Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

ततो ऽहं पुण्डरीकाक्षमच्युतं शरणं गतः / धन्यो ऽहं निर्भयो नित्यं यस्य मे भगवान्हरिः

Transliteration

tato 'haṃ puṇḍarīkākṣamacyutaṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ / dhanyo 'haṃ nirbhayo nityaṃ yasya me bhagavānhariḥ

Translation

Darum habe ich Zuflucht genommen bei Puṇḍarīkākṣa, dem unfehlbaren Acyuta. Gesegnet bin ich—immerdar furchtlos—denn der Herr Hari ist mein Beschützer.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/काल-निर्देशक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Nominative, Singular; pronoun)

• पुण्डरीकाक्षम्: the lotus-eyed (Lord)
• पुण्डरीकाक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीक + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास (one whose eyes are like lotuses)

• अच्युतम्: Achyuta (the infallible)
• अच्युतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Gati-Karma (Goal as object/गतिकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक-क्रियायाः कर्म (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• गतः: (having) gone / taken (refuge)
• गतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (Past participle used predicatively)

• धन्यः: blessed
• धन्यः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Nominative, Singular; pronoun)

• निर्भयः: fearless
• निर्भयः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (Genitive, Singular; relative pronoun)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Genitive, Singular; pronoun)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; honorific adjective)

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

Speaker

A devotee (narrative voice within Garuda Purana discourse, expressing śaraṇāgati to Lord Vishnu)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Moksha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śaraṇāgati to Acyuta/Hari grants abhaya (fearlessness) and blessedness; the Lord’s ownership/protection (‘Hari is mine’) is transformative.

Vedantic Theme: Abhaya as fruit of taking refuge in the imperishable Brahman/Īśvara; grace (anugraha) stabilizes the mind beyond tamas and mṛtyu-bhaya.

Application: When fear arises (death, loss, uncertainty), consciously enact śaraṇāgati: repeat the names Puṇḍarīkākṣa/Acyuta/Hari and reframe identity as protected by Bhagavān.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.194.21 (Vaiṣṇava-kavaca as lived expression of refuge); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: nāma-smaraṇa and Viṣṇu-bhakti as deliverance from Yama’s fear (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Puṇḍarīkākṣa
• Acyuta

FAQs

What is the importance of śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents śaraṇāgati to Vishnu (Puṇḍarīkākṣa/Acyuta) as the direct source of blessedness and lasting fearlessness, implying spiritual protection that transcends death-related dread.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

By declaring refuge in Hari as the basis of being “ever fearless,” the verse points to devotion as a safeguard for the soul amid post-death uncertainties, emphasizing divine protection over anxiety about Yama’s path or punishments.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady remembrance and surrender to Vishnu—especially during fear, illness, or bereavement—using prayer, nāma-japa, and ethical living, anchoring the mind in the conviction that the Lord is one’s protector.