Shloka 3

Devanagari script

ऐं ह्रीं श्रीं ह्रीं स्फैं नमो भगवते स्फैं कुब्जीकायै नमः / ह्रं ह्रीं ह्रौं ङञणनमे अघोरामुखि ह्रां ह्रीं किलिकिलि विच्चे स्थौल्यक्रोशी ह्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं ऐं नमो भगवते उर्ध्ववक्त्राय नमः / स्फैं कुब्जिकायै पूर्ववक्त्राय नमः / ह्रीं श्रीं ह्रीं ङआञणनमे दक्षिणवक्त्राय नमः / ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं किलिकिलि पश्चिमवक्त्राय नमः / ॐ अखोरमुखि उत्तरवक्त्राय नमः / ॐ नमो भगवते हृदयाय नमः क्षैं (क्षें ऐं) कुब्जिकायै शिरसे स्वाहा / ह्रीं क्रीं ह्रीं आं ङ ञ ण नमे शिखायै वषट् / अघोरामुखि कवचाय हुं / हैं हैं ईं नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट् / किलिकिलि विच्चे अस्त्राय फट्

Transliteration

aiṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ hrīṃ sphaiṃ namo bhagavate sphaiṃ kubjīkāyai namaḥ / hraṃ hrīṃ hrauṃ ṅañaṇaname aghorāmukhi hrāṃ hrīṃ kilikili vicce sthaulyakrośī hrīṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ aiṃ namo bhagavate urdhvavaktrāya namaḥ / sphaiṃ kubjikāyai pūrvavaktrāya namaḥ / hrīṃ śrīṃ hrīṃ ṅaāñaṇaname dakṣiṇavaktrāya namaḥ / oṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ kilikili paścimavaktrāya namaḥ / oṃ akhoramukhi uttaravaktrāya namaḥ / oṃ namo bhagavate hṛdayāya namaḥ kṣaiṃ (kṣeṃ aiṃ) kubjikāyai śirase svāhā / hrīṃ krīṃ hrīṃ āṃ ṅa ña ṇa name śikhāyai vaṣaṭ / aghorāmukhi kavacāya huṃ / haiṃ haiṃ īṃ netratrayāya vauṣaṭ / kilikili vicce astrāya phaṭ

Translation

ऐं ह्रीं श्रीं ह्रीं स्फैं नमो भगवते स्फैं कुब्जीकायै नमः... (यथा मूलम्)

Word by Word

• namaḥ: Salutation
• namaḥ: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Visarga Sandhi (namo)

• bhagavate: To the Divine Lord
• bhagavate: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• kubjīkāyai: To Goddess Kubjika
• kubjīkāyai: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kubjikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dative (4th), Singular

• aghorāmukhi: O One with a non-terrible face
• aghorāmukhi: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aghorāmukhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Vocative (Sambodhana), Singular

• urdhvavaktrāya: To the upper face
• urdhvavaktrāya: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: urdhvavaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th), Singular

• pūrvavaktrāya: To the eastern face
• pūrvavaktrāya: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrvavaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th), Singular

• dakṣiṇavaktrāya: To the southern face
• dakṣiṇavaktrāya: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇavaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th), Singular

• paścimavaktrāya: To the western face
• paścimavaktrāya: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paścimavaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th), Singular

• uttaravaktrāya: To the northern face
• uttaravaktrāya: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttaravaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th), Singular

• hṛdayāya: To the heart
• hṛdayāya: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th), Singular

• śirase: To the head
• śirase: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th), Singular

• śikhāyai: To the topknot/tuft
• śikhāyai: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dative (4th), Singular

• kavacāya: To the armor
• kavacāya: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kavaca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th), Singular

• netratrayāya: To the three eyes
• netratrayāya: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netratraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th), Singular

• astrāya: To the weapon
• astrāya: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th), Singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating/teaching to Garuda) — mantra section (nyāsa-style invocation)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aṅga-nyāsa/kara-nyāsa: installing mantra-śakti into body-parts and directions to create protection and focused cognition.

Vedantic Theme: Upāsanā as antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi: disciplined ritual constructs a sattvic container; the ‘many-faced’ form hints at one consciousness appearing as many functions.

Application: If used, follow a qualified tradition; otherwise treat as a study-text on how attention is distributed through body-mapping—use a simplified, non-sectarian protective prayer for daily practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.26.2 (karāsphālana); Garuda Purana 1.26.4 (maṇḍala worship)

Characters & Entities

• Kubjikā
• Bhagavat (the Blessed Deity)
• Aghorāmukhī

FAQs

What is the importance of nyāsa-style mantras in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a protective nyāsa: it assigns mantric power to the heart, head, topknot, armor, eyes, and weapon—ritually ‘sealing’ the practitioner with divine protection.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; instead, it provides a ritual-protective mantra framework, which in Garuda Purana contexts is used to safeguard rites and the practitioner during spiritually sensitive procedures.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder that rituals require purity, focus, and protection: approach recitation with disciplined intent, ethical conduct, and (if practiced) correct guidance in mantra-nyāsa rather than casual repetition.