THE UNITY OF GARUDA : A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLE DIVINE NAMES IN THAI CONTEXTS FROM “THE BRAHMINS’ GODS, A ROYAL WRITING BY HIS MAJESTY KING VAJIRAVUDH”

Abstract

        This article aims to analyze the multiple sacred names of Garuda appearing in Phra Pen Chao Khong Phram (“The Gods of Brahmanism”), a royal literary work composed by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI), through the perspectives of Structuralism and Symbolic System Theory. The study seeks to explain the relationship between the “plurality of sacred names” and the “unity of Garuda” within the context of Thai beliefs and cultural traditions. This research employs documentary study methods by collecting, analyzing, and interpreting Garuda’s names in terms of language, meaning, and mythological context.

        The findings reveal that the twenty-six sacred names of Garuda do not exist in a fragmented or unrelated manner; rather, they are systematically interconnected and can be classified into four semantic categories: 1) origin and genealogy, 2) physical characteristics and identity, 3) roles and status, and 4) power and supernatural potency. Each name functions as a semantic unit contributing collectively to the image of Garuda as the divine vehicle of Vishnu, a being of immense power, and a symbol of authority within Thai cosmological belief.

        The analysis further demonstrates that the plurality of Garuda’s sacred names does not signify multiple identities, but instead represents the manifestation of the “unity of Garuda” through an interconnected symbolic system. The study also reflects the multicultural nature of Thai society, in which diversity can coexist within a unified structure, revealing a distinctive characteristic of Thai cultural thought that harmoniously integrates religious belief, language, and cultural identity.