Shloka 9

Acyuta/Vāsudeva Stotra: Avatāra-Salutations, Ritual Totality, Forgiveness Prayer, and Phalaśruti

Devanagari script

नमः परशुहस्ताय नमः क्षत्त्रान्तकारिणे / नमः सत्यप्रतिज्ञाय ह्यजिताय नमोनमः

Transliteration

namaḥ paraśuhastāya namaḥ kṣattrāntakāriṇe / namaḥ satyapratijñāya hyajitāya namonamaḥ

Translation

പരശു കൈയിൽ ധരിച്ചവനു നമസ്കാരം; ക്ഷത്രിയവംശാന്തകാരിയ്ക്കു നമസ്കാരം। സത്യപ്രതിജ്ഞനായ പ്രഭുവിനു നമസ്കാരം; അജേയനായ അജിതനു പുനഃപുനഃ നമസ്കാരം।

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana/Salutation (नमस्कार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे

• परशुहस्ताय: to the one with an axe in hand
• परशुहस्ताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परशु + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (परशुः हस्ते यस्य)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana/Salutation (नमस्कार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे

• क्षत्रान्तकारिणे: to the destroyer of the kṣatriyas
• क्षत्रान्तकारिणे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र + अन्त + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (क्षत्रस्य अन्तं करोति इति)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana/Salutation (नमस्कार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे

• सत्यप्रतिज्ञाय: to the one of true vow
• सत्यप्रतिज्ञाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य + प्रतिज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सत्या प्रतिज्ञा यस्य)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः; अवधान/हेतौ (particle: indeed/for)

• अजिताय: to the unconquered one
• अजिताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana/Salutation (नमस्कार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नमो-रूपेण प्रयोगः

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana/Salutation (नमस्कार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), offering praise

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma is upheld by the Lord’s decisive intervention; His satya-pratijñā (truthful vow) guarantees moral order; Ajita signifies the inviolability of divine sovereignty.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as dharma-saṃsthāpaka; satya as an attribute of the Absolute; avatāra as līlā serving loka-dharma.

Application: Cultivate satya (truthfulness) and firmness in ethical vows; seek strength to resist injustice without personal hatred—aligning action with dharma.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: avatāra lists and stotras praising Ajita and satya-saṅkalpa; dharma-restoration motifs

Characters & Entities

• Ajita
• Parashurama

FAQs

What is the importance of praising Ajita in the Garuda Purana?

This verse invokes the Lord as “Ajita,” the unconquered protector whose vows never fail, framing devotion as reliance on an unassailable divine refuge.

How does this verse relate to dharma and justice?

By saluting the axe-bearing deity who ends oppressive kṣatriya power, the verse recalls divine intervention to restore dharma when worldly authority becomes unrighteous.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Keep one’s promises truthful (satya-pratijñā) and seek inner strength through disciplined devotion, using prayer as a reminder to uphold dharma even under pressure.