Shloka 20

Devanagari script

तद्योजनानां परितः सहस्रं सर्वाननर्थान्विमुखी करोति / नक्षत्रमालेव दिवो विशीर्णा दन्तावलिस्तस्य महामुरस्य

Transliteration

tadyojanānāṃ paritaḥ sahasraṃ sarvānanarthānvimukhī karoti / nakṣatramāleva divo viśīrṇā dantāvalistasya mahāmurasya

Translation

Spreading a thousand yojanas in every direction, it turns back all calamities; the great asura’s row of teeth lay scattered—like a garland of stars fallen from the sky.

Word by Word

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (genitive pronoun)

• योजनानाम्: of yojanas (measures)
• योजनानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• परितः: around
• परितः: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परितः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/अव्ययीभावार्थे अव्यय (adverb: ‘around’)

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Pramana (Measure/प्रमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अनर्थान्: misfortunes, harms
• अनर्थान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• विमुखी: turned away (making averted)
• विमुखी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (कर्तृ-विशेषण)

• करोति: makes, causes
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• नक्षत्रमाला: a garland of stars
• नक्षत्रमाला: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नक्षत्राणां माला)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana-marker (Simile particle/उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक (comparative particle)

• दिवः: of the sky
• दिवः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• विशीर्णा: scattered, dispersed
• विशीर्णा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + शीर्ण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √शॄ/शृ ‘to break, decay’)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• दन्तावलिः: row/garland of teeth
• दन्तावलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आवलि/आवलिः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दन्तानाम् आवलिः)

• तस्य: of him/that (one)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• महामुरस्य: of the great Mura
• महामुरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + मुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् मुरः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narration to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Protective power that averts calamities (anartha-nivṛtti) when aligned with divine order.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha (grace) as the remover of obstacles; the small self is safeguarded when sheltered by the higher power.

Application: Cultivate refuge in Viṣṇu/daiva through remembrance and right conduct when facing fear; interpret ‘calamities’ as both outer dangers and inner afflictions to be turned away.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.69 (ratna/utpatti context; protective virtues implied)

Characters & Entities

• Mura (demon)

FAQs

What is the importance of warding off anartha (misfortune) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents divine protection as a force that “turns away all calamities,” emphasizing that alignment with dharma and the divine is portrayed as the ultimate safeguard against harm.

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

Indirectly: by highlighting divine power that removes obstacles, it supports the broader Garuda Purana theme that spiritual refuge and dharmic conduct help the soul avoid भय (fear) and बाधा (hindrances) on its post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharmic living and devotional remembrance as inner ‘protection’: reduce harmful actions (anartha) and strengthen steady practice (japa, charity, truthfulness) to avert avoidable suffering.