakuvera (J.iii.91) - could hide in it, unnoticed by the bird. Sometimes Garulas assume human form; two Garula kings are said to have played dice with kings of Benares and to have fallen in love with their queens, whom they took to the Garula city - one of the queens being Sussondí (J.iii.187) and the other Kákátí (J.iii.91). In each case the queen, being found unfaithful to her Garula lover, was returned to her husband. The Garulas know the Álambáyana spell, which no Nága can resist (J.vi.178, 184). It is said that in olden days the Garulas did not know how to seize Nágas effectively; they caught them by the bead, and the Nágas who had swallowed big stones were too heavy to be lifted from the ground; consequently the Garulas died of exhaustion in trying to carry them. Later the Garulas learnt this secret through the treachery of the ascetic Karambiya, as related in the Pandara Játaka (J.vi.175f).
Garulas are mentioned as sometimes leading virtuous lives, keeping the fast and observing the precepts. One such was the Garula king mentioned in the Pandara Játaka, and another, the son of Vináta, who visited the park of Dhanańjaya Koravya and gave a golden garland as present after hearing Vidhurapandita preach (J.vi.261f).
The Garula's body was evidently considered to be specially formed for quick flight, for the ancient proto-type of the aeroplane was based on the Garula (DhA.iii.135). One of the five guards appointed by Sakka to protect Távatimsa from the Asuras was formed of Garulas (J.i.204).
The Bodhisatta (J.iii.187) and Sáriputta (J.iii.400) were both, on different occasions, born as Garula kings. The Simbalí is the special tree of the Garula-world (Vsm.i.206). The Garula is often represented in art as a winged Man. (See Fergusson: Tree and Serpent Worship, pl.xxvi.1; xxviii.1. etc.; also Gründwedel: Buddhistische Kunst, pp.47-50).
The Garulas are sometimes called Supannas (Suvannas). VvA.9.