Shloka 2

Devanagari script

तार्क्ष्यमूर्तिं वहेद्यो वै भल्लूकदन्तनिर्मिताम् / स पन्नगैर्न दृश्येत यावज्जीवं वृषध्वज

Transliteration

tārkṣyamūrtiṃ vahedyo vai bhallūkadantanirmitām / sa pannagairna dṛśyeta yāvajjīvaṃ vṛṣadhvaja

Translation

ഹേ വൃഷധ്വജ (ശിവ)! കരടിയുടെ പല്ലിൽ നിന്നുണ്ടാക്കിയ താർക്ഷ്യ (ഗരുഡ) മൂർത്തി ധരിക്കുന്നവൻ ജീവപര്യന്തം സർപ്പങ്ങൾക്ക് ദൃശ്യമാകുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• तार्क्ष्य-मूर्तिम्: an image/form of Garuḍa
• तार्क्ष्य-मूर्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तार्क्ष्यस्य मूर्तिः)

• वहेत्: should carry/wear
• वहेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• भल्लूक-दन्त-निर्मिताम्: made from bear-teeth
• भल्लूक-दन्त-निर्मिताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भल्लूक (प्रातिपदिक) + दन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्मित (कृदन्त; नि-√मा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (भल्लूकस्य दन्तैः निर्मिता)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पन्नगैः: by snakes
• पन्नगैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• दृश्येत: would be seen/appear
• दृश्येत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• यावत्-जीवम्: as long as one lives
• यावत्-जीवम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय) + जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययार्थ: कालपर्यन्त (up to the duration)

• वृषध्वज: O Bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• वृषध्वज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वृषस्य ध्वजः)

Speaker

Narrator/Ācārya voice addressing Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva) while prescribing a protective charm connected to Garuḍa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Protective power arises from association with Garuḍa’s form—devotional symbolism functioning as apotropaic protection.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa as upāsanā-support: sacred form as conduit of divine protection within worldly peril.

Application: Wear/keep a Garuḍa image (here specified as bear-tooth crafted) as a continual serpent-warding amulet.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: personal body/amulet-bearing context

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.191: Garuḍa-rakṣā and anti-sarpa measures

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa (Tārkṣya)
• Nāgas/Serpents (Pannagas)
• Śiva (Vṛṣadhvaja)

FAQs

What is the importance of Garuḍa (Tārkṣya) in protection practices mentioned in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Garuḍa’s image as a direct apotropaic (warding) force: carrying his form is said to make one ‘unseen’ to serpents, highlighting Garuḍa’s traditional role as the overpowerer of nāgas.

How does this verse explain protection from serpents according to the Garuda Purana?

It prescribes a specific material talisman—an image of Garuḍa made from a bear’s tooth—claiming that serpents will not perceive the bearer throughout life, implying ritual-material support for safety in addition to devotion.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

As a modern takeaway, it encourages cultivating protective discipline—faith, caution in risky environments, and reverence for protective symbols—while treating such prescriptions as part of traditional ritual culture rather than a substitute for medical care and safety.