Garuda flies to Alamba and lands on a sandalwood tree
Carrying his massive prey, Garuda flies to the sacred ford of Alamba, where celestial trees tremble at the wind from his wings. A giant sandalwood tree speaks, offering its own branch as a perch for him to eat.
With the elephant and the tortoise secured in his claws, Garuda flew high into the sky. He went to the tirtha (sacred ford) named Alamba, a place of many celestial trees. Their branches were gold, their fruit capable of granting all desires.
The wind raised by his giant wings struck the trees, and they trembled in fear, scared their golden branches would be broken. Seeing them quiver, Garuda — unwilling to harm them — went towards other trees, incomparable in colour and shape, with fruit of gold and silver and branches of lapis lazuli, washed by ocean waters.
Among them stood a giant sandalwood tree. As Garuda swooped down with the speed of the mind, the tree spoke to the best of birds.
"Descend on my giant branch, which extends for one hundred yojanas, and eat the elephant and the tortoise."
The supreme bird, as giant as a mountain, accepted the offer. He descended swiftly onto the tree. His landing shook the branches that housed a thousand birds, and the branch he chose, full of leaves, broke under his weight. He had found his place.