Shloka 6

Vaiṣṇava-kavaca: Vishnu’s Protective Armor Against Fear, Disease, Poison, and Hostile Forces

Devanagari script

प्रद्युम्नः पातु मे घ्राणमनिरुद्धस्तु चर्म च / वनमाली गलस्यान्तं श्रीवत्सो रक्षतामधः

Transliteration

pradyumnaḥ pātu me ghrāṇamaniruddhastu carma ca / vanamālī galasyāntaṃ śrīvatso rakṣatāmadhaḥ

Translation

Que Pradyumna proteja mi olfato; y que Aniruddha resguarde mi piel. Que el Señor adornado con la guirnalda del bosque (Vanamālī) proteja la región de mi garganta; y que Śrīvatsa guarde lo que está debajo.

Word by Word

• प्रद्युम्नः: Pradyumna
• प्रद्युम्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रद्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मे: my/of me
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• घ्राणम्: nose/smell-organ
• घ्राणम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घ्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• अनिरुद्धः: Aniruddha
• अनिरुद्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिरुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (Nipata/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/विरोधसूचक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• चर्म: skin
• चर्म: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• वनमाली: the one wearing a forest-garland
• वनमाली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन + माली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वनस्य माली = wearer of forest-garland)

• गलस्य: of the throat/neck
• गलस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• अन्तम्: end/inner part
• अन्तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रीवत्सः: Shrivatsa
• श्रीवत्सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीवत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विष्णोर्लक्षणनाम

• रक्षताम्: may (they) protect
• रक्षताम्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम् (let them protect)

• अधः: below
• अधः: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place: below)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (as a protective prayer taught in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s manifold forms (vyūhas and epithets) pervade and protect the body; devotion sacralizes sensory life.

Vedantic Theme: Sarvavyāptitva expressed as immanence in bodily functions; unity-in-diversity of divine names and powers.

Application: During japa or before sleep, scan the body (smell/skin/throat/lower abdomen) and invoke these names to cultivate steadiness, purity, and restraint.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.194.2-5 (invocation, amulet binding, directional and sense protection)

Characters & Entities

• Pradyumna
• Aniruddha
• Vanamali (Vishnu)
• Shrivatsa (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking Pradyumna and Aniruddha in Garuda Purana?

This verse assigns specific protective functions to Vishnu’s forms—Pradyumna guards the sense of smell and Aniruddha guards the skin—showing a kavacha-style mapping of divinity to the body for spiritual protection.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by emphasizing protection of the subtle and physical faculties (senses and bodily regions), it supports the Garuda Purana theme that spiritual discipline and divine shelter safeguard one through vulnerability—both in life and in transitional states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a short daily protective recitation (kavacha/anga-nyasa mindset): contemplate each divine name while mentally offering the corresponding body part for protection and ethical restraint.