Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

पार्ष्णो रक्षतु शङ्खश्च पद्मं मे चरणावुभौ / सर्वकार्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थं पातु मां गरुडः सदा

Transliteration

pārṣṇo rakṣatu śaṅkhaśca padmaṃ me caraṇāvubhau / sarvakāryārthasiddhyarthaṃ pātu māṃ garuḍaḥ sadā

Translation

Semoga Śaṅkha (sangkakala) melindungi tumitku; semoga Padma (teratai) melindungi kedua-dua kakiku. Demi tercapainya segala tujuan dan usaha, semoga Garuḍa sentiasa melindungiku.

Word by Word

• पार्ष्णोः: of the heel / the heel
• पार्ष्णोः: Karma (Object locus/कर्म-देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्ष्णि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/अधिकरणार्थे), एकवचन; (पाठे 'पार्ष्णो' = पार्ष्णोः)

• रक्षतु: may protect
• रक्षतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शङ्खः: conch
• शङ्खः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-सम्बन्धक (and)

• पद्मम्: lotus
• पद्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• चरणौ: two feet
• चरणौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण (चरणौ इति)

• सर्वकार्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थम्: for accomplishing all aims and tasks
• सर्वकार्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थम्: Hetu/Purpose (Prayojana/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व + कार्य + अर्थ + सिद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (purpose adverbial: 'for the sake of')

• पातु: may protect
• पातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु, पालन)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (always)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (teaching Garuḍa a protective invocation)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Invoking śaṅkha and padma for stability and purity, culminating in Garuḍa as ever-present protector enabling siddhi of righteous aims.

Vedantic Theme: Grace (anugraha) supports pravṛtti (worldly duties) when aligned with dharma; divine protection removes obstacles (vighna) without severing devotion.

Application: Recite before starting work, travel, or vows; visualize conch at heels, lotus under feet, and Garuḍa overhead as guardian for ‘sarva-kāryārtha-siddhi’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: body-mandala (kavaca)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.194.7; Garuda Purana 1.194.8; Garuda Purana 1.194.10

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Śaṅkha
• Padma

FAQs

What is the importance of Garuḍa-protection verses in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Garuḍa as an ever-present guardian, invoked for both physical safeguarding (feet/heels) and for the successful completion of one’s rightful aims.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it emphasizes spiritual security through devotion: protection begins with one’s ‘steps’ (feet), symbolizing a safeguarded journey through life and, by extension, the soul’s onward passage under divine guardianship.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Recite as a short protective prayer before travel, rituals, or important work, cultivating steadiness, obstacle-removal, and a dharmic intention behind “all undertakings.”