Garuda is described as the king of birds and a kite-like figure. Garuda is a part of state insignia in India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia. The Indonesian official coat of arms is centered on fly yoga doha Garuda.

The national emblem of Indonesia is called Garuda Pancasila. In Hinduism, Garuda is a divine eagle-like sun bird and the king of birds. According to George Williams, Garuda has roots in the verb gri, or speak. Relief depicting a portable Garuda pillar, one of the oldest images of Garuda, Bharhut, 100 BCE. The Hindu texts on Garuda iconography vary in their details. If in the bird form, he is eagle-like, typically with the wings slightly open as if ready and willing to fly wherever he needs to.

In part human-form, he may have an eagle-like nose, beak or legs, his eyes are open and big, his body is the color of emerald, his wings are golden-yellow. He may be shown with either two or four hands. According to the text Silparatna, states Rao, Garuda is best depicted with only two hands and with four bands of colors: «golden yellow color from feet to knees, white from knees to navel, scarlet from navel to neck, and black above the neck». However, these Indian mythologies are different, inconsistent across the texts. Both, Aruna and Garuda, developed from egg. According to one version, states George Williams, Kashyapa Prajapati’s two wives Vinata and Kadru wanted to have children.

Balinese wooden statue of Vishnu riding Garuda, Purna Bhakti Pertiwi Museum, Jakarta, Indonesia. Vinata waited, and after many years the second egg hatched, and Garuda was born. Garuda later went to war with his step brothers, the Nagas. Some myths present Garuda as so massive that he can block out the sun. The text Garuda Purana is named after him.