Shloka 20

Devanagari script

(श्रीधरः) पञ्चरेखो ऽव्या (द्वनमाली) गादाङ्कितः / (वामनो) वर्तुलो ह्रस्वो वा (रा) मचक्रः सुरेश्वरः

Transliteration

(śrīdharaḥ) pañcarekho 'vyā (dvanamālī) gādāṅkitaḥ / (vāmano) vartulo hrasvo vā (rā) macakraḥ sureśvaraḥ

Translation

Möge Śrīdhara mich schützen: mit fünf Linien gezeichnet. Möge Vanamālī mich schützen: die Keule als Zeichen tragend. Möge Vāmana mich schützen: rund von Gestalt und klein von Wuchs. Möge Rāma mich schützen: Herr der Götter, ausgezeichnet durch das Chakra.

Word by Word

• श्रीधरः: Śrīdhara
• श्रीधरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष-नाम

• पञ्चरेखः: having five lines
• पञ्चरेखः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च-रेखा (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च + रेखा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास; विशेषण

• अव्यात्: may (he) protect
• अव्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘रक्षतु’

• वनमाली: Vanamālī (wearer of forest garland)
• वनमाली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन-मालिन् (प्रातिपदिक; वन + मालिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष, ‘वनस्य माला यस्य’/‘वनमालां धारयति’ (wearer of forest-garland); विशेष-नामवत्

• गदाङ्कितः: marked with a mace
• गदाङ्कितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गदा-अङ्कित (प्रातिपदिक; गदा + अङ्कित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष, ‘गदया अङ्कितः/चिह्नितः’ (marked with a mace); विशेषण

• वामनः: Vāmana
• वामनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष-नाम

• वर्तुलः: round
• वर्तुलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ह्रस्वः: short
• ह्रस्वः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ह्रस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• रामचक्रः: Rāma-cakra (Rāma’s discus / marked with Rāma-disc)
• रामचक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम-चक्र (प्रातिपदिक; राम + चक्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष, ‘रामस्य चक्रः’/‘राम-चक्र-चिह्नः’ इत्यर्थे (पाठभेद-संभव); विशेष-नामवत्

• सुरेश्वरः: Lord of the gods
• सुरेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; सुर + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी), ‘सुराणाम् ईश्वरः’ (lord of gods)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinatā-putra) — protective name-mantra style enumeration of Viṣṇu’s forms

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nāma-rūpa smaraṇa as protection: multiple Viṣṇu epithets/forms each with distinct iconographic identifiers (lines, garland, mace, discus).

Vedantic Theme: Unity of Viṣṇu across many functional manifestations; devotion as a practical means to fearlessness (abhaya) and inner order.

Application: Daily recitation as a short kavaca: mentally place Śrīdhara (five lines), Vanamālī (forest garland, gadā emblem), Vāmana (short, round), and Rāma (cakra-bearing lord) around oneself for protection.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.45.16–20 (protective sequence; repeated ‘avyāt/pātu’)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Śrīdhara
• Vanamālī
• Vāmana
• Rāma
• Sudarśana Cakra

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking Śrīdhara, Vanamālī, Vāmana, and Rāma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents a protective remembrance (rakṣā-prayoga) through specific Viṣṇu-names and iconographic identifiers, emphasizing refuge in Viṣṇu’s forms for safeguarding and auspiciousness.

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

Indirectly: it establishes Viṣṇu as the ultimate protector, a recurring theme that supports the text’s broader teachings on fearlessness, dharma, and spiritual security amid discussions of death, rites, and the afterlife.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Daily recitation or mindful remembrance of these Viṣṇu-names as a protective prayer, paired with ethical living (dharma) and steadiness of mind.