Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

सदाकर्षतु विष्णुश्च किल्बिषं मम विग्रहात् / हंसो मत्स्यस्तथा कूर्मः पातु मां सर्वतोदिशम्

Transliteration

sadākarṣatu viṣṇuśca kilbiṣaṃ mama vigrahāt / haṃso matsyastathā kūrmaḥ pātu māṃ sarvatodiśam

Translation

భగవాన్ విష్ణువు నా దేహమునుండి పాపాన్ని ఎల్లప్పుడూ లాగి దూరం చేయుగాక. హంస, మత్స్య, అలాగే కూర్మ అవతారాలు నన్ను అన్ని దిక్కుల నుండీ కాపాడుగాక.

Word by Word

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• आकर्षतु: may (he) draw away/remove
• आकर्षतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कृṣ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• किल्बिषम्: sin, impurity
• किल्बिषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• विग्रहात्: from the body/form
• विग्रहात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे (ablative)

• हंसः: Haṃsa (swan-form)
• हंसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मत्स्यः: Matsya (fish-incarnation)
• मत्स्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise/also)

• कूर्मः: Kūrma (tortoise-incarnation)
• कूर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• सर्वतः: from all sides
• सर्वतः: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: दिग्वाचक-अव्यय (adverb: from all sides)

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; दिगर्थे (direction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (as part of a protective prayer taught in the Garuda Purana narration to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic impurity (kilbiṣa) can be drawn away by Viṣṇu’s grace; divine protection operates through avatāra-forms.

Vedantic Theme: Pāpa-kṣaya through īśvara-smaraṇa; the Lord as inner purifier (antaryāmin) removing bondage-causing impressions.

Application: Recite as a daily pāpa-śodhana prayer; visualize Haṃsa/Matsya/Kūrma guarding the quarters during japa or before sleep.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.194 (protective nāma/avatāra litany)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Hamsa
• Matsya
• Kurma

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking Vishnu to remove kilbiṣa (sin) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames sin (kilbiṣa) as something that can be spiritually “drawn out” through surrender and remembrance of Viṣṇu, emphasizing purification as a prerequisite for protection and right living.

How does this verse relate to protection in the Garuda Purana’s broader teachings?

By calling on multiple divine forms (Haṃsa, Matsya, Kūrma) to guard “from every direction,” the verse presents a comprehensive spiritual safeguard—purification within and protection without—often paired with dharmic conduct.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a short daily prayer for ethical self-correction: acknowledge wrongdoing, seek inner purification, and commit to dharma while invoking divine protection before travel, rituals, or important decisions.