Shloka 9

Devanagari script

वायव्यां रक्ष मां देव हयग्रीव नमो ऽस्तु ते / वैनतेयं समारुह्य त्वन्तरिक्षे जनार्दन !

Transliteration

vāyavyāṃ rakṣa māṃ deva hayagrīva namo 'stu te / vainateyaṃ samāruhya tvantarikṣe janārdana !

Translation

In the northwest quarter, protect me, O Lord—O Hayagrīva, salutations unto You. O Janārdana, mounted upon Vainateya (Garuḍa), protect me in the mid-sky, the antarikṣa.

Word by Word

• वायव्याम्: in the north-west direction
• वायव्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• रक्ष: protect
• रक्ष: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग (pronoun), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• हयग्रीव: O Hayagrīva
• हयग्रीव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हयग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः हय + ग्रीव (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana/Discourse (Expression)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• अस्तु: may it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान

• वैनतेयम्: Vainateya (Garuḍa)
• वैनतेयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैनतेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• समारुह्य: having mounted
• समारुह्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

• अन्तरिक्षे: in the sky/atmosphere
• अन्तरिक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• जनार्दन: O Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Garuda (Vainateya), addressing Lord Vishnu (Janardana/Hayagriva)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Protective surrender (sharana) through nama-stuti and visualization of the Lord’s form and vahana.

Vedantic Theme: Ishvara-anugraha (grace) as refuge amid samsaric fear; remembrance (smarana) as protective upaya.

Application: Use as part of a protective recitation (kavacha/panjara) when traveling or feeling threatened; mentally place the Lord in the northwest and in the sky as guardian.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic-directional/sky-realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.13 (Vaishnava panjara/kavacha sequence invoking Vishnu’s forms by directions/limbs)

Characters & Entities

• Hayagriva
• Vainateya (Garuda)
• Janardana (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of directional protection in the Garuda Purana?

This verse invokes Viṣṇu (as Hayagrīva/Janārdana) for protection specifically in a direction (northwest) and in the mid-region (antarikṣa), reflecting the practice of seeking divine safeguarding across all quarters and realms.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

While not a direct afterlife-description verse, it mirrors a key Garuḍa Purāṇa theme: invoking Viṣṇu’s protection across regions of movement—symbolically applicable to transitions and journeys, including subtle or liminal passages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a short protective invocation before travel or during anxiety: remember Viṣṇu as the protector in all directions and call upon Garuḍa (Vainateya) as the divine vehicle of safe passage.