Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

सर्वानरीन्नाशयतु रामः परशुना मम / रक्षोघ्नस्तु दशरथिः पातु नित्यं महाभुजः

Transliteration

sarvānarīnnāśayatu rāmaḥ paraśunā mama / rakṣoghnastu daśarathiḥ pātu nityaṃ mahābhujaḥ

Translation

ขอพระรามทรงทำลายศัตรูทั้งปวงของข้าพเจ้าด้วยขวานศักดิ์สิทธิ์; และขอพระทศรถนন্দน ผู้ปราบยักษ์ผู้มีพาหุอันยิ่งใหญ่ คุ้มครองข้าพเจ้าเนืองนิตย์।

Word by Word

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Accusative, Plural; adjective)

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

• नाशयतु: may (he) destroy
• नाशयतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नाशय् (धातु; णिच्-प्रत्यय, causative of नश्)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperative, 3rd person, singular)

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

• परशुना: with an axe
• परशुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Singular)

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

• रक्षोघ्नः: slayer of demons
• रक्षोघ्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्षस् + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक; घ्न = हन्-धातुजन्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• दशरथिः: son of Dasharatha
• दशरथिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperative, 3rd person, singular)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• महाभुजः: mighty-armed
• महाभुजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra, within a protective-stotra context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śaraṇāgati through nāma-smaraṇa and divine protection against adversity.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha (grace) as the remover of obstacles; the devotee’s fear dissolves by reliance on Bhagavān.

Application: Recite as a protective prayer (kavaca-bhāva) before travel, conflict, or anxiety; cultivate remembrance of Rāma as guardian.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.194.20-21 (śaraṇāgati to Hari; Vaiṣṇava-kavaca); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa sections where Viṣṇu-nāma is praised as protection (general thematic link)

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Dasharathi
• Rakshasas

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking Rama in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats Rāma as a protective divine force—one who removes hostile influences and grants continual safeguarding, aligning devotion with dharmic protection.

How does this verse relate to fear, obstacles, or hostile forces?

By naming Rāma as both enemy-destroyer and rākṣasa-slayer, the verse functions as a prayer for removal of external and subtle harms, asking for ongoing protection.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a brief daily prayer for courage and ethical strength—seeking protection while committing to dharma rather than retaliation or harm.