Shloka 18

Vaiṣṇava-kavaca: Vishnu’s Protective Armor Against Fear, Disease, Poison, and Hostile Forces

Devanagari script

शत्रीन्हलेन मे हन्याद्रामो यादवनन्दनः / प्रलम्बकेशिचाणूरपूतनाकंसनाशनः / कृष्णस्य यो बालभावः स मे कामान्प्रयच्छतु

Transliteration

śatrīnhalena me hanyādrāmo yādavanandanaḥ / pralambakeśicāṇūrapūtanākaṃsanāśanaḥ / kṛṣṇasya yo bālabhāvaḥ sa me kāmānprayacchatu

Translation

ليضرب راما، بهجةَ آلِ يادوَ، أعدائي بمحراثه. هو الذي أهلك برالَمبا وكِشي وتشانوُرا وبوتَنا وكَمسا—فلتمنحني تلك الهيئة الطفولية لكريشنا مقاصدي المنشودة.

Word by Word

• शत्रीन्: enemies
• शत्रीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• हलेन: with a plough
• हलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)

• मे: for me / my
• मे: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Genitive/Dative, Singular; pronoun)

• हन्यात्: may (he) slay
• हन्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (सम्भावना/आशीः), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd person, singular)

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• यादवनन्दनः: delight of the Yadavas
• यादवनन्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यादव + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• प्रलम्बकेशिचाणूरपूतनाकंसनाशनः: destroyer of Pralamba, Keśin, Cāṇūra, Pūtanā, and Kaṃsa
• प्रलम्बकेशिचाणूरपूतनाकंसनाशनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रलम्ब + केशिन् + चाणूर + पूतना + कंस + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-समास, विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; compound adjective)

• कृष्णस्य: of Krishna
• कृष्णस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• बालभावः: childhood nature/form
• बालभावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Dative, Singular; pronoun)

• कामान्: desires
• कामान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• प्रयच्छतु: may (he) grant
• प्रयच्छतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperative, 3rd person, singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda; embedded protective/benefic invocation)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Smaraṇa of Bhagavān’s līlā and nāma grants protection and fulfills righteous desires (kāmān).

Vedantic Theme: Bhagavān as both līlā-mūrti and sarva-śaktimān; remembrance aligns the mind with the divine will, reducing fear and obstacles.

Application: Use as a protective/fulfillment prayer: recite while visualizing Balarāma’s hala and child-Kṛṣṇa’s victories; frame desires as dhārmic aims.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.194.21 (Vaiṣṇava-kavaca); Garuda Purana sections praising Viṣṇu-nāma as remover of upadravas (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Rama (Balarama)
• Krishna
• Yadavas
• Pralamba
• Kesi
• Chanura
• Putana
• Kamsa

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking Balarama and Krishna’s child-form in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames divine remembrance as protection: Balarama is invoked as a remover of hostile forces, while Krishna’s bāla-bhāva represents auspicious, grace-bestowing divinity that fulfills righteous aims.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana themes like fear, obstacles, and protection?

Although much of the Preta Kanda discusses post-death realities, it also includes devotional and protective recitations; this shloka functions as an apotropaic prayer—seeking safety from enemies and success through divine names and deeds.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the verse as a focused remembrance (nāma-smaraṇa) during anxiety or conflict—pairing ethical action with devotion, and seeking protection and success without harming others unjustly.