Shloka 19

Śālagrāma-lakṣaṇa: Viṣṇu Stotra, Vyūha/Avatāra Identification, and Temple-Fruition

Devanagari script

नीलस्त्रिरेखः स्थूलो ऽथ (कूर्ममूर्तिः स बिन्दुमान् / (कृष्णः) स वर्तुलावर्तः पातु वो नतपृष्ठकः

Transliteration

nīlastrirekhaḥ sthūlo 'tha (kūrmamūrtiḥ sa bindumān / (kṛṣṇaḥ) sa vartulāvartaḥ pātu vo natapṛṣṭhakaḥ

Translation

ത്രിരേഖാങ্কിത നീലവർണ്ണൻ, സ്ഥൂലദേഹൻ, (കൂർമ്മമൂർത്തി) ബിന്ദുവുള്ളവൻ; ശ്യാമവർണ്ണൻ, വൃത്താവർത്തധാരി—നതപൃഷ്ഠനായ അവൻ നിങ്ങളെ കാക്കട്ടെ.

Word by Word

• नीलः: blue/dark
• नीलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• त्रिरेखः: three-lined
• त्रिरेखः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि-रेखा (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + रेखा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास; विशेषण

• स्थूलः: thick/large
• स्थूलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम-बोधक (then)

• कूर्ममूर्तिः: the tortoise-form (Kūrma)
• कूर्ममूर्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म-मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक; कूर्म + मूर्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष, ‘कूर्मस्य मूर्तिः’ (tortoise-form); विशेष-नामवत्

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

• बिन्दुमान्: having a dot/mark
• बिन्दुमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिन्दुमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष-नाम

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

• वर्तुलावर्तः: with a circular spiral/whorl
• वर्तुलावर्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तुल-आवर्त (प्रातिपदिक; वर्तुल + आवर्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय, ‘वर्तुलः आवर्तः’ (circular whirl/spiral); विशेषण

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘रक्षतु’

• वः: you (all) / for you
• वः: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-बहुवचन (Genitive/Dative plural)

• नतपृष्ठकः: with a bent back
• नतपृष्ठकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत-पृष्ठक (प्रातिपदिक; नत + पृष्ठक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय, ‘नतं पृष्ठं यस्य’ (bent-backed); विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (speaking to Garuḍa / Vinatā-putra) — attribution based on the common Garuḍa Purāṇa dialogue frame; chapter-level speaker may vary by recension.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Protection through contemplation of Viṣṇu’s Kūrma-like stabilizing aspect, marked by tri-rekhā, bindu, and spiral (āvarta) symbolism.

Vedantic Theme: Support of dharma/order by Īśvara; the stable substratum (adhiṣṭhāna) imagery suggested by turtle-form.

Application: When mind is ‘churned’ by stress, recite and visualize the turtle-form as inner steadiness; use as protective remembrance before sleep.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.45 (sequence of protective forms and marks)

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu (implied as protector)
• Kūrma (tortoise-form motif)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing marks like tri-rekhā, bindu, and āvarta in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse uses auspicious bodily signs and iconographic features as a devotional-identification formula, invoking protection by remembering the deity through distinctive marks.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This specific verse is not directly about the soul’s post-death journey; it functions more as a protective invocation, which in the broader text supports ritual and devotional preparedness.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a short protective remembrance (smaraṇa) before study, worship, or rites—focusing the mind on divine attributes rather than fear or anxiety.