Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

नाम द्वादशो ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / प्रवक्ष्याम्यधुना ह्येतद्वैष्णवं पञ्जरं शुभम् / नमोनमस्ते मोविदं चक्रं गृह्य सुदर्शनम्

Transliteration

nāma dvādaśo 'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / pravakṣyāmyadhunā hyetadvaiṣṇavaṃ pañjaraṃ śubham / namonamaste movidaṃ cakraṃ gṛhya sudarśanam

Translation

बारहवाँ अध्याय। हरि बोले— अब मैं इस शुभ वैष्णव ‘पंजर’ (रक्षा-कवच) का वर्णन करता हूँ। हे सर्वज्ञ सुदर्शन-चक्र! आपको बार-बार नमस्कार; (हे चक्र) इसे ग्रहण करो।

Word by Word

• nāma: named / called
• nāma: Sambandha (Label/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशार्थक निपात (particle meaning 'called/namely')

• dvādaśaḥ: twelfth
• dvādaśaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (अध्यायः इति विशेष्य)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• hariḥ: Hari
• hariḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• pravakṣyāmi: I shall proclaim
• pravakṣyāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vac (वच्)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• adhunā: now
• adhunā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhunā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (now)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; अव्यय (emphatic/causal particle)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• vaiṣṇavam: Vaiṣṇava (of Viṣṇu)
• vaiṣṇavam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (pañjaram इति विशेष्य)

• pañjaram: cage; protective enclosure (mantric)
• pañjaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañjara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• śubham: auspicious
• śubham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (pañjaram इति विशेष्य)

• namo: salutation
• namo: Mantra-pada (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्रयोग)
• Form: नमस्-शब्दस्य अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग; नमस्कारार्थक निपात

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

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

• movidam: (unclear epithet)
• movidam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: (पाठभ्रंश/अस्पष्ट)
• Form: पाठे 'movidaṃ' इति रूपं मानक-व्याकरणे न सुस्पष्टम्; सम्भाव्यपाठः 'moditaṃ' (√mud) वा 'mohidaṃ' इत्यादि; अत्र यथापाठं नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (cakram इति विशेष्य) इति ग्रहणम्

• cakram: discus
• cakram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• gṛhya: having taken
• gṛhya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √grah (ग्रह्)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); 'गृह्य' = 'गृहित्वा' (having taken)

• sudarśanam: Sudarśana (beautiful/auspicious to behold)
• sudarśanam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (सु+दर्शन); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (cakram इति विशेष्य)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Hari)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavān reveals a protective kavaca; surrender and praise activate divine protection through Sudarśana.

Vedantic Theme: Śaraṇāgati and īśvara-rakṣaṇa: the Lord’s power becomes the devotee’s ‘armor’ through remembrance and invocation.

Application: Use this verse as the saṅkalpa/ārambha of Sudarśana-kavaca recitation; begin with namaskāra and mental placement of the cakra as protective presence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: textual/ritual setting (kavaca/pañjara recitation)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.13.2-3 (directional protection invocations); Garuda Purana 1.12.16-17 (cakra worship and protection)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Sudarshana Chakra

FAQs

What is the importance of the Vaiṣṇava Pañjara in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces the Vaiṣṇava Pañjara as an auspicious protective ‘armor’ taught by Hari, framing it as a sacred recitation intended for spiritual safeguarding.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by invoking Sudarśana as divine protection, it emphasizes that refuge in Viṣṇu’s power is a support for the jīva amid fear, obstacles, and transitional states described elsewhere in the Purāṇa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to cultivate devotion and inner discipline—seeking protection through dharmic living and prayerful remembrance of Viṣṇu’s Sudarśana.