Shloka 4

Pañcopāsanā: Viṣṇu-ādhāra invocation and the kalā-s of Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva, Tatpuruṣa, and Īśāna

Devanagari script

रजा रक्षा रतिः पाल्या कान्ति स्तृष्णा मतिः क्रिया / कामा बुद्धिश्च रात्रिश्च त्रासनी मोहिनी तथा (१३)

Transliteration

rajā rakṣā ratiḥ pālyā kānti stṛṣṇā matiḥ kriyā / kāmā buddhiśca rātriśca trāsanī mohinī tathā (13)

Translation

Rajas heißt auch: Schutz, Lust, das zu Bewahrende, Glanz, Durst, Denken und Tat; ferner: Begehren, Erkenntnis, Nacht, der Erschrecker und der Verwirrer (dreizehn).

Word by Word

• रजा: rajas (passion/energy)
• रजा: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश (enumeration)

• रक्षा: protection
• रक्षा: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश

• रतिः: delight / love
• रतिः: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश

• पाल्या: Pālyā (protectress/that which is to be protected)
• पाल्या: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाल्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश (to be protected/guardian-power; lexical)

• कान्तिः: splendor
• कान्तिः: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश

• तृष्णा: thirst / craving
• तृष्णा: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश

• मतिः: thought / mind
• मतिः: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश

• क्रिया: action / rite
• क्रिया: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश

• कामा: desire
• कामा: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश

• बुद्धिः: intellect
• बुद्धिः: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• रात्रिः: night
• रात्रिः: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• त्रासनी: terror-causing power
• त्रासनी: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रासनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश

• मोहिनी: enchantress / deluding power
• मोहिनी: Karta (Listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम-निर्देश

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/उपसंहारार्थ (also/likewise)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Rajas manifests in multiple modes—protective, pleasurable, desirous, active, intelligent, nocturnal, terrifying, deluding—indicating its ambivalent power and its role in bondage/confusion when unchecked.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-viveka: discerning rajas as a modifying force of prakṛti that agitates mind; need to sublimate toward sattva and ultimately transcend guṇas.

Application: Notice rajasic signatures (restlessness, craving, compulsive activity, fear/delusion) and regulate them through disciplined routine, ethical restraint, and steady worship/meditation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: inner landscape (guṇa-field)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.21.3 (kalā enumeration leading into this list)

FAQs

What is the importance of rajas (rajo-guṇa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse lists the functional signs of rajas—craving, activity, desire, and delusion—showing how passion drives the mind outward and binds one to restless action.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By identifying rajas with desire, fear, and delusion, it implies that a rajas-dominated mind creates binding tendencies (karma-producing actions) that shape one’s post-death trajectory and further births.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Notice rajas when it appears as craving and compulsive activity; reduce it through disciplined routine, ethical restraint, and practices that steady buddhi (clear discernment) over kama (impulse).