Garuda Purana (Devanagari: गरुड़ पुराण) is one of the Puranas which are part of the Hindu body of texts known as smriti. It is a Vaishnava Purana and its first part contains a dialog between Vishnu and Garuda, the King of Birds. The second half contains details of life after death, funeral rites and the metaphysics of reincarnation, thus it is recited as a part Antyesti (Antim Sanskar) or funeral rites (funeral liturgy) in Hinduism.

Bhagawaan* = from the Sanskrit language: The Supreme, possessed of all material and spiritual opulences, in a proportion beyond limited human imagination or infinite as in the Sanskrit word, Ananta.

Garuda Purana is in the form of instructions by Vishnu to his carrier, Garuda (The King of Birds – a vahana of Bhagawaan* Vishnu). This Purana deals with astronomy, medicine, grammar, and gemstone structure and qualities. In addition, the Garuda Purana is considered the authoritative Vedic reference volume describing the Nine Pearls, which includes not only the well known Oyster Pearl, but also the Conch Pearl, Cobra Pearl, Boar Pearl, Elephant Pearl, Bamboo Pearl, Whale Pearl, Fish Pearl, and Cloud Pearl.

Shri Bannanje Govindacharya(Tulu: ಬನ್ನಂಜೆ ಗೋವಿಂದಾಚಾರ್ಯ, is a scholar, well-versed in Madhva tradition. He hails from Bannanje locality of Udupi in Karnataka, India. He was born in 1936. He is in particular one of the greatest experts on the Madhva Tattva Shastras or Madhva philosophy. He is best known for his pravachanas or discourses which are very popular among Tuluvas and Kannadigas all over the world. Though his pravachanas (discourses)have made him a household name among Tuluvas and Kannadigas his contributions to vedic scholarship also extend to voluminous writing. He is the author of numerous translations and commentaries both in Sanskrit and Kannada of the Vedic texts. His literary achievements also include his translation and commentaries of the complete texts of Shri Madhwacharya.

He started his study of the vedic texts and scriptures under his father Tarkakesari S. Narayanacharya and His Holiness Shri Vidyamanya Tirtha Swamiji of Palimaru Matha. But the person who shaped Bannanje's future was the late Shri Vidyasamudra Tirtha Swamiji of Kaniyooru matha.