Shloka 4

Devanagari script

निरीक्ष्य पलायन्ते यं तमरण्यनिवासिनः समीपऽपि / द्वीपिवृकशरभकुञ्जरसिंहव्याघ्रादयो हिंस्त्राः

Transliteration

nirīkṣya palāyante yaṃ tamaraṇyanivāsinaḥ samīpa'pi / dvīpivṛkaśarabhakuñjarasiṃhavyāghrādayo hiṃstrāḥ

Translation

यं निरीक्ष्य समीपस्थिताः अपि अरण्यनिवासिनो हिंस्त्राः द्वीपिवृकशरभकुञ्जरसिंहव्याघ्रादयः पलायन्ते।

Word by Word

• निरीक्ष्य: having looked at
• निरीक्ष्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि- + √ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) अव्यय; ‘निरीक्ष्य’ = ‘दृष्ट्वा’

• पलायन्ते: flee
• पलायन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पलाय् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• तम्: that (him)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अरण्य-निवासिनः: forest-dwellers
• अरण्य-निवासिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √वस् धातु से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—अरण्ये निवासिनः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• समीपे: nearby
• समीपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• द्वीपि-वृक-शरभ-कुञ्जर-सिंह-व्याघ्र-आदयः: leopards, wolves, śarabhas, elephants, lions, tigers, etc.
• द्वीपि-वृक-शरभ-कुञ्जर-सिंह-व्याघ्र-आदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वीपि (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक (प्रातिपदिक) + शरभ (प्रातिपदिक) + कुञ्जर (प्रातिपदिक) + सिंह (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व-समूहः, ‘आदयः’ सहित सूची

• हिंस्त्राः: ferocious/violent
• हिंस्त्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिंस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Protective potency (rakṣā) extends outward: the bearer becomes fearsome to हिंस्र beings; dharmic safeguards neutralize external violence.

Vedantic Theme: Adhiṣṭhāna of protection through daiva/puṇya-supported upāya; fear (bhaya) reduced by reliance on sacred order.

Application: For travel in risky places, combine practical caution with sanctioned protective observances (mantra/maṇi/vrata) and steady mind.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: wilderness

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.76.3 (wearing the Bhīṣma-maṇi); Garuda Purana 1.76.6 (protective effects via pitṛ-tarpaṇa)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Forest-dwelling beasts (dvīpi, vṛka, śarabha, kuñjara, siṃha, vyāghra)

FAQs

What is the importance of fear and protection imagery in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses the flight of violent forest beasts to show that a powerful spiritual condition (merit, divine protection, or the force of dharma) can neutralize external threats along the post-death journey.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It depicts the Yama-mārga setting as perilous and filled with frightening environments; yet the traveler described here is so spiritually potent that even nearby predators withdraw, implying karma and dharma shape what is encountered.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharma and sattvic conduct, and support death-rites (e.g., śrāddha, dāna) with sincerity—because the Purana repeatedly frames protection in perilous transitions as rooted in merit and righteous living.