The text traces the soul's path:
Unlike the ancient Sanskrit Vedas , the Garuda Puranam became a household name in Kerala only in the early 20th century, thanks to the printing press and a surge in vernacular religious publishing. The most famous and widely circulated version remains the one published by and later by Current Books (Kottayam), with translations and commentaries by scholars like Panmana Ramachandran Nair and K. Balakrishnan Nair . garuda puranam malayalam book
Modern reinterpretations by figures like and Prof. K. N. Neelakantan argue that the Purana is actually a psychological text. The "hells" are metaphors for guilt. The "Vaitarani" is the river of remorse. The Garuda Puranam , in this light, is not a threat but a therapy: Perform good deeds, lest your own conscience become your Yama. The text traces the soul's path: Unlike the