Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

शत्रीन्हलेन मे हन्याद्रामो यादवनन्दनः / प्रलम्बकेशिचाणूरपूतनाकंसनाशनः / कृष्णस्य यो बालभावः स मे कामान्प्रयच्छतु

Transliteration

śatrīnhalena me hanyādrāmo yādavanandanaḥ / pralambakeśicāṇūrapūtanākaṃsanāśanaḥ / kṛṣṇasya yo bālabhāvaḥ sa me kāmānprayacchatu

Translation

యాదవానందనుడు రాముడు (బలరాముడు) తన హలంతో నా శత్రువులను సంహరించుగాక; ప్రలంబ, కేశి, చాణూర, పూతనా, కంసులను నశింపజేసిన శ్రీకృష్ణుని ఆ బాలరూపమే నాకు కోరిన సిద్ధులను ప్రసాదించుగాక।

Word by Word

• शत्रीन्: enemies
• शत्रीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• हलेन: with a plough
• हलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)

• मे: for me / my
• मे: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Genitive/Dative, Singular; pronoun)

• हन्यात्: may (he) slay
• हन्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (सम्भावना/आशीः), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd person, singular)

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• यादवनन्दनः: delight of the Yadavas
• यादवनन्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यादव + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• प्रलम्बकेशिचाणूरपूतनाकंसनाशनः: destroyer of Pralamba, Keśin, Cāṇūra, Pūtanā, and Kaṃsa
• प्रलम्बकेशिचाणूरपूतनाकंसनाशनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रलम्ब + केशिन् + चाणूर + पूतना + कंस + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-समास, विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; compound adjective)

• कृष्णस्य: of Krishna
• कृष्णस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• बालभावः: childhood nature/form
• बालभावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

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

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Dative, Singular; pronoun)

• कामान्: desires
• कामान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• प्रयच्छतु: may (he) grant
• प्रयच्छतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperative, 3rd person, singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda; embedded protective/benefic invocation)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Smaraṇa of Bhagavān’s līlā and nāma grants protection and fulfills righteous desires (kāmān).

Vedantic Theme: Bhagavān as both līlā-mūrti and sarva-śaktimān; remembrance aligns the mind with the divine will, reducing fear and obstacles.

Application: Use as a protective/fulfillment prayer: recite while visualizing Balarāma’s hala and child-Kṛṣṇa’s victories; frame desires as dhārmic aims.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.194.21 (Vaiṣṇava-kavaca); Garuda Purana sections praising Viṣṇu-nāma as remover of upadravas (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Rama (Balarama)
• Krishna
• Yadavas
• Pralamba
• Kesi
• Chanura
• Putana
• Kamsa

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking Balarama and Krishna’s child-form in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames divine remembrance as protection: Balarama is invoked as a remover of hostile forces, while Krishna’s bāla-bhāva represents auspicious, grace-bestowing divinity that fulfills righteous aims.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana themes like fear, obstacles, and protection?

Although much of the Preta Kanda discusses post-death realities, it also includes devotional and protective recitations; this shloka functions as an apotropaic prayer—seeking safety from enemies and success through divine names and deeds.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the verse as a focused remembrance (nāma-smaraṇa) during anxiety or conflict—pairing ethical action with devotion, and seeking protection and success without harming others unjustly.