Shloka 18

Śiva-taught Mantra-Weapons, Mudrās, and Rakṣā-Rites

Removal of Kīlaka; Protection from Nāga, Viṣa, Graha, and Storms

Devanagari script

ॐ लसद्दिजिह्वाक्ष स्वाहा / क्षेत्रादौ ग्रहभूतादिविषपक्षिनिवारणम्

Transliteration

oṃ lasaddijihvākṣa svāhā / kṣetrādau grahabhūtādiviṣapakṣinivāraṇam

Translation

“โอม ลสะททิชิหวากษะ สวาหา” มนต์นี้ใช้ป้องกันในทุ่งนาและสถานที่ต่าง ๆ จากอุปัทวะของคเคราะห์และภูต รวมทั้งอันตรายจากพิษและนกมีพิษให้สงบลง

Word by Word

• ॐ: Oṃ
• ॐ: Mantra-invocation (मन्त्रारम्भ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: प्रणव-उच्चारणम्; अव्यय

• लसत्: shining
• लसत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle); नपुंसक/पुं/स्त्री सर्वलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः; ‘shining’

• दिजिह्वाक्ष: O (one) with two tongues and eyes (mantric epithet)
• दिजिह्वाक्ष: Sambodhana/Mantra-address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + जिह्वा + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः (द्वे जिह्वे यस्य/द्विजिह्वा + अक्ष); मन्त्र-नामरूपेण सम्बोधन/मन्त्राङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन-रूपम् (vocative-like usage)

• स्वाहा: svāhā
• स्वाहा: Mantra-ending (मन्त्रसमाप्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वाहा (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: हविर्दान-समाप्त्यर्थक निपात (exclamation used in offerings)

• क्षेत्रादौ: in a field and the like
• क्षेत्रादौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (क्षेत्रम् आदि यस्मिन्/क्षेत्रादि); नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (locative: in a field etc.)

• ग्रहभूतादिविषपक्षिनिवारणम्: warding off seizures/afflictions, spirits, etc., and poisonous birds
• ग्रहभूतादिविषपक्षिनिवारणम्: Karta/Phala-nirdesha (फलनिर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह + भूत + आदि + विष + पक्षि + निवारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समाससमूहः; नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (a remedy/act of warding off)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Rakṣā for livelihood spaces (fields) is part of sustaining dharmic life; mantra as protective boundary.

Vedantic Theme: Sacralizing work and land through śabda; order imposed on chaos by consecrated utterance.

Application: Recite the mantra as a protective ‘fence’ before entering fields/remote places; combine with practical precautions against wildlife and toxins.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: agricultural land / boundary space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.20.16-17, 1.20.19-20 (same protective sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Bhutas
• Grahās

FAQs

What is the importance of protection mantras in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents a specific svāhā-mantra used for practical protection—preventing harm from graha-type afflictions, bhūtas, and poison-related dangers in places like fields.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it belongs to the Garuda Purana’s ritual-protective instructions meant to remove obstacles and harmful influences in worldly life.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It indicates a traditional approach of using authorized mantras for protection and risk-reduction—paired with ethical living and sensible precautions—especially when undertaking work in exposed outdoor environments.