Shloka 3

Vaiṣṇava Pañjara: Directional Kavacha of Viṣṇu, His Weapons, and Avatāras

Devanagari script

याम्यां रक्षस्व मां विष्णो ! त्वामहं शरणं गतः / हलमादाय सौनन्दे नमस्ते पुरुषोत्तम

Transliteration

yāmyāṃ rakṣasva māṃ viṣṇo ! tvāmahaṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ / halamādāya saunande namaste puruṣottama

Translation

O Viṣṇu, protect me from the southern (Yama-ruled) direction; I have taken refuge in You. O Saunanda, taking up the plough, I bow to You—O Puruṣottama, the Supreme Person.

Word by Word

• yāmyām: in the south
• yāmyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन (दिशि)

• rakṣasva: protect
• rakṣasva: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √rakṣ (रक्ष्)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

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

• viṣṇo: O Viṣṇu
• viṣṇo: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचन

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• gataḥ: have gone / have resorted
• gataḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; √gam/गम्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; कर्तरि प्रयोग

• halam: plough (weapon)
• halam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√dā (दा/आदादाने)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); 'आदाय' = 'आदाय' (having taken)

• saunande: O Saunanda (name/epithet)
• saunande: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saunanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचन (सम्बोधनरूपेण)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Mantra-pada (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्रयोग)
• Form: नमस्; नमस्कारार्थक अव्ययप्रयोग

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• puruṣa-uttama: O Supreme Person
• puruṣa-uttama: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (उत्तमः पुरुषः); पुल्लिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचन

Speaker

A devotee/supplicant voice within the Garuda Purana’s protective prayer context (addressing Lord Vishnu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śaraṇāgati to Purushottama for protection from the Yama-associated direction; divine implements (hala) as safeguarding power.

Vedantic Theme: Fear dissolves in surrender to the Supreme; the Lord’s sovereignty extends over death-associated domains.

Application: During kavaca, visualize the South guarded by Viṣṇu; use this verse when feeling fear/inauspiciousness, especially related to mortality or threats.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: cardinal direction with mythic governance

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.13.2 (east protection); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa themes broadly (Yama, death, afterlife) as contextual resonance though not explicit here

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Yama
• Puruṣottama
• Saunanda

FAQs

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

This verse frames refuge in Viṣṇu as direct spiritual protection, especially against fear associated with Yama and the post-death journey.

How does this verse relate to Yama and the soul’s journey after death?

By naming the “yāmya” (southern/Yama) realm and asking Viṣṇu’s protection, it reflects the Garuda Purana theme that divine refuge mitigates dread of judgment and the after-death path.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily remembrance of Viṣṇu and the attitude of surrender; it supports ethical living and reduces fear around death by grounding the mind in refuge and devotion.