Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

पार्ष्णो रक्षतु शङ्खश्च पद्मं मे चरणावुभौ / सर्वकार्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थं पातु मां गरुडः सदा

Transliteration

pārṣṇo rakṣatu śaṅkhaśca padmaṃ me caraṇāvubhau / sarvakāryārthasiddhyarthaṃ pātu māṃ garuḍaḥ sadā

Translation

Möge die heilige Muschel (Śaṅkha) meine Fersen schützen, und möge der Lotus (Padma) beide Füße behüten. Zur Vollendung aller Vorhaben und Ziele möge Garuḍa mich stets beschirmen.

Word by Word

• पार्ष्णोः: of the heel / the heel
• पार्ष्णोः: Karma (Object locus/कर्म-देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्ष्णि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/अधिकरणार्थे), एकवचन; (पाठे 'पार्ष्णो' = पार्ष्णोः)

• रक्षतु: may protect
• रक्षतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शङ्खः: conch
• शङ्खः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-सम्बन्धक (and)

• पद्मम्: lotus
• पद्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मे: my/of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चरणौ: two feet
• चरणौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण (चरणौ इति)

• सर्वकार्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थम्: for accomplishing all aims and tasks
• सर्वकार्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थम्: Hetu/Purpose (Prayojana/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व + कार्य + अर्थ + सिद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (purpose adverbial: 'for the sake of')

• पातु: may protect
• पातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु, पालन)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (always)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (teaching Garuḍa a protective invocation)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Invoking śaṅkha and padma for stability and purity, culminating in Garuḍa as ever-present protector enabling siddhi of righteous aims.

Vedantic Theme: Grace (anugraha) supports pravṛtti (worldly duties) when aligned with dharma; divine protection removes obstacles (vighna) without severing devotion.

Application: Recite before starting work, travel, or vows; visualize conch at heels, lotus under feet, and Garuḍa overhead as guardian for ‘sarva-kāryārtha-siddhi’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: body-mandala (kavaca)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.194.7; Garuda Purana 1.194.8; Garuda Purana 1.194.10

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Śaṅkha
• Padma

FAQs

What is the importance of Garuḍa-protection verses in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Garuḍa as an ever-present guardian, invoked for both physical safeguarding (feet/heels) and for the successful completion of one’s rightful aims.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it emphasizes spiritual security through devotion: protection begins with one’s ‘steps’ (feet), symbolizing a safeguarded journey through life and, by extension, the soul’s onward passage under divine guardianship.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Recite as a short protective prayer before travel, rituals, or important work, cultivating steadiness, obstacle-removal, and a dharmic intention behind “all undertakings.”