Shloka 20

Prāṇeśvara Garuḍa-Mantra: Timing (Velā), Nāga-Grahas, Nyāsa, Haṃsa-Rite, and Viṣa-Cikitsā

Devanagari script

नामैतद्वारिधाराभिः स्नातो दष्टो विषं त्यजेत् / ॐ पक्षि स्वाहा

Transliteration

nāmaitadvāridhārābhiḥ snāto daṣṭo viṣaṃ tyajet / oṃ pakṣi svāhā

Translation

By bathing in flowing streams of water while reciting this sacred Name, one who has been bitten casts off the poison. (Mantra:) “Oṁ, O bird, svāhā.”

Word by Word

• नाम: name; namely
• नाम: Sambandha (Appositive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; indeclinable-like usage as particle ‘namely’

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वारि-धाराभिः: with streams of water
• वारि-धाराभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक) + धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘वारिणः धाराः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• स्नातः: bathed
• स्नातः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्ना (धातु) → स्नात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate adjective

• दष्टः: bitten
• दष्टः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंश् (धातु) → दष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate adjective

• विषम्: poison
• विषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• त्यजेत्: should abandon/expel
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ॐ: oṃ
• ॐ: Mantra (Incantation/मन्त्र)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: प्रणव-उच्चारण (mantric particle)

• पक्षि: O bird (Garuda)
• पक्षि: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• स्वाहा: svāhā
• स्वाहा: Mantra (Incantation/मन्त्र)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वाहा (अव्यय)
• Form: मन्त्र-समापन-निपात (oblation exclamation)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within a mantra-remedy context)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Pitta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mantra and ritual purity can counteract immediate affliction (viṣa) when applied with faith and correct procedure.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha mediated through śabda (mantra) and śuddhi; upāsanā as practical means within vyavahāra.

Application: Use mantra-recitation with bathing/ablution as a structured emergency rite; cultivate steadiness and focused repetition rather than panic.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: water-source/ritual-bathing place

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.19.21-24 (nyāsa and further mantras for viṣa-śamana)

FAQs

What is the importance of this snakebite mantra in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents a practical protective/curative mantra: recitation combined with bathing or pouring water is said to help a bitten person expel venom.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it belongs to the Garuda Purana’s applied instruction sections where mantras and rites are given for protection and wellbeing in embodied life.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

As a traditional devotional practice, it can be recited with water-pouring/ablution for protection, while medically a snakebite requires immediate emergency treatment; the mantra may be used as a supportive spiritual observance.